Just two months after the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States‚ Columbia University’s president Minouche Shafik remarked that terrorism was a “form of protesting against a system‚” according to a video unearthed by The Daily Wire.  Shafik‚ who was a vice president at the World Bank at the time‚ was asked about the economic roots of terrorism in developing countries during an event with the University of California-Berkeley’s Institute of International Studies. While she condemned “extreme views” held by terrorist groups‚ she said the reason they are popular is because terrorism is a “protest.” “You’ll always have individuals who will have extreme views‚” Shafik said at the November 2001 event‚ “but what’s really troubling in the region is that there’s actually quite a broad base of society which has some sympathy for the terrorists‚ not so much because they approve of their methods‚ but it’s a form of protesting against a system which is not delivering for them on the economic or the political front.” FLASHBACK: At an event just two months after 9/11‚ Columbia University's current president Minouche Shafik remarked that terrorism &;quot;is a form of protesting&;quot; pic.twitter.com/UkSP4iqDZu — Brent Scher (@BrentScher) April 22‚ 2024 She also added that “economic stagnation and political authoritarianism” create “fertile ground on which terrorist seeds can flourish.” Video of the full event can be viewed here. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)‚ who has led calls for Shafik to resign as anti-Semitic demonstrations take over the Ivy League campus‚ told The Daily Wire that she believes this view of terrorism is informing her response to the chaotic anti-Israel protests taking place under her watch at Columbia. “This video of Columbia University President Dr. Minouche Shafik saying she can understand why people sympathize with terrorists right after 9/11‚ and calling it a form of protest‚ is just further evidence that placating the pro-Hamas unsanctioned mob currently taking over Columbia is part of her core beliefs‚” Stefanik said. “Shafik must either immediately resign or be fired by Columbia’s Board‚” Stefanik said. A Columbia spokesman told The Daily Wire that Shafik condemns terrorism. “President Shafik condemns terrorism‚ full stop‚” spokesman Ben Chang said. “To intimate otherwise is dangerous and a complete misrepresentation of what she said.” Shafik’s 2001 comments echo the sentiment professed by defenders of the Hamas terrorist massacre on October 7 that left more than a thousand Israelis dead. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) a day after the attack‚ for example‚ said that Israel’s “blockade” and “occupation” of Gaza led to the terrorist attack. “The path to that future must include lifting the blockade‚ ending the occupation‚ and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating‚ dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance‚” Tlaib said. “The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege‚ occupation‚ and apartheid makes no one safer.” House Republicans‚ including Stefanik‚ demanded Shafik resign in a Monday letter‚ citing the anarchy and anti-Semitism erupting on the New York City Ivy League school’s campus. “Over the past few days‚ anarchy has engulfed the campus of Columbia University‚” the lawmakers wrote. “As the leader of this institution‚ one of your chief objectives‚ morally and under law‚ is to ensure students have a safe learning environment. By every measure‚ you have failed this obligation.” “The situation unfolding on campus right now is a direct product of your policies and misguided decisions‚” they added. “As Representatives from the State of New York‚ many of our constituents are directly impacted by the unfolding chaos on Columbia’s campus. Based on these recent events and your testimony in front of Congress‚ we have no confidence in your leadership of this once esteemed institution.” During her testimony last week — while the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” was just beginning — Shafik said anti-Semitism has “no place on our campus” and that she was “committed to do everything I can do to confront it directly.” Since last week‚ the encampment on Columbia’s campus has been the scene of antisemitic chants‚ arrests by NYPD officers‚ and heightened tensions. Despite nearly 100 students initially being arrested and others suspended‚ the Columbia administration has decided to move classes virtually and let the encampment continue. Columbia sent a campus-wide announcement on Sunday announcing new safety measures‚ including more security guards‚ improved ID checks‚ and more security for The Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life during Passover — which will begin Monday night. 

Here’s a statistic that‚ if you have a job in corporate America‚ may be the single least surprising piece of information you’ll hear all year. It turns out that every single one of the Fortune 100 companies — 100% of them — has made a public commitment to DEI on their website. There isn’t a single outlier in the top 100 companies in this country. Chris Rufo looked into this‚ and he found that they all have a stock DEI page. Whether you go to Amazon or Target or Dell or Verizon or Home Depot‚ or banks or insurance companies or anywhere else‚ you’ll find the same platitudes — boilerplate about the importance of the alphabet people‚ parental leave for birthing folks‚ outreach to historically black colleges‚ and so on. This total uniformity took hold relatively quickly‚ within just the last few years. Publicly‚ the explanation for this change is that all of these companies are suddenly very concerned about racial justice. They’re upset about George Floyd and so on. But privately‚ there’s another very clear reason for it. The leadership of all of these companies understand very well that if they stop practicing DEI — if they‚ say‚ start hiring all of their employees based on merit instead of skin color — then the federal government will try to destroy them. This is a dynamic that normally plays out behind the scenes‚ away from public scrutiny. But this week‚ in one very dramatic case‚ it spilled out into the open. The convenience store chain Sheetz‚ which has more than 700 locations all over the country‚ was just sued by the Biden administration after they rejected the federal government’s attempt to shake them down with a settlement. What was Sheetz’s crime‚ you ask&;#63; Did they sell bad gasoline&;#63; Poisoned hot dogs&;#63; Did their name violate communications decency laws&;#63; According to the Biden administration‚ Sheetz broke the law by refusing to hire applicants who failed a criminal background check. Apparently‚ the Biden administration believes this is a racist policy because many of the people who fail these background checks are nonwhite. And to be clear‚ that’s the entire accusation. The Biden administration is not claiming that Sheetz intentionally discriminated against anyone on the basis of race‚ or any other legally protected characteristic. They’re not claiming that Sheetz used these background checks as part of a racist white supremacist scheme. WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show Instead‚ the Biden administration is using a theory of discrimination known as “disparate impact‚” which was enshrined into civil rights law many years ago. Under this theory‚ a lack of discriminatory intent doesn’t matter. All the government has to show is that a policy disproportionately affects members of certain racial groups‚ without a clear business purpose‚ in a manner that could reasonably be avoided. In a moment‚ I’ll get into the lawsuit‚ and I’ll explain why it’s a complete farce‚ even if you buy into the whole “disparate impact” theory. First‚ however‚ I want to contrast two local news reports about what’s happening to Sheetz. The first one is from WCNC in Charlotte‚ North Carolina‚ and the second one is from CBS 17 in Durham. Watch: You’ll notice that the CBS News report doesn’t even mention what Sheetz is accused of doing‚ really. They don’t talk about the background checks at all. They just lead you to believe that Sheetz is accused of discriminating against “black‚ Native American and multiracial” people‚ with no context whatsoever. So maybe you’re starting to see how the shakedown works. The federal government shows up to a major corporation. They accuse them of racism based on no evidence whatsoever. And then they demand millions of dollars‚ including back pay for a bunch of employees. And if the company doesn’t comply‚ then the administration sues them‚ and the media basically accuses the company of racism. This is why many companies choose to head off the whole problem in the first place‚ by openly discriminating against white people. If you do that‚ then the Biden administration won’t touch you. Let’s get into the specifics of the case because that’s the only way to truly understand how insane this is. Within the last few months‚ a couple of job applicants at Sheetz filed complaints with the E.E.O.C.‚ saying they’ve been discriminated against under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. And the E.E.O.C.‚ which is a federal agency‚ agreed with them. Here’s what the Biden administration wrote in their lawsuit: [Sheetz] committed a continuing‚ companywide practice in violation of Title VII with respect to a class of Black‚ American Indian/Alaska Native‚ and multiracial job applicants who did not pass [Sheetz’s] criminal justice history screening by failing to hire them for all positions because of race. … For instance‚ Black job applicants have failed Defendants’ criminal justice history screening‚ and consequently are denied employment‚ at a rate exceeding approximately 14.5%‚ while White job applicants have failed Defendants’ criminal justice history screening‚ and consequently are denied employment‚ at a rate of under approximately 8%. The complaint notes that the number of Indians and multiracial applicants who are denied on this basis is roughly the same. A few points here. First‚ given what we know about black crime rates‚ these numbers are actually a lot closer than you’d expect. Nationally‚ according to FBI data‚ black people make up more than 26% of total arrests‚ and the imprisonment rate for black Americans is over five times the rate for whites. But the Sheetz data only shows a disparity of around 7%. And according to the EEOC‚ Sheetz is looking at both convictions as well as arrests when it runs its background checks. More importantly‚ notice what’s being conflated here. The complaint states that Sheetz is failing to hire these applicants “because of race.” But what they’re really saying is that Sheetz isn’t hiring applicants who failed a criminal background check. Any reasonable person can see that those are two very different rationales. And indeed‚ on its website‚ the E.E.O.C. makes this distinction clear. They state: The lawsuit does not allege that Sheetz was motivated by race when making hiring decisions. This is the sort of madness that the legal theory of “disparate impact” breeds. The Left knows that it can’t find any examples of actual direct discrimination against black people in this country anymore — and certainly not at Sheetz. So instead‚ the Left has invented this notion of disparate impact to create discrimination where it doesn’t really exist. The problem is that literally everything — every policy‚ every rule‚ every standard‚ in every context — will have a “disparate impact.” The impact felt by any individual or group will vary according to their situation. If we cannot have standards that create a disparate impact‚ then we cannot have any standards at all. Which of course is the point. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP Supposedly‚ there are limits to this legal theory of “disparate impact.” The DOJ lists these exceptions on its website. For example‚ it’s acceptable to have a policy that yields a “disparate impact” — if the policy is “important” and justified by the organization’s mission. This is an exception that clearly applies to this situation. There is a blindingly obvious reason why a convenience store wouldn’t want to hire criminals: They don’t want to get robbed. This is a point that should not need any elaboration whatsoever in a sane society. But we don’t live in a sane society anymore‚ so I will elaborate. Also‚ it’s an excuse to show one of the best videos to come out of Georgia this year. This is footage of a robbery at a convenience store that may be the single worst inside job ever recorded on camera. Watch: “It’s unclear if the robber’s fist actually connected to Patel’s face.” That’s the polite way of putting it. It takes the cops a little while but they eventually blew the whole scheme wide open — mainly because the accomplice was hanging out right outside the store when they arrived‚ and cash started falling out of his pocket when they questioned him. In any event‚ the point is that if this clerk applies to Sheetz‚ they should be able to reject him because of his criminal history. His ethnicity does not matter. The fact he’s a criminal matters. Convenience stores get robbed all the time — including by their own employees. It’s clearly “important” to the business of a convenience store to root out criminals. I read the entire complaint from the Biden administration‚ and I couldn’t find a single argument to the contrary. Instead‚ they fault Sheetz for failing to contact applicants to request additional information after they fail their criminal background checks. The Biden administration doesn’t say what “additional information” might be relevant‚ but they say that Sheetz is racist because they don’t request it. Additionally‚ the Biden administration faults Sheetz for failing to name the “specific condition” that’s the basis for their decision‚ when applicants have multiple criminal convictions. And apparently‚ Sheetz doesn’t have a whole committee making these decisions‚ nor is there a “procedure” for appeals. None of this is remotely relevant to racism‚ nor does it disprove the obvious fact that hiring criminals is a bad idea for a convenience store. So it doesn’t really address the relevant legal issues in any way. You get the sense that Sheetz was stunned by the Biden administration’s claims to the contrary. The federal government’s complaint goes on to state that: The Commission engaged in communications with Defendants to provide Defendants an opportunity to remedy the discriminatory practices. … [but] the Commission was unable to secure from Defendants a conciliation agreement acceptable to the Commission. In other words‚ Sheetz didn’t back down in the face of this blackmail. So now they have a massive lawsuit to deal with‚ along with defamatory media coverage.  Obviously‚ this is one of the more egregious examples you’ll ever see of the soft bigotry of low expectations — or the soft bigotry of no expectations‚ in this case. If I were black‚ I would be highly insulted by the idea that a criminal background check presents some kind of insurmountable hurdle for me specifically. It’s a lot like saying black people can’t possibly obtain voter identification‚ which is another common claim you’ll hear from the Biden administration. What the Left is effectively saying is that there’s simply no chance for black‚ Indian‚ or “multiracial” job applicants to stop committing a disproportionate amount of crimes. So‚ instead of doing anything to get them to commit less crime‚ we have to pretend that business owners are the real criminals. If they refuse to hire nonwhite applicants for any reason‚ they’ll get a lawsuit. But of course‚ they can continue to discriminate against whites all they want. Sheetz seems to understand that. And there are already signs they’re going to cave. In response to this lawsuit‚ Sheetz issued a statement saying:  Diversity and inclusion are essential parts of who we are … We take these allegations seriously. We have attempted to work with the EEOC for nearly eight years to find common ground and resolve this dispute. It’s not exactly a full-throated defense of their position‚ which is obviously the correct one. And as their statement notes‚ this has been going on for a long time — eight years in fact. So there’s some history here. I looked into it‚ and it turns out that this isn’t the first time the EEOC has filed a lawsuit like this. Back in 2019‚ the EEOC under the Trump administration sued Dollar General for: …denying employment to African Americans at a significantly higher rate than white applicants for failing the company’s broad criminal background check. What was the result&;#63; A $6 million settlement and a three-year consent decree. According to a top EEOC attorney at the time‚ This case is important because Dollar General is not just providing relief for a past practice but for the future as well. … If the company plans to use criminal history‚ it must retain a criminologist to develop a fair process. Unlike other background checks based on unproven myths and biases about people with criminal backgrounds‚ Dollar General’s new approach will be informed by experts with knowledge of actual risk. It’s hard to believe it’s a real quote. They’re saying it’s an “unproven myth and bias” to believe that someone with a previous history of criminal behavior is more likely to commit other crimes in the future. You don’t need any statistics to know how absurd that is. You just need common sense. But here are the statistics anyway. According to the DOJ’s own numbers: … at least half of citizens released from incarceration will recidivate in some way following release.  And according to other estimates‚ including a survey from Prison Policy‚ roughly a third of people who are arrested report that they’re re-arrested for another offense within a year. There are about a million other data points you can find. But suffice it to say‚ it’s not a “myth” that criminals are more likely to reoffend. It’s an extremely basic and obvious fact. And yet the EEOC pretended it’s not real. Now Dollar General needs an “expert” to tell them they’re being racist if they reject a black guy with five prior convictions. How did that go completely unnoticed at the time&;#63; Why didn’t the Trump White House override what the EEOC was doing and fire everyone involved&;#63; Who knows. The most likely answer is that the White House wasn’t aware of it. And if that’s the case‚ it’s hard to think of a better argument that the federal government needs to be cut in half immediately‚ for starters‚ and most of these unelected bureaucrats need to find new jobs. They have gone rogue and they’re implementing policies that defy all logic‚ and they should be fired en masse. That should be the first executive order if‚ in fact‚ there is a second Trump administration. With the Sheetz case‚ the Biden administration is trying to shake down yet another company in order to erase the distinction between criminals and noncriminals. This is economic sabotage. And it simply can’t be allowed to succeed.

Five for Fighting lead singer John Ondrasik opened up about why he wrote his latest song “OK (We Are Not Okay)” following Hamas’ terror attack in Israel on October 7 of last year. Speaking to The Daily Wire‚ the 59-year-old singer said “the world has gone mad‚” and he called out artists who have been silent amid the anti-Semitism raging on college campuses — like the current chaotic scene unfolding in places like Columbia University‚ where pro-Palestinian protestors have made Jewish students feel unsafe. “Like so many of us‚ we were horrified by the events of October 7‚” Ondrasik told us. “Frankly in many ways it brought back memories of 9/11. But I think what really inspired me to write the song was the aftermath of Oct. 7.” “The collapse of so many of our institutions‚ the moral collapse‚” he added. “Certainly the media very quickly started spouting Hamas propaganda. Now‚ literally as we speak‚ the raging anti-semitism on college campuses.” “And to members of Congress‚ like Rashida Tlaib  (D-MI)‚ who could not condemn the beheading of babies — that really scared me‚” he continued. “The whole theme of ‘We Are Not Okay’… it’s really about the fight for civilization against those who want to tear it down. That’s what this song is about‚ it’s really about good vs evil.” The singer then compared the response of artists after September 11 attack —many of whom worked to unite and call out evil — to what transpired after the October 7 attack. Ondrasik says when he played The Concert for New York City after 9/11 “every icon in the music business” was there “condemning Osama bin Laden. But after October 7‚ it is crickets.” “There is a hell of a lot of complacency going around right now‚ especially in the arts. Musicians like to laud themselves for being on the front foot of human rights and all that is good in the world‚” the singer said. “I’m ashamed of my industry. The world has gone mad. Many of those artists are Jewish and I think one reason my song resonated so much was because Israel feels abandoned by the arts. Because it has been.” When asked about the silence from his industry‚ he said‚ “They’re scared for their families‚ they don’t want their concerts protested. It’s disgusting. It’s disgraceful and I think many musicians of conscience will look back on this moment and be ashamed that they did not join the right side of history.” Ondrasik‚ who is not Jewish‚ talked about recently traveling to Israel for the first time after writing the song to “show them that they are not alone in this.” He said the trip and the people he met just solidified his support for Israel — and that it had changed him. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.”  “I had no idea I’d be ending up playing the song (‘OK’ and ‘Superman’) in Hostage Square (on 4/13) three hours before Iran attacked‚ but I am glad I did‚” the artist said‚ noting how surreal it was playing in the square and hearing the announcement over the loudspeaker beforehand telling people what to do “in the event of a missile attack.” Humbled to perform “OK (We Are Not OK)” at Hostage Square‚ in Tel Aviv‚ hours before Iran’s attack on Israel. There are no words to express the meetings I had with hostage families. May we hold them in our hearts as well as all innocents suffering due to the evil that is Hamas. pic.twitter.com/pq9K6auLyO — John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) April 21‚ 2024 He also reflected on getting to meet and play with some of the injured soldiers during his visit‚ and said the thing that blew him away was how positive they all were. Ondrasik also spoke briefly about meeting with the hostage families‚ and said “he has no words to talk about” the “agony” those families are going through. Ondrasik said‚ after spending time and speaking with them‚ he came away understanding why they feel “abandoned‚ that the world’s forgotten them.”  “When was the last time you heard [President] Joe Biden mention the hostages‚” the singer said. “The names of the American hostages. The world has abandoned them in many respects. I wish every American calling for a cease fire could sit for a half hour with these hostage families and see what reality really looks like.” The lead singer‚ who previously spoke out about Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan‚ added‚ “This Administration has a lot of responsibility for the world being on fire.” “When we abandon our allies and our citizens to the Taliban I think that was an opening to all the evil actors in the world‚” the singer shared. “And we even talked about the next dominoes to fall. We knew [Russian President Vladmir] Putin would have no hesitancy to go into Ukraine.” In addition to writing his “OK” song and performing in Israel‚ Ondrasik says he’s organizing some concerts for the college campuses that have been dealing with anti-Semitism because‚ as he says‚ this is a “generational fight … You don’t win this war without the arts.”

New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft has announced that he will no longer provide funding to Columbia University until the “school can protect its students” amid “extreme anti-Semitism” from pro-Palestinian protestors. In a message posted on Monday on X‚ the Patriots owner — who’s the founder of The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCASorg) — wrote that he’s “deeply saddened at the virulent hate that continues to grow on campus” at his alma mater Columbia University and “throughout our country” following the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. “…The school I love so much — the one that welcomed me and provided me with so much opportunity — is no longer an institution I recognize‚” Kraft’s statement read. “I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken.” “It is my hope that Columbia and its leadership will stand up to this hate by ending these protests immediately and will work to earn back the respect and trust of the many of us who have lost faith in the institution‚” he added.  A statement from @FCASorg Founder Robert Kraft. pic.twitter.com/6fmTGFx06e — Stand Up to Jewish Hate #🟦 (@StandUp2JewHate) April 22‚ 2024 “It is my hope that in this difficult time‚ the Kraft Center at Columbia will serve as a source of security and safety for all Jewish students and faculty on campus who want to gather peacefully to practice their religion‚ to be together‚ and to be welcomed‚” the NFL team owner’s statement concluded. On Monday‚ the New York City university moved to remote learning out of safety concerns stemming from pro-Palestinian protests that have unsettled the Ivy League school’s Jewish population as the Passover holiday is set to begin‚ as previously reported. Minouche Shafik‚ the president of Columbia University‚ announced the move in a statement calling for a “reset” after a rabbi for Columbia and its partner school Barnard College urged Jewish students to go home due to the “extreme antisemitism and anarchy” that the university and New York Police Department could not contain. “To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps‚ I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday‚” Shafik said early Monday morning. “Faculty and staff who can work remotely should do so; essential personnel should report to work according to university policy. Our preference is that students who do not live on campus will not come to campus.” Daniel Chaitin contributed to this piece.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) attempted to run defense for the anti-Israel protesters — a group that includes her daughter‚ Barnard student Isra Hirsi — and got hit with an immediate wave of backlash. Omar‚ whose daughter was among the students who were suspended and detained for their participation in anti-semitic protests on Columbia University’s campus‚ defended the protests in an X post‚ claiming that the protests had been “co-opted” and that was the real reason they looked bad. “Throughout history‚ protests were co-opted and made to look bad so police and public leaders would shut them down. That’s what we are seeing now at Columbia University‚” Omar said. “The Columbia protesters have made clear their demands and want their school not to be complacent in the ongoing Genocide in Gaza. Public officials and media making this about anything else are inflaming the situation and need to bring calmness and sanity back.” Throughout history‚ protests were co-opted and made to look bad so police and public leaders would shut them down. That’s what we are seeing now at Columbia University. The Columbia protesters have made clear their demands and want their school not to be complacent in the ongoing… — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 22‚ 2024 Omar’s efforts to spin the anti-semitic protests were quickly met with rebuttals from critics‚ many of whom pointed out the fact that protesters were on camera shouting and chanting slogans that called for the genocide of the Jews and the destruction of Israel. “Inventing a conspiracy to blame the antisemitism and terror support of the protestors on police and others doesn’t work when everyone can see the truth …” AG (@aghamilton29) posted‚ adding‚ “It’s almost hilarious the extent to which the defenders of the antisemitic mobs at Columbia are completely reliant on pretending the numerous videos and the witness testimony from Jewish students simply don’t exist to preserve their narratives.” You realize there is video‚ right&;#63; Inventing a conspiracy to blame the antisemitism and terror support of the protestors on police and others doesn’t work when everyone can see the truth… https://t.co/0F3KxVUWKc — AG (@AGHamilton29) April 22‚ 2024 Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) added‚ “Ilhan‚ there’s video. Lots of it. These antisemites don’t need police &; public leaders to make them look bad. They’re doing that all by themselves. Only demands should be: Hamas‚ surrender; Release the hostages.” Ilhan‚ there’s video. Lots of it. These antisemites don’t need police &; public leaders to make them look bad. They’re doing that all by themselves. Only demands should be:-Hamas‚ surrender. -Release the hostages. https://t.co/o6QUnNpFPZ — Anthony P. D'Esposito (@ANTHONYDESPO) April 22‚ 2024 Referencing Columbia’s move to remote learning on Monday due to the increased tensions on campus‚ Erielle Azerrad pointed out: “Jews are studying remotely because of Omar’s daughter.” Jews are studying remotely because of Omar’s daughter. https://t.co/Z1wgdsOT4t — Erielle Azerrad (@politicalelle) April 22‚ 2024 “Nothing was co-opted here‚” Pradheep Shankar said. “These idiots were always fascists and antisemites (including her daughter). Nothing has changed since the evening of 10/7. The Columbia protester demands are irrelevant‚ because they are nonsense‚ and they should ignored. Kick them out.” Nothing was co-opted here. These idiots were always fascists and antisemites (including her daughter). Nothing has changed since the evening of 10/7. The Columbia protester demands are irrelevant‚ because they are nonsense‚ and they should ignored. Kick them out. https://t.co/j1cBe7DCM8 — Pradheep J. Shanker‚ M.D. (@neoavatara) April 22‚ 2024

There is a cadre of students at Columbia University who decided to occupy the center of the campus and harass Jewish students. They yelled “Stop killing children” and “Go back to Poland” as the Jewish students were simply trying to get from campus back to their dorm rooms. They chanted for Hamas to hit Tel Aviv. They tried to form a human chain to keep Jewish students out. One anti-Semitic student decided to stand right in front of several pro-Israel protesters suggesting they be killed with rockets. The Columbia University Orthodox rabbi issued a message to all the Jewish students strongly recommending they return home as soon as possible and remain home “until the reality in and around the campus is dramatically improved. It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus. No one should have to endure this level of hatred‚ let alone at school.” These protests are designed to harass and intimidate students in violation of all codes of ethics and conduct at the private university. Over at Yale‚ similar levels of anti-Semitic activity occurred. Additionally‚ Yale students were cheering as the American flag came down. At Northwestern University‚ the dean of students attended an anti-Israel protest targeting Hillel‚ the nonpartisan Jewish Student Community Center. Protest organizers were demanding the university end its relationship with Hillel‚ which is just a Jewish community organization existing on campus. WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show  The revolutionary class is generally not a bunch of impoverished people who simply are trying to work a job and feed their families. Typically‚ it’s upper crust elites who have nothing better to do with their time and no sense of purpose so they decide to join in. Now‚ the White House has put out a statement on anti-Semitism at Columbia. Andrew Bates commented on the situation‚ saying‚ “While every American has the right to peaceful protest‚ calls for violence and physical intimidation‚ targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly AntiSemitic‚ unconscionable‚ and dangerous — they have absolutely no place on any college campus‚ or anywhere in the United States of America. And echoing the rhetoric of terrorist organizations‚ especially in the wake of the worst massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust‚ is despicable. We condemn these statements in the strongest terms.” Perhaps Biden’s administration should stop trying to please Hamas spokespeople in the United States. The most amusing tweet came courtesy of Marc Caputo‚ who’s a national political reporter for The Bulwark. He wrote‚ “With its top journalism school and journalism review‚ Columbia holds an esteemed place in media. So how did @CJR‚ Columbia profs &; the reporters it produces miss the formation of so much anti-Israel or ant-Semitic bias fostered at &; around the school&;#63; How did NY media miss it&;#63;” How did the New York media miss it&;#63; The answer: They didn’t miss it. They fostered it. For years‚ the New York Times has refused to cover attacks on Jews in New York City so long as those attacks were being committed by minority criminals. Intersectionality is a hell of a drug‚ and this entire world view has promoted anti-Semitism‚ particularly at elite institutions. Open anti-Semitism has been on the rise for legitimately decades on campus. It was rife on campus when I was there 20 years ago. It’s particularly rife from the radical Muslim community‚ and it’s been fostered by a Left-wing college administration across campuses for two generations that believes in the intersectional hierarchy of victimhood‚ in which Muslims outrank Jews. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP Leftists have a cheap and easy way of signaling their anti-Westernism and anti-Americanism without actually having to say they’re anti-Western and anti-American. They just put it all on Israel. All the reasons they use to hate Israel are reasons that also apply to the United States. They understand there might be consequences if they talk about how America is an evil colonial power and how American soldiers are human rights violators. So instead‚ they say it about Israel because it’s a cheap and easy way to virtue signal. This then transmutes into anti-Semitism because the conspiracy theory by the far-Left has always been that there is a cadre of powerful people who have all the systems to their benefit. Jews are a minority group that is disproportionately successful in American society‚ and since the leftists believe the system must be rigged by those who are successful‚ anti-Semitism rises. What’s even worse is that on college campuses‚ this went from a generalized worldview to an article of faith. A lot of people were puzzled why after October 7‚ the worst atrocity against Jews since the Holocaust‚ all of this anti-Semitism sprang up. Normally‚ you would expect to see the reverse after a giant atrocity by an open‚ evil terrorist group against Jews of all sorts‚ including predominantly Left-wing Jews living in the Gaza envelope. Why did you see this massive outpouring of support for Hamas&;#63;  The answer is that it’s an article of faith for members of the Left‚ proverbial skin in the game‚ to show fealty to the intersectional ideal by suggesting that even the worst human beings on planet Earth‚ like Hamas‚ are actually just victims of some sort of intersectional hierarchy. The more you pay fealty to the worst people in the world‚ the more you have shown your fealty to the cause. And that’s how you end up with people who are doing the vicious work at Columbia University. The most highly-educated people on planet Earth often have the least amount of wisdom. And there’s nothing new about that because smart people can talk themselves into — and out of — virtually anything.

A 13-year-old girl spoke at a school board meeting and tearfully described watching a student use a Stanley cup to brutally beat up a female student. The teen girl‚ who attends Pennbrook Middle School north of Philadelphia accused school officials of failing to step in despite being warned hours ahead of time that the attack was coming. Reduxx reported that the attacker is a trans-identifying male student who identifies as “Melanie.” “All of a sudden I just hear all this screaming and everybody running. … All of sudden you just hear these terrible loud bangs of the Stanley bouncing off her head. And then you see Mel grabbing her hair and hitting her against the table … There was blood going everywhere‚” the young student recalled. “We had to sit in there and watch them clean up her blood off those tables and ground‚ and we had to watch them take her out with blood dripping down her face and I will never forget that‚” the girl said‚ her voice breaking. The attacker also yelled “I’m going to murder you” repeatedly to students‚ she said. The violent incident played over in her head as she lay in bed that night‚ the girl told board members. The girl said she was “second on [the attacker’s] hit list” and begged school administrators for help five hours before the attack. The guidance counselor promised her the attack would not happen‚ the teen said. 🚨BREAKING🚨 A male who identifies as transgender brutally assaulted a female student at Pennbrook Middle School in PA. One girl who said she was &;quot;second on [his] hit list&;quot; told the school board that she had begged for help HOURS before the attack‚ but teachers did nothing. pic.twitter.com/sRRZlnuwZU — REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) April 20‚ 2024 The incident occurred at about 1:20 pm on Wednesday in the school cafeteria. Police and first responders were called to the scene. Surveillance video shows a 7th grader walking along a lunch table when the student accused of attacking her runs up and begins hitting her in the head with a Stanley cup‚ according to Upper Gwynedd police. The female student who was attacked needed staples in her head and is on concussion protocol‚ police said. The incident is still under investigation‚ school officials said. Incensed parents showed up at the school board meeting to voice their concerns. “The fear in these kids’ voices. This had to be a brutal attack because so many kids were screaming and crying‚” one mother said. “This was avoidable and the district truly failed to protect the students at Pennbrook‚” one parent told school board members. “What are we supposed to say to our children after this&;#63; How do I send him back to school&;#63;” The attacking student had only been at the school for three days when the attack occurred‚ parents said. In a statement‚ Pennbrook Middle School Superintendent Todd Bauer confirmed that an incident had occurred resulting in “serious injuries” to a student. However‚ he said rumors are “false” that the attacker was expelled from another school for violent behavior. Bauer said the school is working with law enforcement and the families of the students involved. The school is working with the “district-wide traumatic event response team” to support the students who witnessed the attack‚ he said.

President Joe Biden faced criticism on Monday for his weak response to the anti-Semitic protests over the weekend at Columbia University. The far-left protesters yelled “Stop killing children” and “Go back to Poland” as the Jewish students were simply trying to get from campus back to their dorm rooms. They chanted for Hamas to hit Tel Aviv. They tried to form a human chain to keep Jewish students out. One anti-Semitic student decided to stand right in front of several pro-Israel protesters suggesting they be killed with rockets. Biden was asked about the incidents while briefly answering questions from reporters following a Virginia event marking Earth Day. “Do you condemn the anti-Semitic protests on college campuses&;#63;” a reporter asked. “I condemn the anti-Semitic protests. That’s why I’ve set up a program to deal with that‚” Biden claimed‚ without specifying what program he has set up to deal with anti-Semitism. Biden‚ who says that he ran for president because of the anti-Semitic marches in Charlottesville in 2017‚ then pulled what many online said was his own version of former President Donald Trump’s “very fine people on both sides” remark. “I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians and their — how they’re being —” Biden continued. The political Left has repeatedly falsely claimed that Trump called called the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who attended the rally “very fine people. In fact‚ Trump condemned the neo-Nazis and white supremacists‚ saying: “And you had people‚ and I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists‚ because they should be condemned totally.” A reporter then asked Biden if the president of Columbia University should resign. “I didn’t know that‚” Biden responded. “I’ll — I’ll have to find out more about it.” WATCH: Reporter: “Do you condemn the anti-Semitic protests on college campuses&;#63;” Biden: “I condemn the antisemitic protests. That’s why I have set up a program to deal with that. I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.” Reporter: “Should the… pic.twitter.com/bW5j9Nde0v — Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 22‚ 2024

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) pushed back on former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki during a Sunday interview‚ effectively warning her to stop giving so much airtime and attention to former President Donald Trump. Newsom’s interview took up the majority if Psaki’s MSNBC show — “Inside With Jen Psaki” — and while they spent a fair amount of that time complaining about Alabama and other states where Republicans have implemented restrictions and bans on abortions‚ Psaki made sure to take a few minutes to attack Trump. But when she prodded Newsom to join her in the attack‚ he quickly applied the brakes. WATCH: .@GavinNewsom: “When we're focusing on him‚ I do worry‚ electorally‚ that he has a slight advantage. I'm a little concerned about the overindulgence… The consequential nature of a criminal trial is profound and outsized in some respects‚ but not more outsized than democracy.&;quot; pic.twitter.com/wH5z41qetA — Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) April 21‚ 2024 Psaki laughed as she brought up the former president’s hush-money trial that was scheduled to start Monday morning‚ asking Newsom to allay her fears that the case might actually work in Trump’s favor. “There was a criminal trial that got underway in this week in New York City‚ the full jury has been seated‚ we’re expecting opening statements on Monday‚” she began. “There’s been this kind of chorus out there that’s been driving me a little crazy‚ to be honest‚ suggesting that this case only helps Trump politically. And I’m curious. You’ve seen the first week‚ you’re talking to an undecided voter about why this case should matter to them — what do you tell them&;#63;” Newsom addressed the question briefly‚ saying that of course he believed it should matter that one party’s presidential candidate was facing criminal charges. “That said‚ may I give you a personal point of view&;#63;” Newsom asked‚ and pointed out that the constant media coverage of everything he did — whether the coverage was positive or negative — only worked to give Trump more attention. “This is a guy who doesn’t care if he’s the hero or the heel‚ he just wants to be the star — and in so many ways he gets what he wants‚ and that’s the bright spotlight and focus.” “And when we’re focusing on him‚ I do worry‚ electorally‚ that he has a slight advantage. I’m a little concerned about the overindulgence around the day to day … The consequential nature of a criminal trial is profound and outsized in some respects‚ but not more outsized than democracy‚” Newsom said.

Calista Flockhart found lasting love when she met Harrison Ford‚ but the suave actor didn’t give her the best first impression. The Ally McBeal star and Harrison are one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples today. The two have been together for 22 years and married for nearly 14. They also share an adopted son‚ Liam Flockhart. But their initial meeting wasn’t full of butterlies. Calista told The Sunday Times‚ that she met Harrison during the 2002 Golden Globe Awards. He introduced himself to her and her Ally McBeal co-start Vonda Shepherd‚ and she thought he was just some flirty “old man” up to no good. “I was aware of who Harrison Ford was&;#33; But I didn’t think‚ ‘Oh this is Indiana Jones.’ It was more along the lines of‚ ‘This is some lascivious old man and what is he doing at our table&;#63;’ I was being a smarta–.” While many people would have been beside themselves if they had a chance to shake hands with the legendary Oscar nominee‚ Calista was unimpressed. In fact‚ she had never even watched his most iconic films. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Smooth Radio (@smoothradio) “I had never seen Star Wars‚ which I know sounds really crazy‚” she admitted. “But I grew up in a small town without a movie theatre.” Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford’s Age Gap “Doesn’t Factor” Into Their Relationship It didn’t take long for Harrison Ford to get into Calista Flockhart’s good graces‚ though. The two began chatting and Harrison invited her back to his house. The two danced and spent more time together before Harrison took her home. “It was very proper‚” she shared. The actress said that they’re still very much in love today‚ and much of their success comes from having both joint and separate hobbies. Harrison is an avid pilot and enjoys flying around their ranch in Jackson Hole‚ Wyoming‚ while she prefers hiking. In the evenings‚ Calista likes to cook and Harrison “likes to eat.” Then they often sit down for a game of scrabble. Earlier in their relationship‚ critics told them they wouldn’t last because of their 22-year age gap‚ but Calista said that has never been an issue for them. “It doesn’t faze me‚” she said. “Sometimes I even say‚ ‘Wow‚ I keep forgetting that he’s 22 years older than me.’ It doesn’t factor into our relationship at all.” This story’s featured image is by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images. The post Calista Flockhart Shares Hilarious Story Of Being Unimpressed When She First Met Husband Harrison Ford appeared first on InspireMore.