Ramaswamy: DeSantis, Haley, and Cancel Culture from the Right

   Haley apparently threatened to pull schools' tax exempt status if they fail to "combat antisemitism in all its forms," including "denying Israel's right to exist." I'd heard about DeSantis's actions, but, to my shame, allowed myself to not investigate. I just didn't pursue the issue.

   Ramaswamy is right.

   Barring some actual material support of terrorism, there seems to be no justification for silencing pro-Palestinian / anti-Israel student groups. Or pro-Hamas ones for that matter. Expressing support for Hamas is a stupid-ass thing to do. If, indeed, that is what they're doing. Antisemitism, loathsome as it might be, isn't illegal so long as it is limited to ordinary words short of direct incitement. And denying Israel's "right to exist" is obviously protected speech. I'm not even sure that nations--or people, for that matter--have a right to exist. The state can't go after someone for saying "I don't think Israel has a right to exist." And certainly not for saying "I don't think any nation has a right to exist. Oh and: Israel is a nation."

   Free speech, how does it work?