Dems Back Columbia Activist Mahmoud Khalil: Another Instance of How Elite Schools Are Letting Down Jewish Students

Observing Democrats experiment with various arguments to undermine Donald Trump, I’m reminded of a tale about the late Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight.

After John Feinstein penned an unflattering portrayal of Knight, he retaliated vehemently.

In one outburst, Knight labeled him “a whore and a pimp,” prompting Feinstein to quip: “I wish he’d settle on one so I’d know what to wear.”

Much like that scenario, Democrats appear to be floundering as they scramble to unite the public against Trump.

Their singular guiding principle — opposing everything he supports — is resulting in perplexing contradictions, driving them further into political absurdity.

Note that the same congressional members who sat in silence as Trump honored a cancer-stricken child and families grieving losses from murderous illegal immigrants are now rallying behind an Arab immigrant who leads a group that sympathizes with terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, advocating for the “end of Western civilization.”

Defending such an individual is a peculiar stance, yet Democrats have become quite an unusual party.

‘Pro-Hamas flyers’

The support for Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian green-card holder and former Columbia University graduate student, is particularly perplexing, given the allegations against him.

As White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “This individual organized protests that disrupted college classes and harassed Jewish American students, making them feel unsafe on their own campus while distributing pro-Hamas propaganda flyers emblazoned with the Hamas logo.”

Yet, Democrats are eager to defend him, with the X account for senators on the Judiciary Committee displaying a photo of him alongside a post declaring: “Free Mahmoud Khalil.”

This portrayal of him as a political prisoner prompted astonished GOP senator Tom Cotton to question whether it was indeed true that Democrats are advocating for a pro-Hamas foreigner who has made life intolerable for Jewish students on campus?

Regrettably, it is true, as House Democrat Jamie Raskin further validated this with a shocking attack on the White House.

Raskin stated that Khalil’s arrest “is taken straight from the authoritarian playbook,” claiming it illustrates Trump’s intent to “use fear and intimidation as tools to suppress political dissent.”

Another day filled with absurdities.

This case also highlights another important aspect.

Amid the Democrats’ disarray, they and their compliant media are determined to misrepresent the facts by supporting Khalil’s assertion that he merely exercised his rights to free speech.

This contradiction is especially ironic from a party that has fostered cancel culture and supported the Biden administration’s censorship agenda on social media.

However, this sudden advocacy for free speech lacks credibility and raises eyebrows.

It would be humorous were the facts not so evident and the implications so significant.

Beyond Khalil’s misdeeds, this issue delves into how Columbia and other campuses neglected to protect the civil rights of Jewish students following the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, 2023.

It’s no coincidence that Khalil was arrested just as the Trump administration rescinded $400 million worth of grants and contracts with Columbia.

While the two actions haven’t been officially connected, the administration justified its decision referencing a provision of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits “discrimination based on race, color, or national origin” in any federally funded organization.

Trump’s promise

As Trump articulated, his administration “will not tolerate pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American” behavior on college campuses.

“We will identify, detain, and deport these sympathizers of terrorism from our nation — never to return.”

He continued: “If you support terrorism, including the slaughter of innocents, you are unwelcome as your presence contradicts our national and foreign policy interests. We expect all American colleges and universities to comply.”

In light of the Columbia sanctions, this assertion carries weight.

Authorities now indicate that 60 colleges and universities are under investigation for religious discrimination, with 40 of those probes initiated by the Biden administration.

Clearly, this administration never intended to conduct thorough investigations.

If it had, it would have undermined its own harsh criticisms of Israel, which often mirrored the rhetoric from Khalil and his supporters on campuses.

Allegations from the Biden White House and State Department claiming potential Israeli war crimes were not uncommon.

Moreover, the withholding of vital ammunition and attempts to assist challengers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was generally welcomed by the pro-Palestinian demonstrators on campus.

That was the overall aim.

Initially, Biden, followed by Kamala Harris, attempted to win over the Muslim vote by criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Many administrators and faculty at Columbia were aligned with that narrative.

This is evident in the institution’s previous moves to suspend Khalil last year, only to later withdraw the complaint, claiming a lack of evidence.

However, elections have consequences, and the Trump administration is illustrating that more than enough evidence was available against him.

What Columbia lacked was resolve.

Had its leadership acted decisively, they might have protected the institution from federal repercussions now.

Instead, by failing to take action against Khalil and others for disrupting classes and intimidating Jewish students, Columbia opened itself up to the $400 million penalty.

And as Education Secretary Linda McMahon has indicated, the situation may worsen.

The repercussions faced by the university extend beyond the financial implications of grant cancellations. Both its reputation and quality of education could suffer for years to come.

Made their own beds

Even before the announcement of new probes, institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Penn had instituted hiring freezes due to the Department of Health and Human Services’ plans to decrease its grants by $4 billion.

The hiring freeze at these schools arose because federal research grants typically comprise not just the direct research funding but also additional amounts that cover up to 75% of administrative and facility costs, including salaries.

The supplementary funding can be reallocated; for instance, Columbia claims it receives 25% of its annual operating budget from the federal government.

However, even prior to issues surrounding civil rights violations, the Trump administration was already looking to limit the additional funding to 15% of the original grant amount.

Such a change would significantly impact major research entities like Columbia, making the consequences of civil rights violations akin to a second disaster.

Even elite institutions with substantial endowments might experience considerable disruptions, especially if major donors choose to withdraw their support.

As the possible repercussions become clearer, some defenders are lamenting that Trump is intent on dismantling higher education.

Excuses, excuses.

But remember, these institutions are responsible for their own plights.