Ohio State's Latest Shame

-JNS

On January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jewish students at Ohio State University gathered at the Chabad House (which is located off-campus) to host 2 former Israeli Defense Forces soldiers who were to relate their experiences being wounded in the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre of over 1,200 Jews. Unfortunately, their event was disrupted by dozens of protesters from the despicable Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter at OSU, who chanted ugly insults at the Jewish students. The Jewish News Syndicate has a report with brief videos and photos of the incident.

Here is how The Lantern, the OSU campus newspaper, reported the incident. Just a Sunday walk in the park as far as they were concerned. Subsequently, The Lantern subsequently published a letter to the editor from one of the Jewish students involved who rightfully objected to how the paper reported the event.

Next to disrupting an event in a synagogue, to protest outside a Chabad House is also outrageous, to say nothing of the behavior exhibited during the protests and the chants that were used-on International Holocaust Remembrance Day no less. But this is standard fare for SJP, a national organization of latter-day Brownshirts that have recognized chapters on well over 100 campuses across the country.

Also offensive is the apparently dismissive comment by OSU spokesman Benjamin Johnson. SJP is a recognized OSU organization, and the Chabad House, though off-campus, serves Jewish OSU students. Had SJP burned down Columbus City Hall would OSU simply dismiss it as happening off campus? Are they going to take no action? It seems that OSU does not care about the welfare of its Jewish students.

As I have said countless times, SJP should be permanently banned from every campus in the country, be it public or private. They also should be investigated by the Justice Department for their coordinated actions across state lines to disrupt universities and intimidate Jewish students, depriving them of their right to an education in a harassment-free environment. This has gone on long enough.