Swisher Defends College Protests as Anti-American Not To Support Them

Renowned journalist and podcaster Kara Swisher argued on Saturday that not supporting young people’s college protests could be perceived as anti-American. During a CNN discussion regarding the spike in anti-Israel demonstrations occurring on various university campuses, Eliana Johnson of Washington Free Beacon asserted it would be beneficial for President Biden to speak out against protestors who advocate violence towards Jewish individuals and call Zionists “undesirable.” Swisher countered by questioning whether supporting freedom of speech or maintaining order was more crucial. She further stated that failing to endorse young people’s protests, particularly when they are poorly executed, could be deemed anti-American in a way. Free Speech Coalition spokesperson Johnson agreed that free expression is acceptable but remarked on how significantly university life has been affected by the demonstrators, with Columbia University canceling classes online and USC postponing graduation ceremonies as a result of protests. NYT podcast host Lulu Garcia-Navarro also expressed concerns about some police responses to these rallies being excessive in Texas and Indiana, leading Swisher to add that “because then it’s an entirely different story.” She further explained how the current suppression of young people’s expressions could lead to more significant issues later on. Anti-Israel protests have erupted at various college campuses around the nation since Tuesday afternoon when protesters demonstrated across American institutions like Yale, Columbia, NYU, University of Texas Austin and USC in response to Israeli air strikes targeting Gaza Strip. The Palestine Solidarity Committee at UT wrote on Instagram that their suspension was an attack against free speech aimed at diverting attention from Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people while Abbott and Hartzell authorized Texas State Troopers, Austin Police, and UT police to brutally suppress protests.