The hunger strike by pro-Palestinian students at Brown University—students aiming to get their school to divest from companies “associated with human rights abuses in Palestine”—didn’t work. It lasted just eight days, and then the students abandoned their fast unto death because their demands were deemed “obsolete”. But now, it appears, the anti-Israel faction, likely to be students have adopted a new stratagem: issuing vile and violent threats against the campus Jewish organization of Hillel. This is of course part of the antisemitism fulminating on American college campuses.
Note: I’ve received an email from a Brown Vice-President, who, eager to protect his school’s reputation, admonished me that we don’t know if the hate emails originated from the campus. That’s indeed true, but I think that’s the most likely source, and I’m using Bayes’ Theorem here.
Here’s the letter that the President of Brown sent yesterday to the University community.
From: President Christina H. Paxson Date: Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 9:49 PMSubject: Threats to the Brown-RISD community
Dear Members of the Brown and RISD Communities,We are writing to address the terrible threats against the Brown-RISD Hillel Weiner Center that our campuses were notified about this morning. Employees there received deeply disturbing antisemitic emails that included threats of violence against them personally and Brown-RISD Hillel.Our primary concern is for the safety and security of members of the Brown and RISD communities, including the Brown-RISD Hillel community. Threats of violence against anyone on our campuses are completely unacceptable, and we are committed to working with law enforcement to do everything possible to help identify and prosecute the perpetrator(s).This comes at an especially difficult time of distress on our campuses. Our students, faculty and staff continue to grapple with the deaths of Israelis, Palestinians and others in the wake of the October 7 attacks, as well as a despicable act of violence against a member of the Brown community here in the United States last November, and increases in reports of antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of hate targeting national origin and identity both nationally and on our campuses.This is a time to reflect on who we are as educational communities that value human dignity and reject violence, racism, discrimination and intimidation. Our fervent hope is that, in this difficult time, each of us in the Brown and RISD communities renews our commitment to eschew all forms of hatred and work toward mutual understanding.Our ongoing focus is making sure that members of our communities are protected and feel safe. As shared in campus safety alerts sent earlier today, the departments of public safety for both Brown and RISD continue to work with the Providence Police Department to investigate the source of the threats and ensure the ongoing safety and security of Brown-RISD Hillel. Part of their swift and immediate response was to reach out to federal, state and local law enforcement authorities, and to coordinate with the Rhode Island State Fusion Center, which gathers and shares information about threats between law enforcement agencies.While we have been assured that, given the nature of the emailed threats, there is no evidence of ongoing concern for personal safety (and operations in the building can continue), robust security plans are in place to ensure the security of the building and the operations that take place there. Safety plans are also in place for the individuals who received the threats.If at any time you learn about threats to yourself or others, please contact the Providence police, as well as public safety at your respective campus — NUMBER REDACTED for Brown community members and NUMBER REDACTED for RISD community members.Sincerely,Christina H. PaxsonPresident, Brown UniversityCrystal WilliamsPresident, Rhode Island School of Design
I don’t see this as a violation of institutional neutrality so much as an attempt to quell disturbances and calm people on campus. And, as if to avoid taking a stand, Paxson and Williams include the obligatory denunciations of “Islamophobia” in their letter. But one thing is certain: those who favor the Palestinian side of the conflict are far more hateful and violent than those favoring the Israeli side.
Note: The “despicable act of violence against a member of the Brown community here in the United States last November” refers to the shooting of three Palestinian college students who were walking in Vermont, an unconscionable act that left the Brown student, Hisham Awartani, paralyzed from the chest down. That’s a terrible fate and I wish him well. But as far as I know, there’s no evidence that this was an “Islamophobic” shooting, and the accused perp, 48-year-old Jason J. Eaton, remains in custody pending trial.
Threatening violence is a crime. I am hoping and expecting that arrests will be forthcoming.
I’m a bit confused by a sentence likely meant to reassure the Brown community. “While we have been assured that, given the nature of the emailed threats, there is no evidence of ongoing concern for personal safety (and operations in the building can continue),…” The “given the nature” frame can send a message, especially to young emotionally driven students and to true believers in the Palestinian cause, that the threats were not considered to be actually serious by local authorities or by Brown itself. Unfortunate mixed message here that will haunt folks if any of the senders are members of the Brown community and are locally prosecuted or are punished by the university. May also send a message to Jewish students and employees that violence threatened against them won’t be considered as actually serious by local and university authorities (especially if traced to a student attending or an employee working for Brown.)
I was puzzled by that apparent contradiction as well.