President Joe Biden virtue signaled the nation with his emphatic and continued support of Israel’s unjust occupation of Gaza and its brutality against Palestinians.
On May 2, the commander-in-chief addressed the press and constituents regarding the violence that ensued during protests at Columbia University and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on May 1. The 81-year-old president expressed that he believed people had the right to protest and gather peacefully, but violence would not be tolerated. He also stated that the United States wasn’t a “lawless country” and that in a “civil society, order must prevail.”
“The first is the right to free speech and for people to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard. The second is the rule of law. Both must be upheld. We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent. The American people are heard. In fact, peaceful protest is the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues. But — but neither are we a lawless country. We are a civil society, and order must prevail,” Biden said.
“Throughout our history, we’ve often faced moments like this because we are a big, diverse, free-thinking, and freedom-loving nation. In moments like this, there are always those who rush in to score political points. But this isn’t a moment for politics. It’s a moment for clarity.”
Biden continued, “So, let me be clear. Peaceful protest in America — violent protest is not protected; peaceful protest is. It’s against the law when violence occurs.”
He maintained his support for Israel even though he did express that Palestinians, Arabs, and their supporters did not deserve to be persecuted.
“But let’s be clear about this as well. There should be no place on any campus, no place in America, for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it’s antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans.”
When a reporter asked Biden if the Pro-Palestinian protests across college campuses changed his support for Israel, he responded, “No.”
Although Biden alluded to protesters inciting violence and chaos against Jewish students, pro-Palestine supporters didn’t appear to be the group causing the violence on various college campuses.
On May 1, roughly 150-200 pro-Israel supporters seemingly stormed a pro-Palestine encampment at UCLA, attacking students and others who were standing with Palestinians in Gaza. The violent supporters of colonizers were armed with sticks and attempted to remove the barricade from the protester’s setup.
In the disturbing video, various men were filmed kicking and punching others while they were on the ground.
At Columbia University in New York, Palestinian students and their supporters lambasted the school for calling SWAT on its students.
Jewish Columbia University student Cameron Jones revealed that there were large numbers of Jewish students (on campus) who renounced Zionist beliefs and Israel’s egregious actions.
The Guardian pointed out the incredulous bias universities, including Columbia, Harvard, and Penn State, have displayed against students who support Palestinians in Gaza. When educators and administrators could have empowered their students to fight for what they believed in– they called the police. Specifically, at Columbia in April, students were detained and bound with zip ties even though there were no violent outbursts. In a recent Gallup poll, young adult support for Israel has drastically decreased.
Biden’s virtue signaling is more fodder in the ongoing saga between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza.
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