Exactly my impression, bolstered by close eyewitness observation, as someone visiting for the semester at Columbia—and someone who might be viewed by some as potentially “threatened” by this. Inside the campus, I have close encounters with the protesters (many Jewish), other students, and faculty daily: it’s all peaceful, reasonably thoughtful, civilized—even, in a way, bucolic, because the campus is now closed to those without an ID. A few feet from the tent city, students are lounging around, pulling late nights in the library, taking pre-graduation photos, etc. like they always do in late spring. A colleague was invited to Passover seder inside the group of protesters’ tents!) Only outside the campus perimeter do I have to walk home daily through throngs of journalists, photographers, outside protestors, and cops. And then I get emails from around the globe inquiring whether I am still alive, or criticisms of Columbia from people who know someone who knows someone whose parents told them to leave campus because they were worried. Inside the campus, nearly everyone’s biggest complaint is, rather, that outside perceptions of what’s going on are being manipulated in misleading ways for political purposes. Whereas one might criticize the students for not seeming to foresee this and thus not strategizing about how to project an (accurate) image to the broader public (one could start by reading Dr King), I have seen nothing the least bit rowdy, let alone dangerous to anyone. And Dan is surely right: the manipulation is largely about the 2024 election, not Israel or Palestine.
Exactly my impression, bolstered by close eyewitness observation, as someone visiting for the semester at Columbia—and someone who might be viewed by some as potentially “threatened” by this. Inside the campus, I have close encounters with the protesters (many Jewish), other students, and faculty daily: it’s all peaceful, reasonably thoughtful, civilized—even, in a way, bucolic, because the campus is now closed to those without an ID. A few feet from the tent city, students are lounging around, pulling late nights in the library, taking pre-graduation photos, etc. like they always do in late spring. A colleague was invited to Passover seder inside the group of protesters’ tents!) Only outside the campus perimeter do I have to walk home daily through throngs of journalists, photographers, outside protestors, and cops. And then I get emails from around the globe inquiring whether I am still alive, or criticisms of Columbia from people who know someone who knows someone whose parents told them to leave campus because they were worried. Inside the campus, nearly everyone’s biggest complaint is, rather, that outside perceptions of what’s going on are being manipulated in misleading ways for political purposes. Whereas one might criticize the students for not seeming to foresee this and thus not strategizing about how to project an (accurate) image to the broader public (one could start by reading Dr King), I have seen nothing the least bit rowdy, let alone dangerous to anyone. And Dan is surely right: the manipulation is largely about the 2024 election, not Israel or Palestine.
It’s refreshing to get a first hand impression like yours, Andrew. It’s been my experience as well in similar situations elsewhere in years past.