Ross: If Israel can ban Congress members, why can’t universities?
Aug 16, 2019, 7:29 AM | Updated: Aug 21, 2019, 5:32 am
(BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
I’m sure you’ve heard America described as a nation of snowflakes, full of hyper-sensitive college students who can’t bear to hear opinions they don’t agree with.
So much, to the point that certain Conservative speakers have been banned from campuses like Berkeley.
That prompted President Trump last March to sign an executive order that would yank federal grants from universities that don’t allow “free inquiry” on their campuses. I don’t know if it’s been enforced yet.
How about this for a Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy?
But now there’s a bigger matter to consider: An ally of America officially banning a visit from two members of Congress for being too controversial. Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar had planned to visit Israel, tour Palestinian areas, and meet with relatives.
But Israel’s government invoked a new law to ban them — on the grounds that they support the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction movement against Israel.
So, no trip for Omar, and Tlaib can visit her mother, but that’s it.
Fortunately, Israel isn’t a university, so it doesn’t fall under the President’s order allowing him to cut off federal grants — but he probably wouldn’t have done that anyway because as it turns out — he actually urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the trip.
So, Berkeley, The next time you feel the need to ban a controversial visitor, ignore the critics; you’re just following the presidentially-approved conduct of one of our closest allies.
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