This last week, Judge Jamee Comans sanctioned the deportation of permanent American resident, Columbia scholar, husband and soon-to-be father, Mahmoud Kahlil. Ruled a national security threat due to his “beliefs, statements [and] associations” with the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza, his arrest and approaching deportation has instilled fear in the countless Columbia students who protested alongside him.
From black armbands to the black-tea-filled Boston Harbor, America’s best accessory since 1791 has been the First Amendment: our fundamental freedom of expression. Time and time again, the youth reinvent this freedom, organizing marches, strikes and demonstrations to tailor America towards a better tomorrow. Especially as college students – the youngest and perhaps, most influential population of voters – our voices can serve as a powerful catalyst for change, reshaping our nation from the streets of NYC or for us, the corner of Lancaster and Ithan. After all, we learned it from our forefathers: it’s family tradition.
Our most potent act of patriotism is calling for change when change is needed. However, students across the nation are feeling that beloved tradition slipping from their fingers, understanding the debacle in Columbia as a new standard. When we stifle our voices – pair passion with caution – to avoid the sound alarm of a “traitor” or an “anti-American,” we do a disservice to our forefathers.
There were extenuating circumstances to Kahlil’s deportation. Details aside, however, our nation’s leaders proudly boasted this ruling, claiming “good riddance.” I will never condone Kahlil’s affiliation with Hamas, nor will I condone any person’s association with any terrorist organization, for that matter. But to label the “riddance” of a man who advocated for a cause which has reached the hearts of millions across the U.S. and poses a monumental moral dilemma to our nation’s leaders as a “good” and “patriotic” move is counterintuitive. Whether or not intentionally, the shutdown of Kahlil’s protests and the resulting defunding of Columbia has left some Americans indescribably satisfied, and others scared to speak up.
The Villanova Student Voices For Palestine confirmed these tensions after reflecting on their recent protest here on campus:
“We’ve faced pushback from [both] administration [and] students,” the group claimed. “Our teach-ins were attended and interrupted by hecklers, and we’ve been verbally harassed by students and community members alike during our public protests.”
In a similar manner, Columbia professor John McWhorter expressed his contentions with the continual pro-Palestine demonstrations on their campus. While American citizens can and should wear their freedom of expression with pride, it is equally important to protect one’s fellow American citizens.
“Pro-Palestinian rallies and events, of which there have been many here over the years, are not in and of themselves hostile to Jewish students, faculty and staff. Disagreement will not always be a juice and cookies affair, ” McWhorter wrote in a recent New York Times article. “However, the relentless assault of this current protest – daily, loud, louder, into the night and using ever-angrier rhetoric – is beyond what any people should be expected to bear, regardless of their whiteness, privilege or power.”
So, how can we use our voices without fear, and without redirecting that fear onto our fellow Americans?
Remain ruthlessly informed.
The Villanova Student Voices For Palestine “hope to combat the atmosphere of apathy on campus and encourage students to raise their voices towards global injustices.”
“Ignorance is not an excuse anymore,” it asserted. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now. It is never too late to educate yourself and others, and to stand up for what is right.”
Villanova Professor of Political Science, Dr. Marcus Kreuzer, shared a similar call to action when asked on his stance on the ensuing chaos:
“To fully appreciate how our democracy and global standing [is] corroding requires being informed of what is going on and how current actions deviate from historical precedents….” Kreuzer said. “If you step away from all the headline news, you’ll realize that we are in the middle of a battle of ideas. Crack a newspaper, listen to some podcasts, get informed and then talk, talk, talk. I think this is as effective as protesting.”
Our forefathers have faced the regime of a king before. If our nation continues to lose its grip on First Amendment freedoms through fear-mongering with events like Kahlil’s deportation, Americans will lose their oldest and most prized possession.
Productive dialogue is the basis of democracy. Make the signs, take the march, do whatever it takes to have your voice heard. As long as your voice isn’t used to stifle others’.
Pair that with a slice of apple pie, and you, my friend, have embodied American patriotism.
Resources:
Free Access to Wall Street Journal: wsj.com/Villanova
Free Access to The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/edu-access
Free Access to Financial Times: https://join-professional.ft.com/join/licence/a39e2fcb-d284
Student Voices For Palestine: Email vilanovasvp@proton.me, Instagram @villanova_svp
