Apparently, the Catholic University of America thinks opposition to antisemitism is too one-sided. This semester, Students Supporting Israel sought school approval for two campus events, one featuring Congressman Randy Fine speaking about antisemitism on American campuses and the other featuring Dany Tirza, a retired Israeli colonel, speaking about the West Bank barrier that he helped build. University administrators said no to both. Their reason? The events did not include speakers representing “both sides.” The school justified its decision by pointing to a requirement in the school’s policies for a “balanced presentation” of views.
But a political student group exists to advance a viewpoint, not to perform ideological hostage exchange on command. Students Supporting Israel is not a university office. It’s not a debate commission. It’s not a faculty symposium where professors have chosen to curate a perfectly symmetrical discussion for public consumption. It’s a group of students with certain views who want to hear from aligned public figures. Isn’t that also part of education? They’re seeking mentorship and intellectual leadership in areas that matter to them, no differently from when they choose courses. Should we also force students to take a men’s studies seminar for every feminist workshop they attend?
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