Krystal and Saagar HEATED Debate On Campus Gaza Protests

Breaking Points
30 Apr 202429:58

Summary

TLDRThe transcript discusses the unfolding protests across various U.S. campuses, particularly focusing on Columbia University and the University of Texas at Austin. It highlights the resurgence of activism reminiscent of the 1960s, with protesters occupying Hamilton Hall at Columbia in a stand against perceived injustices, including the Israeli Defense Forces' actions. The discussion also touches on the crackdown on these protests, with police using force and making arrests, leading to a public outcry and further student defiance. The conversation delves into the broader implications of these actions, including the potential backlash against protesters, the importance of peaceful protest, and the role of free speech in democratic society. It also addresses the response from political figures and the potential threat to federal funding for universities that do not suppress 'wrongthink.' The summary underscores the tension between upholding free speech and the aggressive enforcement of ideological conformity in educational institutions.

Takeaways

  • 📚 Columbia University has become a focal point for protests, with parallels drawn to the 1968 anti-Vietnam War demonstrations.
  • đŸ›ïž Hamilton Hall, a building at Columbia, was occupied by protesters, echoing its 1968 use as a site of protest and raising questions about property destruction.
  • 🚹 At UT Austin, there was a significant police crackdown on student protests, leading to arrests and allegations of police brutality.
  • đŸ€” The effectiveness of protests is debated, with some arguing that they can lead to meaningful change, while others suggest they may not result in tangible outcomes.
  • 🌐 International attention is drawn to the protests, with implications for global politics and the perception of the United States' stance on international issues.
  • đŸ‘źâ€â™‚ïž Law enforcement's response to protests is criticized for being heavy-handed, potentially undermining the right to peaceful assembly.
  • đŸ›ïž There's a discussion about the balance between enforcing rules and respecting the history of student activism at universities.
  • 💭 The potential consequences for students participating in protests, including academic and legal repercussions, are highlighted.
  • đŸ—Łïž The role of free speech in the context of campus protests is a point of contention, with some arguing that it's being suppressed.
  • đŸ€ There's a call for solidarity and support for the protesters, emphasizing the importance of standing up for principles and potential sacrifices.
  • 👉 The potential impact of protests on political discourse and policy, both domestically and internationally, is acknowledged.

Q & A

  • What was the significance of Hamilton Hall in the context of the protests at Columbia University?

    -Hamilton Hall was significant because it was one of the buildings that anti-Vietnam War protesters took over in 1968, and it was again occupied by protesters in the described events, symbolizing a connection to the activism of the past.

  • What was the reference to 'Hin Hall' in the context of the Columbia University protests?

    -The reference to 'Hin Hall' was in honor of Hind, a six-year-old girl whose family was killed by an IDF strike. She was able to call for help but was assassinated by the IDF along with her potential rescuers, highlighting the human cost of conflict.

  • Why did the Texas governor Greg Abbott decide to enforce a crackdown on the protests at UT Austin?

    -The script does not provide a specific reason for Governor Greg Abbott's decision, but it suggests that he abandoned any pretense of supporting free speech and opted for a full crackdown, which included police in riot gear and arrests.

  • What was the reaction of the protesters at UT Austin after the police cleared the area?

    -The protesters at UT Austin were determined and came back to reset up the encampment and restart the protest. They even chanted 'you failed' in reference to the police's actions at a scene involving a school incident.

  • What was the Columbia University administration's response to the protests and occupation of Hamilton Hall?

    -Columbia University initially set a deadline for the protesters to leave Hamilton Hall, but when that deadline passed without enforcement, they began suspending students involved in the protests, barring them from finishing the semester, graduating, or entering campus housing or academic buildings.

  • What was the stance of the Biden administration regarding the use of police force on college campus protests?

    -The Biden administration, represented by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, emphasized the right of Americans to peacefully protest within the law and condemned anti-Semitism, but provided a limited response to the specific question about police force on campus protests.

  • What actions were proposed by some U.S. politicians in response to the protests on college campuses?

    -Some U.S. politicians proposed reducing or eliminating federal funds to campuses that could not maintain safety and security, revoking visas of foreign students participating in protests, and even placing students on a no-fly list.

  • Why was there a debate about the effectiveness of protests in bringing about change?

    -The debate arose because some individuals believe that protests, while a form of expression, may not lead to tangible change, especially when they result in property damage or violent confrontations with authorities. Others argue that protests are part of a broader movement that can shift public opinion and pressure lawmakers.

  • What historical references were made in the script regarding protests and their impact?

    -The script referenced the 1968 protests at Columbia University, the Civil Rights era, the Selma, Alabama March led by Martin Luther King Jr., and the impact of LGBTQ+ rights movements to illustrate the varied outcomes and impacts of protests over time.

  • What was the speaker's opinion on the potential consequences for students involved in the protests?

    -The speaker expressed concern for the students, suggesting that they might face severe consequences such as expulsion, arrest, and long-term effects on their future, but also acknowledged their courage and the importance of standing up for their beliefs.

  • What was the speaker's view on the role of federal funding in influencing the political stance of universities?

    -The speaker was opposed to the idea that federal funding could be contingent on a university's adherence to a particular political ideology, arguing that it could lead to a dangerous precedent of government overreach and infringement on First Amendment rights.

Outlines

00:00

🚹 Campus Protests and Crackdowns 🚹

The video discusses the protests at Columbia University, referencing the historical context of 1968 and the current situation involving the takeover of Hamilton Hall. It also addresses the police response at the University of Texas at Austin, where Governor Greg Abbott's crackdown on protesters is criticized. The speaker condemns the violence against student protesters and highlights the resilience of the protesters in the face of police action.

05:01

đŸ€” Controversy Over Property Damage and Activism đŸ€”

This paragraph debates the strategy of property damage during protests, using the example of 1968's Hamilton Hall occupation and the current situation at Columbia University. The speaker argues against property destruction, suggesting it invites police retaliation. There's also a critique of Columbia's response to the protests, accusing the university of inconsistent enforcement of its rules and of undermining its history of student activism.

10:03

🌎 Global Impact of Student Protests 🌎

The speaker admires the protesters for their willingness to sacrifice for values and for people they may never meet. They argue that the protests have global significance, particularly for the Palestinians in Gaza, and have already influenced public opinion and political discourse. The paragraph also addresses the potential for a backlash similar to that of the Vietnam War protesters and the importance of historical context in understanding the impact of protests.

15:04

📚 The Role of Congress and Legislative Change 📚

The focus shifts to the importance of legislative action in addition to street protests for achieving lasting change. The Civil Rights era and the role of Martin Luther King Jr., President Lyndon B. Johnson, and the NAACP are highlighted as examples. The speaker emphasizes that protests are part of a broader strategy that includes influencing lawmakers and that the current movement has already achieved some political victories.

20:05

đŸ˜· Masks and the Awareness of Consequences đŸ˜·

The video script describes the protective measures taken by faculty and students during a protest at Columbia University, including wearing orange vests and masks to shield their identities. Despite the awareness of potential consequences, the protesters continue their activities. The paragraph also covers the Biden administration's response to the protests and the use of police force on college campuses, criticizing the lack of substantial comment beyond condemning anti-Semitism.

25:06

đŸ›Ąïž Threats to Free Speech and Federal Intervention đŸ›Ąïž

The final paragraph discusses the threats to free speech on college campuses, with proposals from politicians to cut federal funding to universities that do not suppress protests. It also mentions the possibility of foreign student visas being revoked and the idea of placing student protesters on a no-fly list. The speaker expresses concern over these measures, likening them to the Patriot Act, and argues against the federal government enforcing a particular ideology on educational institutions.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Protests

Protests refer to a public demonstration in which people express their objection or support for an idea or policy. In the video, protests are taking place at Columbia University and other campuses, with students advocating for causes such as divestment from certain entities and expressing opposition to perceived injustices. The protests are a central theme, highlighting the conflict between free speech and the enforcement of university rules.

💡Columbia University

Columbia University is an Ivy League institution in New York City that serves as a focal point for the protests described in the video. It is historically known for student activism, and the script references its role as 'Ground Zero' for the protests, indicating the significance of the protests in relation to the university's identity and the broader movement.

💡Free Speech

Free speech is the right to express one's opinions without censorship or restraint. The video discusses the tension between upholding free speech rights and maintaining order on campus during protests. It is a contentious issue, as some argue that the university's response to the protests infringes upon this right, while others believe that the protests have crossed the line into unacceptable behavior.

💡Hamilton Hall

Hamilton Hall is a building on the Columbia University campus that has historical significance due to its occupation during the 1968 anti-Vietnam War protests. In the video, it is mentioned again in the context of the current protests, symbolizing a connection to past acts of student activism and drawing parallels between the two eras of unrest.

💡Property Damage

Property damage refers to the destruction or vandalization of property, which is often a point of contention during protests. The video discusses instances of property damage during the protests, questioning whether such actions are justified or if they detract from the protesters' message. It is a key issue as it influences public and administrative responses to the protests.

💡Police Crackdown

A police crackdown refers to the aggressive enforcement of laws by the police, often in response to civil unrest or protests. The video describes a situation at UT Austin where the police response to protesters was particularly forceful, leading to a backlash and further escalation of the protests. This highlights the tension between law enforcement and protesters and the potential consequences of such actions.

💡Divestment

Divestment is the strategy of withdrawing investment from a particular company or sector, often for ethical or political reasons. In the context of the video, students are calling for divestment from entities that they perceive as unethically involved in conflicts, such as the Israeli-Palestinian situation. This demand is a central part of the protests and represents a specific goal of the student activists.

💡First Amendment

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the rights to freedom of religion, speech, the press, peaceful assembly, and petition. The video discusses the First Amendment in the context of campus protests, questioning the extent to which universities should allow protests and the potential infringement on these rights when law enforcement or university policies intervene.

💡Ideological Enforcement

Ideological enforcement refers to the imposition of a particular set of beliefs or values, often by those in power. The video touches on concerns that the federal government or university administrations might be enforcing a specific ideology regarding the protests, which could be seen as a threat to academic freedom and open debate.

💡Federal Funding

Federal funding refers to financial support provided by the national government to various institutions, including universities. The video discusses threats to withdraw federal funding from universities that do not maintain a certain level of safety and security, or that allow protests deemed unacceptable by some politicians. This represents a significant pressure point as it could impact the university's financial stability and autonomy.

💡No-fly list

A no-fly list is a government database used to prevent individuals from boarding commercial aircraft. In the video, there is mention of potentially placing student protesters on a no-fly list, which would be a severe measure with significant implications for their freedom of movement and due process rights. This is presented as an extreme response to the protests and is criticized as being unconstitutional and disproportionate.

Highlights

Columbia University has become a focal point for protests and subsequent crackdowns, echoing the 1968 anti-Vietnam War demonstrations.

Protesters have taken over Hamilton Hall, a building with historical significance related to activism.

A flag hung from Hamilton Hall references a tragic incident involving a young girl and the IDF, symbolizing the protesters' cause.

The protests at Columbia University are intentionally creating a connection to the activism of the 1960s.

At UT Austin, police have taken a hard line against protesters, leading to a significant backlash.

Despite a crackdown, protesters at UT Austin have been determined to regroup and continue their demonstrations.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott's administration is facing criticism for its approach to handling the protests.

Columbia University's response to protests has been mixed, with deadlines set but not enforced, leading to confusion.

The faculty at Columbia University has shown support for student protesters by forming a protective barrier around them.

Columbia University has begun suspending students involved in the protests, barring them from completing the semester.

The White House's response to the protests and police actions on campuses has been criticized as inadequate.

There is a bipartisan effort in Congress to potentially cut federal funding to universities that do not maintain safety and security for Jewish students.

Proposed measures include putting protesters on a no-fly list and revoking visas of foreign students involved in protests.

The situation has raised concerns about the erosion of First Amendment rights and civil liberties on college campuses.

Some argue that the crackdown on protests sets a dangerous precedent for the use of federal power to enforce ideological conformity.

The protests have already had an impact on public opinion and political discourse around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The debate over the effectiveness and consequences of protests continues, with some advocating for peaceful activism and others warning of potential repercussions.

Transcripts

00:00

let's go ahead and get to some of what

00:01

is unfolding around the country some

00:03

extraordinary scenes we want to start at

00:05

Columbia University which really has

00:07

been kind of Ground Zero for these

00:09

protests and for the Crackdown on these

00:11

protests so we can put these images up

00:13

on the screen you're talking about The

00:14

Echoes of

00:15

1968 so here we have protesters taking

00:20

over uh Hamilton Hall on campus that was

00:23

one of the same buildings that 1968

00:27

anti-vietnam War protesters took over at

00:31

that time you can see they have hung a

00:33

flag that says hin Hall that's a

00:36

reference to that little girl who um it

00:41

was horrible I did a whole monologue

00:42

about it she was in a car um her family

00:46

was killed by an IDF strike she was

00:48

still alive she was able to call the red

00:50

crescent she was begging for them to

00:51

come and help her they stayed on the

00:53

line with her they got the root DEC

00:56

conflicted so they could come and save

00:57

her and not only was she assassinated by

01:00

the IDF this little six-year-old

01:02

adorable girl but her would be Rescuers

01:05

also assassinated by the IDF and you

01:07

know documented on the scene that that

01:10

ambulance coming to save her was just a

01:12

block away so hins Hall um in honor of

01:16

Hind and her loss of life so again these

01:19

Echoes of 1968 now being very

01:22

intentionally um stoked and that

01:24

connectivity very intentionally created

01:27

by the protesters at Colombia I'll give

01:30

you some more updates on Columbia in a

01:31

minute because I want to show you some

01:32

of the scenes out of UT Austin where

01:35

Texas governor Greg Abbott has decided

01:37

to go full Crackdown mode any of his

01:40

pretend pretenses around Free Speech

01:42

clearly gone here here you can see um

01:45

police taking out someone carrying them

01:47

their hands are bound here you see um

01:51

these officers coming in in what appears

01:54

to be riot gear approaching the student

01:57

protesters here you see some cop beating

02:00

the hell out of someone um fists flying

02:03

there as um you know the cops are

02:05

pushing up against the protesters here

02:07

we see um people being sprayed um mace I

02:11

assume as they try to clear on this um

02:14

this area in this encampment and then

02:17

this is incredible so after the police

02:20

cleared the whole area this is

02:22

protesters coming back in and the police

02:25

actually having to retreat and then this

02:28

is uh my favorite I don't if you guys

02:30

can hear this in the background but

02:31

they're chanting you failed yaldi

02:34

because um DPS was there on the scene at

02:37

yaldi and while they're uh pretty

02:39

courageous when it comes to beating up

02:41

unarmed college kids not so courageous

02:44

when it came to rescuing these poor

02:47

babies who were trapped and being

02:48

murdered inside of that elementary

02:49

school and ultimately bleeding out so um

02:53

just extraordinary scenes there um I

02:56

don't know how many arrests were made

02:58

but student protesters at UT Austin very

03:01

determined even in spite of the

03:03

Crackdown to come back in and reset up

03:05

the encampment restart the protest um

03:08

reportedly Sager from the the scenes on

03:10

the ground the protests have only grown

03:13

in size as a result of this attempted

03:15

Crackdown so we can put Greg Abbott's

03:17

tweet up on the screen like I said all

03:20

of his Free Speech uh commentary

03:22

previously is now out the window he says

03:24

no encampments will be allowed instead

03:26

arrests are being made um your thoughts

03:29

on what is unfolding there it does look

03:31

like about 100 demonstr this is kvu KV

03:34

uabc got to give shout outs to the local

03:36

media they're saying at least 100

03:38

demonstrators there Arrested uh

03:40

returning back to that Hamilton Hall

03:42

that monologue that I gave it's uh very

03:45

signifant I mean they obviously did it

03:46

on purpose so 1968 that building

03:49

Hamilton Hall was actually occupied by

03:51

the Vietnam War protesters and they

03:53

barricaded themselves inside I will say

03:56

maybe you'll disagree with me crystal I

03:58

I think it was a mistake because one of

03:59

the reasons one of the things that they

04:01

did is there's a significant amount of

04:02

property destruction they blew open the

04:04

doors with uh with metal you know and

04:07

broke the glass and all of that you can

04:09

think that significant if you want but

04:10

once you cross into the line of straight

04:12

up property damage and you know we're no

04:14

longer in the realm of uh of like

04:17

camping on private property which is

04:20

University and that obviously you know

04:22

it's very different it's actual like

04:24

destruction of property uh that and

04:26

barricading themselves inside

04:28

vandalization you're you're set setting

04:29

yourself up for some sort of police

04:32

demonstration and so I I'll be honest I

04:34

think it was a mistake uh what they did

04:35

because destroying property and

04:38

vandalizing now at the same time look

04:40

Colombia you know I don't really know

04:41

what their deal is because Colombia says

04:44

the Colombia is like you have until 2

04:46

p.m. and we were all prepared we were

04:48

like okay here we go let's go and then 2

04:50

p p.m. comes and goes and nothing

04:51

happens and the Columbia University

04:53

faculty are all there and then they

04:55

start getting suspended but there's no

04:57

actual enforcement so in a certain sense

04:59

it's like you're setting deadlines and

05:01

then nothing is happening so I feel like

05:03

they've chosen the worst of all worlds

05:04

if you're going to have rules and you're

05:06

going to enforce them then enforce them

05:07

but if not they're in this tricky

05:09

situation I will also say in the

05:11

students defense one of the things that

05:13

Colombia Prides itself on is it history

05:16

of uh student activism and they sell

05:20

themselves about like listen we are so

05:21

sorry about what happened in 1968 and it

05:24

was a huge on to go yeah literally it

05:26

took us DEC to recover from next leaders

05:28

of activist so certain sense Columbia

05:30

does not have anybody uh but itself to

05:32

blame but I do think it was a huge

05:33

mistake to uh vandalize property and to

05:35

break into the building because uh

05:37

you're setting yourself up for a

05:39

Crackdown and I've said this before you

05:40

know as long as people are peaceful I

05:42

think it's fine but you start breaking

05:43

stuff burning stuff vandalizing stuff

05:44

I'm not going to have lot of syy for

05:46

Well here here's the thing in terms of

05:49

Colombia's

05:50

response because they threw everything

05:54

at these students for a holy peaceful

05:58

protest and you're right in the

06:00

beginning yes they brought in the cops

06:02

they threatened the National Guard they

06:05

suspended students um

06:08

indiscriminately and so when you throw

06:11

the whole kitchen sink at them to begin

06:13

with well you got nothing left they got

06:15

Nothing Left to Fear I mean this is

06:17

something that I've you know come to

06:18

realize as a parent in terms of like you

06:21

know disciplining children is your

06:23

biggest fear is they realize that like

06:25

you don't actually have any power over

06:26

them careful they might be listening to

06:29

you Ella Ida LOL don't watch the segment

06:32

but at a certain extent like you know I

06:34

can I can ground I can take away the

06:35

foot once you've done all the things

06:37

what else is there to do and so that's

06:40

what Colombia did here their Crackdown

06:42

at the be it was so aggressive we're

06:44

sending the cops and it's going to be

06:46

aggressive and we're threat in the

06:47

National Guard and all these politicians

06:48

are going to they're going to smear you

06:49

as anti-semites we're going to kick you

06:51

on a school and you're never going to

06:52

graduate you're not allowed to set foot

06:53

on campus and when the students were

06:55

like all right well that's happened what

06:58

else is there left to be threatened with

07:00

I I agree uh which is what you're

07:02

pointing to is and this is why it was

07:04

such a mistake to initially send in the

07:07

NYPD because initially this is a

07:10

peaceful protest yes they're in

07:11

violation of rules but it was they sent

07:14

in the cops and then there was a huge

07:15

backlash and then they tried negotiation

07:17

and that's a big mistake because as you

07:19

said you're suspending people you're TR

07:20

sending in the cops and you're kind of

07:22

boxing people into a corner but then

07:24

you're giving him deadlines you're not

07:25

enforcing the deadlines cuz you're

07:26

obviously look these people they have no

07:27

idea what to do they're terrified of the

07:29

headline of sending in the NYPD again in

07:32

inviting a new backlash and so they kind

07:34

of ratcheted up the anti I mean if you

07:35

think about it and this is a bad analogy

07:37

but it's like a prison right so it's

07:38

like when you have good behavior and

07:40

then you have a violation of that I just

07:42

watched that whole unlocked thing on

07:44

Netflix but it's very instructive about

07:46

how people feel and like like you're

07:48

saying about enforcement and rules is

07:50

okay if you have a medium infraction it

07:52

should be met with a medium-size

07:54

reasonable response so the reasonable

07:55

response at that time would have been to

07:57

do what they did in the interim which is

07:59

with them and be like okay guys like

08:00

what's going on here hey we have

08:02

commencement in 2 weeks you're all going

08:04

home if you don't clear out you're going

08:05

to get suspended it's going to be a

08:07

problem and you don't want that you've

08:08

paid all this money you know we have all

08:10

this going on and I think you know we're

08:12

talking about lowering tension but they

08:13

threw the cops in that was a huge

08:15

mistake that said now though you know by

08:17

box people into a corner and also kind

08:19

of both throwing the cops then backing

08:21

down they've set very unclear

08:23

expectations and now we have property

08:25

damage and a wholesale you know

08:27

occupation of the hall and unfortunately

08:29

I do you think it's going to end in uh

08:30

some tear gas or something there's no

08:32

other what other options do they have

08:33

there's no other way to clear people out

08:34

if you're going to barricade yourself

08:36

inside of the hall like what are you

08:37

going to do and especially if they start

08:39

vandalizing which they already did you

08:40

know to get in there you could just you

08:42

know do what students want you to do

08:44

which is to divest mean that's other

08:45

thing is I know I know but that's not

08:47

going to happen seem to understand that

08:49

but why not because there was a vote at

08:51

Columbia Barnard and it was overwhelming

08:53

in favor of div the students don't

08:55

control the endowment yeah but like if

08:57

you have faculty and students or over

08:59

overwhelmingly like just do this thing

09:01

then why not just do that thing and then

09:02

you won't have your hall occupied and

09:04

you won't have to send in the cops Etc

09:06

but you know I think bottom line is like

09:07

I said these students have already been

09:09

kicked out of school and arrested so

09:11

they're not afraid have we don't we

09:13

don't really know here's but I also

09:14

would say this don't throw your future

09:16

away for this I know some of these

09:17

protesters please don't do this your

09:19

parents spend a lot of money on I

09:21

disagree with that you want to get your

09:22

ass expelled like this what are you

09:24

gonna do 20 years from now these are

09:26

people who have agency and who feel like

09:28

they're standing against a genocide and

09:30

I I can't I I'm proud of them I think

09:33

it's incredible to watch 20 years from

09:34

now you'll be a footnote to history

09:36

you're G to be in some idiot on YouTube

09:38

a mon talking about you're not going to

09:41

have a degree away a bunch of money

09:43

there are more things to achieve in life

09:45

than like getting your startup funded or

09:47

getting hired by Wall Street the only

09:50

thing you do you can be a teacher you

09:51

know it's about basic these are yes

09:53

these are young people but they're also

09:54

adults and they're also perfectly

09:56

capable of making their own decisions

09:58

about what's important to them in their

10:00

lives and the way that they want to live

10:03

they're not buying into this crop this

10:04

part of actually what's in my monologue

10:06

they're not buying into this crop about

10:07

the only success that matters is success

10:11

in terms of a capitalist Marketplace

10:13

they have values those values are

10:15

important to them they're willing to I

10:17

think it's incredibly admirable that

10:19

they're willing to sacrifice in many

10:21

instances for people they don't know and

10:23

will never meet like that's

10:25

extraordinary and I think it's Brave I

10:26

think they're to be commended not you

10:28

know scolded for making the wrong life

10:29

decisions I'm not going to scold anybody

10:31

youing them I'm I'm telling you I

10:33

wouldn't do it and I'm sitting here as a

10:35

32y old doing it you didn't do and I

10:38

would I will promise you that 10 years

10:40

ago nobody remembers a [ __ ] thing

10:42

that I said and there's a good reason

10:44

for that and I hope that they don't but

10:45

you do no I certainly do but but I

10:47

regret a lot of it too and they will

10:50

know when they're old and gray and they

10:52

look back and everyone else is

10:54

pretending to have been on the right

10:56

side they will know where they were and

10:58

they will know what they can tell their

10:59

kids about what they did that's not

11:00

going to feed you or your kids I mean

11:02

ask some of these Vietnam War people how

11:03

it all worked out for them in 19 what is

11:05

it 19 that's 20 years later so

11:08

1988 we elected Reagan you know we had

11:10

IR Contra and all that like did it

11:12

really make a difference what happened

11:13

to a lot of those folks not much petered

11:15

out Nixon got elected Law and Order Sky

11:18

High murder rates mostly backfire it's

11:20

such a cynical view of the world though

11:22

to say like basically nothing matters no

11:24

protest matters you're you know your

11:27

genuine concern about this your protest

11:29

of the government you're disrupting

11:31

political speeches nothing you do

11:33

matters so just like go out and get your

11:36

bag I think that's I think that's a

11:37

really

11:38

cynical disturbing view of the world not

11:41

nothing matters but a very little does

11:42

matter listen we here's the bottom line

11:45

we know what will happen if these

11:46

protests don't proceed if these kids

11:49

don't risk the things that they're

11:50

risking that again I think they should

11:52

be absolutely commended for we know what

11:54

will happen absolutely nothing we don't

11:56

know what will happen if they try and

11:58

we've seen at least that there's been

12:01

some pressure placed on the

12:03

administration and I think that's

12:05

important and we we see globally this is

12:08

another thing I have in my monologue we

12:10

see that the people in Gaza see them

12:12

these Palestinians in Gaza are being

12:14

starved to death and threatened with

12:15

bombing and the entire male population

12:18

and rafan now basically threatened with

12:19

execution and murder they see these

12:22

protest and it means something to them I

12:25

mean that alone is I think significant

12:28

and important and see the way that

12:29

International PR I mean you see the way

12:31

Netanyahu is kind of freaking out about

12:32

the fact that there's International

12:34

pressure and these students are part of

12:35

that larger movement so yeah there are

12:37

no guarantees here you're right there

12:39

was a backlash to the Vietnam War

12:41

protesters and you're right that could

12:43

happen again but we know damn well what

12:45

happens if these kids do nothing and

12:46

that is the status quo perseveres

12:50

Palestinians are probably you know

12:52

kicked down of their land alt together

12:55

continue to be murdered continue to be

12:56

slaughtered we know that's what happens

12:58

if they don't protest they think there's

13:00

a chance they could change something and

13:02

I applaud them for doing it they may be

13:04

right I think they're wrong I think it's

13:06

a misreading of history and of power and

13:08

of how that all works now again I'm I

13:11

would take it back I don't want to scold

13:13

people I would only give you some advice

13:16

that when you're very young it can be

13:17

really easy to get caught up in whatever

13:19

the current thing of the day is I'm

13:21

trying to think back from 2012 or

13:23

Whatever Whenever were whenever I was in

13:25

college DACA that was a big one all

13:27

right people march for DACA all the this

13:29

was all over sorry you know look it

13:32

ended up working out nothing like I'm

13:34

just I'm just asking people to have a

13:36

little bit of historical literacy and to

13:38

be mindful that actions are going to

13:40

have consequence now you're an adult you

13:41

do whatever you want to do and I support

13:43

your right to do that and I've spoken

13:44

here openly I support people's right to

13:47

protest and all that I would just

13:49

caution folks to not get caught up into

13:51

thinking you know this ain't 1966 and

13:54

Selma Alabama and all that and there's

13:55

too often you know lack of thinking

13:58

about these consequences let's back to

13:59

BLM I mean people took to the streets

14:01

they thought this was going to be a

14:03

revolution what's the actual lasting

14:04

consequence you almost got Donald Trump

14:06

reelected you know you have a Skyhigh

14:08

murder rate nothing changed in terms of

14:10

police action so I hope you felt better

14:12

but like that's pretty much it you know

14:14

I mean and a bunch of grifters got to

14:15

buy mansions in Los Angeles like you

14:17

didn't change you're just arguing for

14:19

like give up I mean that's that is your

14:22

view understand that is what you're

14:23

arguing give up don't try don't bother

14:27

if you care about something you know

14:28

what keep your mouth shut stay home and

14:31

go get your bag that's what you're

14:32

arguing for and I think listen the

14:35

reality is we know how hard it is to

14:37

have our democracy actually reflect what

14:39

people want and the will of the people

14:41

but I don't know why you're even doing

14:43

what you're doing here and caring about

14:44

politics if you think that nothing ever

14:46

matters and nothing ever changes

14:48

obviously we've had protest movements in

14:50

our history that have mattered and have

14:52

changed we can look back at lgbtq rights

14:54

in the very recent past where there was

14:56

an organized movement and there was

14:58

protests and guess what change came and

15:00

it mattered and it happened the black

15:02

lives matter protest situation I think

15:04

part of what happened there and led to a

15:06

backlash that you're right absolutely

15:07

nothing changed is number one the

15:09

cooptation as you said by grifters

15:11

number two the lack of any sort of like

15:13

organized specific demands and number

15:15

three the fact that in direct contrast

15:17

to these protests you actually had real

15:22

widespread violence and property

15:25

destruction and damage you have not had

15:27

that here no I totally agree and I

15:29

commend these people I said it from the

15:30

beginning I'll explain then you know why

15:32

am I sitting here because I want to

15:33

convince people and understand how power

15:35

really works in this country and the

15:37

ways in which it can change so let's

15:39

think about the Civil Rights era there's

15:40

a great series of books called The

15:41

Parting of the waters three three series

15:44

I highly recommend people read it a

15:45

misreading of history is to think that

15:47

Martin Luther King Jr in the Selma

15:48

Alabama March is the only thing that

15:50

mattered and it's totally wrong the nlcp

15:52

working with Lynden Johnson and with the

15:54

US Senate over a period of 25 years in

15:57

the legislative process using and using

15:59

the protest movement that specifically

16:01

co-opt and hit the powers of Center that

16:03

mattered actually resulted in the 1964

16:06

Civil Rights Act on top of the

16:08

assassination of John F Kennedy it was

16:10

the perfect moment for it to be actually

16:11

be able to come through that's how it

16:13

worked right so it's not just taking to

16:15

the streets now I'm not going to

16:16

diminish the people who took the streets

16:18

but they're not actually the ones who

16:20

really change anything it was LBJ and it

16:22

was the

16:24

people

16:25

cockail what they didn't matter I mean

16:28

come on they a lot less than the NAACP

16:32

and then Lyon Johnson Hubert Humphrey

16:33

and the leaders but you're pretending

16:34

like what's happening in Columbia is the

16:36

only thing happening in the entire

16:38

country again this movement has

16:42

already won the argument this movement

16:45

has already dramatically changed public

16:47

opinion especially in terms of young

16:49

people this movement has made it so that

16:51

for the first time you know candidates

16:53

like summer Lee can actually be out and

16:55

out oppositional to critical of Israel

16:58

and APAC didn't even try to defeat her

17:01

because they knew she was too strong she

17:03

was going to win for the first time

17:04

there is actual political weight on the

17:06

side of the Palestinians where it's only

17:08

been on one side previously so those are

17:11

all changes that are being made and by

17:13

the way as I said this is not the only

17:14

thing that's happening you also have

17:16

organizations that are forming that have

17:18

formed that are designed to put money on

17:21

the other side of the equation organized

17:22

on the other side of the equation you

17:24

have unions that have gotten involved

17:25

who have come out in favor of ceasefires

17:27

and putting their organization we and

17:29

might behind it so to pretend like this

17:32

is the only thing that's happening and

17:34

so you know so it's not going to matter

17:35

to pretend that protest just haven't

17:37

ever mattered in history I just think

17:39

that that is I think it's Preposterous I

17:41

think it's nihilistic and I just think

17:42

it's ahistorical I don't think that it

17:44

doesn't matter I think that it is part

17:46

of a broader hole and I would urge

17:48

people to not overestimate what part of

17:51

one hole is and underestimate the I

17:54

completely agree with you on the union

17:55

part on the Congress part and that you

17:57

know why do we spend so much time here

17:59

that [ __ ] really does matter like who

18:01

really votes for XY you know a to

18:03

Ukraine why do you think we spend so

18:05

much time here or I care so much about

18:07

Congress and the way that Ukraine Aid

18:09

matters and explaining all this [ __ ]

18:10

about parliamentary procedure because

18:12

that's the stuff that really governs our

18:14

lives like me taking to the streets and

18:16

if I started an anti-rain war protest

18:18

which I would love to participate in if

18:20

anybody ever wants to let me know the

18:22

next one that is happening but why it

18:23

would matter but that's my point it

18:25

wouldn't do anything it actually

18:26

wouldn't do anything now if I SP some of

18:28

my time here and I win the argument and

18:31

I try and work you know pressure

18:33

lawmakers to actually do something

18:35

that's going to be a little bit

18:36

different and explaining to the people

18:38

here about how some of that stuff works

18:40

and to The Limited extent that we

18:41

actually have a check in our huge de

18:43

democratic system that is a real

18:46

understanding I think of kind of how the

18:47

power works again to the when you're 21

18:50

years old you don't have any power

18:51

regardless so yeah this is probably your

18:53

best bet in terms of participating in

18:55

the whole I am only saying you should

18:57

also think about your future and what

18:59

it's like in the you know in a in a way

19:01

it's a little bit nihilistic to think

19:02

that me getting expelled from school

19:04

over participating or you know breaking

19:06

down a Hamilton Hall window is going to

19:08

change the world like I'm sorry you know

19:10

the most likely outcome is that you're

19:11

screwed 10 years from now nobody

19:13

remembers you don't have a degree you

19:15

got expelled and now you're what

19:17

$150,000 in debt you know I I worry

19:20

about those people too I mean I'm

19:21

certainly how are they going to be able

19:22

buy a house or whatever actually the

19:24

single worst situation you can be in is

19:26

to have no degree and all of the

19:28

attendant I League school debt which

19:29

none no wonder a lot of these people are

19:32

going to be in that's you know in a way

19:33

that's nihilism as well thinking that

19:35

this is the most important thing that's

19:36

ever going to happen in your life the

19:38

truth is it's not by by large stand out

19:40

for the things that you believe in and

19:42

you're willing to Bear a cost and a

19:43

consequence I think is what we call like

19:45

courage and is admirable and yeah they

19:47

know that there is a potential price

19:48

that they are paying they're not stupid

19:51

they're quite aware of that their

19:53

administration of Columbia has made them

19:55

quite aware of that the political Elites

19:57

the media class have made them quite

19:58

aware of that and Bill Amman threatening

20:00

to keep them from ever being hired like

20:02

that [ __ ] already happened being doxed

20:05

and smeared why do you think they all

20:06

wear masks at the protest that's why

20:08

okay they're very well aware of the

20:10

consequences and they're doing it anyway

20:12

and I think they deserve to be commended

20:14

for that um if we can move on in the

20:16

next element though to update on what

20:18

Columbia is probably split this out

20:19

actually doing um so as soccer mentioned

20:23

previously you had a 2 p.m deadline

20:26

issued to um specifically the protesters

20:30

that were in the encampment saying

20:32

listen you need to clear out of here or

20:34

we're going to clear you out effectively

20:37

um in advance of that you can put B3 up

20:39

on the screen you actually had very

20:41

moving scenes of these people wearing

20:44

the orange vest these are all faculty um

20:48

in these like designated vests so that

20:50

they can be clearly identified as such

20:52

and you can see quite a number of

20:54

Columbia University faculty who are

20:56

linked linking arms here and surrounding

20:59

the encampment to try to protect these

21:01

students you also had a March of at

21:04

least a thousand students quite a number

21:07

who were encircling the encampment as

21:10

well also in an effort to protect the

21:13

students who were in camped there but

21:15

you know we were watching closely 2 p.m.

21:17

came and went and there was no visible

21:20

action there were some reports of cops

21:22

outside of the university to sort of

21:24

standing by but there were no actual

21:26

police action to clear out the

21:28

encampment as we had seen previously um

21:32

but we did get this news put this up on

21:34

the screen from axos um reportedly

21:37

Colombia did then start instead of using

21:40

Force to clear out the encampment they

21:41

just started suspending everyone um so

21:44

Ben Chang vice president for

21:45

communications at Colombia confirmed

21:47

suspensions had begun at a press

21:49

briefing at 5:00 pm three after hours

21:52

after the school had set that deadline

21:54

didn't say how many students are going

21:55

to be suspended but confirmed they'll be

21:57

unable to finish the semester unable to

21:59

graduate and they're also going to be

22:00

barred from entering any campus housing

22:03

or academic buildings so that is the

22:06

Columbia response I I don't think it's

22:08

probably going to do anything to Tamp

22:09

down the continued protest um Karine

22:12

jeanpierre Biden's press secretary was

22:16

asked about um free speech rights and

22:19

had this to say what is the

22:20

administration's response specifically

22:22

to the use of police force in some of

22:24

these college campus protests we saw

22:25

this at Indiana University Ohio State

22:29

Austin yeah so again I I'm going to be

22:32

really repetitive here um

22:36

uh it's Americans have the right to

22:38

peacefully protest within the law that

22:40

is really important here uh

22:42

anti-Semitism is dangerous I know I've

22:44

seen we've seen the the the videos that

22:47

have uh pretty much gone viral out there

22:50

uh and I can't speak to that uh we may

22:53

have more to say about those videos um

22:56

uh once we look into that once you know

22:58

we' have to look into them just don't

22:59

have anything to share beyond that I

23:01

mean listen regardless of what you but

23:03

did you know anti-Semitism is bad thank

23:06

you for that public service announcement

23:08

I really appreciate it think about this

23:10

like whether you think that these kids

23:12

deserve to have their skulls cracked and

23:14

thrown in prison or whether you think

23:15

that they are exercising their first

23:17

amendment rights and deserve to not be

23:19

smear to anti- like this is unfolding at

23:22

campuses across the country and this is

23:24

all you have to say about it it's so

23:26

pathetic and she's basically say she's

23:28

not aware I mean in a certain sense I

23:30

don't really want the White House to be

23:32

involved in colia like we can have it a

23:35

couple of ways the the white in my

23:37

opinion the federal government should

23:38

have nothing to say about what's going

23:39

on at Colombia that should be a matter

23:41

at Columbia is a private university and

23:42

it's a private place as long as the

23:44

First Amendment rights are protected I

23:46

don't really give a [ __ ] you know

23:47

private university can do whatever they

23:49

want now at the same time though we live

23:51

in the age where everybody has to have

23:53

an opinion on everything they already

23:56

weighed in right and they weigh in all

23:58

the time for you know like some random

24:00

crime year or wherever if it's a trans

24:02

person right they like oh my God this is

24:03

like the greatest panic in the history

24:05

of the world and or something like that

24:07

like trans policy at the University of

24:08

Ohio it's like well if you're going to

24:10

weigh on that then you can't really be

24:12

saying well I'm not really where but

24:14

anti-Semitism is bad and no on this

24:17

particular one I haven't seen the videos

24:19

or whatever it's like it's very

24:21

selective in the way that things are so

24:23

we can have it both ways I prefer the

24:24

former but you guys have chosen this and

24:26

I well here's the thing I mean many of

24:28

these institutions are public

24:29

universities it's not like it's only col

24:31

we're talking about you know UT Austin

24:33

we're talking about Virginia Tech we're

24:35

talking about all sorts of public

24:36

university State schools across the

24:38

country where there are First Amendment

24:42

rights have to be respected so in that

24:44

way it really is a a federal government

24:47

issue and then also it's so hypocritical

24:49

with all their like democracies on the

24:50

ballot and Trump's an authoritarian

24:52

whatever and you're watching this unfold

24:54

you cheered it you provided cover for it

24:56

with your [ __ ] statement smearing

24:58

all these kids as anti-semites and now

25:01

you got nothing to say about them all

25:03

being you know arrested and maed and

25:05

teargas at VCU faculty elderly faculty

25:09

being thrown on the ground and assault I

25:11

mean this is insane and you're just like

25:13

yeah I haven't seen it I'm not really

25:14

Weare anyway next question right utterly

25:17

and it is [ __ ] as you and I know

25:18

that these people haven't seen because

25:19

they're more online 10 times than we are

25:21

so it's like you saw it l exactly of

25:24

course um meanwhile you have uh Trump

25:27

making very OB go to B7 you have Trump

25:29

making uh very clear what he thinks

25:31

about this you know any sort of like

25:33

free speech pretense clearly over he

25:35

just says stop the protests now so um

25:39

him and Joe Biden green jeanpierre all

25:41

on the same page apparently on this one

25:43

uh no daylight between them you know we

25:45

didn't uh make up an element for this

25:47

but you have Senator Marsha Blackburn

25:49

who was another one who 5 seconds ago oh

25:51

free speech and people have to be

25:52

allowed to descend college campuses blah

25:54

blah blah now she's calling for these

25:56

students to be put on a terrorist no fly

25:58

list okay that's the sort of thing

26:01

that's happening in the United States

26:03

Congress right now led in part by

26:05

Speaker Mike Johnson who had this to say

26:08

recently we're looking at very seriously

26:10

uh reducing or eliminating any federal

26:13

funds at all to campuses who cannot

26:14

maintain basic Safety and Security of

26:16

Jewish students I mean it's it's it

26:18

sounds ridiculous to say that this is

26:20

what it's come to but that's what we're

26:21

looking at we're looking at some other

26:23

things as well I mean if you're a

26:25

foreign student here and you're

26:26

participating in this madness you don't

26:28

have a right to do that maybe your Visa

26:31

should not be extended maybe it should

26:32

be revoked if you're going to threaten

26:34

your own classmates here or come here

26:36

for that purpose so we've got yesterday

26:38

we covered Richie Torres and Mike law

26:41

the Columbia act they want to install

26:45

anti-Semitism monitors to make sure no

26:47

one is saying a rally chant that they

26:49

don't like at schools and threaten their

26:51

Federal funding if someone says

26:52

something somewhere that is unacceptable

26:55

to Benjamin Netanyahu now you got Mike

26:57

Johnson also Al threatening Federal

26:59

funding and student visas for any um

27:02

foreign students who are participating

27:04

in protests that they don't like who are

27:06

participating in in wrong think and

27:09

you've got Marsha Blackburn saying put

27:10

these kids on the no-fly list I mean

27:12

it's extraordinary you know I should

27:14

have predicted it because we both knew

27:16

both sides would posture about free

27:18

speech like Republicans we knew they

27:19

were posturing about like oh pretending

27:21

to care about as long as it didn't

27:22

conflict with their values it would take

27:24

an issue like this where there is such

27:26

Elite bipartisan consent perect yes for

27:29

the full Crackdown it's exactly like you

27:32

know post Iraq war and Patriot Act it's

27:34

when they agree and they use the full

27:36

force of the federal government to

27:38

enforce their Elite consensus that's

27:40

when things get the ugliest no it's

27:42

terrifying the no fiist in particular is

27:44

nuts I'm currently Rel listening to or

27:46

listening to the latest season of cial I

27:49

actually highly recommend it it's about

27:50

the Guantanamo Bay and just putting

27:53

myself back in time 15 years ago you're

27:55

like oh yeah this country lost its

27:56

freaking mind man this was wild stuff in

27:59

terms of what we allowed in terms of the

28:02

you know the Fourth Amendment rights and

28:04

just so many ways in which we bridge

28:06

that Gap we don't need to be going back

28:07

there no fly lists are completely

28:10

unconstitutional they shouldn't even

28:11

exist in the first place the

28:13

implementation of this was a huge

28:15

disaster and any US citizen plac on a no

28:17

fil list for participating in protest

28:19

against foreign government is as

28:20

unamerican as it gets the only thing

28:22

I'll say is don't threaten me with a

28:23

good time in terms of revoking Federal

28:25

funding from ivy league universities cuz

28:27

uh if that's what it takes then they're

28:28

all going to burn to the ground and I'm

28:29

not going to be all that upset about it

28:31

I do agree though Crystal as we had

28:33

talked about if the impetus is that and

28:35

if Federal funding is contingent on

28:37

being uh Zionist enough I mean that's

28:40

that's a bridge too far for me all I

28:42

want is to see these places burn to the

28:44

ground anyways uh but it is very clear

28:47

that this is a carrot and a stick and

28:48

the big problem is that we all know

28:50

they're not actually going to do it and

28:51

the Columbia will buckle and that this

28:53

will only lead to a more sorious

28:55

environment in terms of all ivy league

28:57

universities strengthening of Dei a

28:59

decrease of the First Amendment a

29:01

decrease really of civil rights and of

29:03

uh equal protection for everybody and

29:05

that is why I'm going to oppose it as

29:07

you know if if that's the way that's

29:08

it's going to because it's it's the

29:09

precedent being said is we're going to

29:11

use the full weight and force of the

29:13

federal government to enforce a

29:15

particular ideology on a school that's

29:17

and whether it's this ideology or

29:19

another ideology that is by you know

29:21

endorsed by an elite consensus or by

29:23

whatever power party is in power once

29:25

you open that door there is no walking

29:27

back through it as it is with the

29:28

Patriot Act so anyway that was our look

29:31

at what's happening a little bit of

29:33

what's happening around the country and

29:35

I think there are many more dramatic

29:37

scenes to unfold between now on

29:38

graduation day and certainly between now

29:40

and the DNC yeah hey guys if you like

29:42

that video go to breakingpoints decom

29:43

become a premium subscriber and help us

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we're subscriber funded we're building

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29:53

so again to subscribe it's

29:55

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Tags associés
Campus ProtestsFree SpeechStudent ActivismColumbia UniversityUT AustinPolice CrackdownFirst AmendmentPolitical ResponseAcademic FreedomCivil RightsProtest Movement
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