Some thoughts on the Boulder jihadist attack

NEVER let anyone tell you that anti-Zionism is anything other than anti-Semitism

The heinous attack in Boulder which, fortunately, seems not have resulted in any deaths, is a sad and at least slightly frightening reminder of the ugly rise of anti-Semitism in the United States.

Boulder Molotov attack tied to antisemitism surge | News | denvergazette.com

As Rabbi Leban and I discussed last week, anti-Semitism is on the rise and it has American Jews wondering if we were wrong to think that America is the one country where we’re truly safe. Just two days later, the attack in Boulder happened.

Rabbi Raphael Leban on anti-Semitism and the Jewish Holiday of Shavuot | KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM | Ross Kaminsky

The attacker is an Egyptian illegal immigrant (arrived legally, stayed illegally) who was yelling anti-Semitic and anti-Israel hatred before trying to burn mostly-elderly peaceful demonstrators who were there to keep awareness of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

This attacker is a foreigner who probably has few opinions about American politics and in any case can’t vote here. So he doesn’t fit neatly into my next point, but my next point — which also came up in the conversation with the rabbit — remains valid:

When I was growing up, and even for most of my adult life, American Jews understood the primary anti-Semitic threat to emanate from the political far-right. Neo-Nazis, skinheads, KKK types, etc., surely not numerous — indeed, I suspect that nobody reading this knows a single one — but potentially inclined toward violence and certainly holding utterly ignorant and hateful opinions of Jews — I suspect that almost none of those anti-Semites even knows a Jewish person.

But it has been clear to me for a few years that things have changed and that while there still can be threats to Jews from the far right, the far left currently poses a much more clear and present danger. Indeed, I had an “expert” on the show a few years ago who kept saying that the biggest terrorist threats in America came from the “far right”, not the “far left” and not from Islamists. I recall expressing skepticism during that conversation and that skepticism has only grown since then.

Before going further, let me reiterate: I am NOT claiming there is no threat from the far right. There surely is, but with the “tolerant” left now more aggressively verbally and physically attacking Jews, well, with friends like that…

This ties in directly with the Trump administration’s aggressive actions against Harvard and Columbia for their failure to protect the safety and civil rights of Jewish students. Yes, Trump may overplay his hand from time to time (like trying to block Harvard from having any foreign students and the news yesterday that they’re threatening the accreditation of Columbia), but bottom line is that these universities richly deserve the opprobrium and punishment.

Students (undergrad and graduate) as well as non-students congregate on and around campus because they know that 1) the universities will do precious little to stop them (though that’s clearly changing thanks to Trump) and 2) even at schools with relatively large Jewish populations like Columbia, it’s likely that anti-Semites will find plenty of supporters among faculty and staff and that with the rare exception of someone like Shai Davidai, those who are not anti-Semites will be afraid to speak up.

Shai Davidai on X: "Wow. “After Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University’s leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus. This is not only immoral, but also unlawful. Accreditors have an enormous public" / X

shaidavidai

A post shared by @shaidavidai

Thus, universities are not “safe spaces” for people who need safety, but rather for their assailants. And, as people holding positions of significant academic and cultural influence, “the best” schools have for years been inculcating ignorance and anti-Semitism (the former always being a component of the latter) among young people who are now scattered throughout the nation, often in important and influential positions. They’re little walking time bombs of ignorance, moral equivocation, and thinly-veiled support for those who are disappointed that Hitler didn’t achieve his goal even if they claim, mendaciously, that really they’re just “anti-Zionist.”

These universities are cancerous societal tumors that have metastasized throughout our society. And, again, because these are perceived as the “best” schools it means many of these graduates are in some of the most prominent positions in America, especially when it comes to working at top law firms and being potential future law clerks and judges, places where a deep disdain for, and complete lack of understanding of, our Constitution can cause immeasurable harm to our nation.

It shouldn’t just be government going after universities for this utter failure to maintain the most basic standards of fairness, equality, and safety. It should be everybody. Seriously, why would ANY parent let a kid apply to Columbia right now? Or Harvard or UCLA or so many other schools that allow chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine, effectively a branch of the Hamas-loving Muslim Brotherhood, to operate as if they’re just like any other club. STOP giving them money. Stop applying. Bash them mercilessly in regular media and social media until they not only promise to shape up but prove that they’re doing so. Until they start firing professors who cheered the October 7 massacre, just as an obvious start.

In the past couple of days, the news has turned to the Trump administration’s apparent move to deport the attacker’s wife and kids. I don’t care. Seems like a decent disincentive for other like-minded a-holes who think they will somehow help people in Gaza by firebombing Americans.

Judge Blocks Deportation of Boulder Suspect’s Family

I don’t have a lot more to add to the story but I’d like to take a moment to reiterate something I’ve been saying for a few years:

To all my fellow Jews: Learn how to use and maintain a firearm. Get a concealed carry permit and be prepared to defend yourself or others. Get a weapon (likely different from your “carry gun”) for home defense; I’m partial to shotguns for that purpose but you make your own decision. It is not a slight to police to say that “when seconds count, police are minutes away.”

Anti-Semitism is on the rise in America. As Guy Benson said to me on his radio show the other day when I joined to talk about the Boulder attack, a friend of his made a memorable point: “First they came for the ‘Saturday people’. If we don’t all fight back, they’ll soon be coming for the ‘Sunday people.’”

Join me in fighting back. Not only “even if” you’re not Jewish, but especially if you’re not Jewish.