The Roiling Body Politic
Student protests. Brutal wars. A criminal trial. A time of great uncertainty.
Across the country, over 2,000 pro-Palestinian protestors have faced arrest on dozens of college campuses, causing turmoil and flashes of violence as the schools prepare for graduation. At the risk of suspension, expulsion and felony charges, many of these students decided that highlighting the crisis in war-torn Gaza and the plight of Gazans—and in some cases supporting Hamas’ goal of annihilating the Jewish people—is worth the consequences.
Never mind the fear and danger they caused many Jewish students with their aggressively anti-Israel, anti-Zionist rhetoric or explicitly antisemitic attacks. Never mind their ignoring the barbarism of October 7. Never mind the happy Republican politicians exploiting the protests as an opportunity to attack university leadership and propose stripping away federal funding. Never mind the prospect that their protests—including anger toward President Joe Biden—could suppress a small percentage of the youth vote, thereby helping Donald Trump.
As the protests stirred campuses and attracted massive media coverage (despite representing only a small number of colleges and universities nationally), President Biden navigated the complicated dynamic of supporting free speech and the right to protest while rejecting the criminal behavior.
“Dissent is essential for democracy,” he said on Thursday. “But dissent must never lead to disorder.” He added later that “there’s the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos. People have the right to get an education, the right to get a degree, the right to walk across campus safely without fear of being attacked.”
But that’s not all. Rather than engage on the issues with protesting students, Biden and his team has been working aggressively on an Israel-Hamas deal and other diplomatic solutions—to secure a ceasefire, the release of hostages and the expansion of humanitarian aid, while ensuring Israel’s right to defend itself and lay the groundwork for a sustained peace and possibly a two-state solution.
“If we can get a ceasefire,” White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said last Tuesday, “we can get something more enduring and then maybe end the conflict and then maybe move forward with normalization [between Israel and Saudi Arabia], but it has to start with a deal and getting these people [hostages] back to their families.” Added State Department spokesperson Matt Miller several days later: “Every day that goes by without a ceasefire is on Hamas. They are the ones that are holding up an answer to this proposal…and an immediate ceasefire.”
While the protests are the most recent expression of discontent—causing worry among Democrats that they will spill into the summer and onto the news during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, just like in 1968—they are just one of a number of roiling actions intended to spur turbulence and conflict. This risks exacerbating the perception of chaos and a fractured Democratic Party, just the climate that Trump hopes will motivate his cult and convince fence-sitters to throw in their lot with the wannabe dictator promising a strong authoritarian hand. Never mind that the criminal defendant will by then secure the nomination, possibly as a convicted felon paying lip service to law and order.
Of course, he’s been busy on Truth Social desperately trying to motivate his base to protest his criminal court cases. That hasn’t worked, as his followers have mostly stayed home. But don’t doubt that the constant assertions that the prosecutions represent Biden persecution rather than legitimate judicial proceedings have sunk in with most of his base.
In response to this misinformation, the president has gone out of his way to avoid any appearance that he has his thumb on the scale. The closest he’s come to even acknowledging Trump’s criminal trials has been with humor: noting at the White House Correspondents Association dinner that his predecessor is facing “stormy weather” and referring to him on the campaign trial as “Sleepy Don.”
The contrast could not be more vivid between the carnage-loving criminal defendant condemning his judge for trying to stop his attacks on jurors, witnesses and court staff and the cool president who’s convinced that actions speak louder than words as he resists adding fuel to the fire. But Biden will need to turn up the heat as the campaign intensifies.
And it may not just be Trump and the Republicans necessitating a stronger response. These are disturbing times. A Supreme Court stripping away women’s reproductive freedoms and red states passing extreme abortion bans. War in the Middle East that could keep expanding throughout the region without a diplomatic solution. War in Ukraine that, if Russia succeeds, would likely be only the first step in the murderous Vladimir Putin’s intention to rebuild the Russian empire and attack NATO countries. The rise of authoritarianism and fascist leaders throughout the world. A Republican Party increasingly convinced that suppressing the vote, turning their backs on the democratic project and kowtowing to a dictatorial nominee is their best route to getting and keeping power.
Add to this the fact that, while the Israel-Hamas war is a low priority for the large majority of Americans, including most young people, pro-democracy advocates still must convince large swathes of voters that democracy—and their lives—face danger if an authoritarian Trumpian regime were to take power. It doesn’t help that roughly a third of younger voters around the world (18-35) are increasingly dissatisfied with democracy and find appeal in leaders who would “do away with” elections and ignore their legislatures.
Suffice to say, let’s avoid glib assumptions about a Biden victory. Nor should we assume that these student protests mirror Vietnam-era protests that helped “law-and-order” candidate Richard Nixon beat Hubert Humphrey in ‘68. History may often rhyme, but times do change, too. This summer Chicago—and the country—may not remain so fractious. And the idea that Trump is a law-and-order candidate will seem increasingly ludicrous to a solid majority if he is criminally convicted.
I remain convinced that a massive turnout and an overwhelming defeat is critical to the possibility of democratic repair. Because we can be sure that if Trump loses, he will once again assert that he was cheated and incite “patriots” to take violent action. We need the truth on our side.
Please consider becoming a paid subscriber for $50 a year or just $5 a month, if you’re not already. This helps sustain and expand the work of America, America, keep nearly all the content free for everyone and give you full access to the comments sections.
It is clear to me that trump is setting up a ‘heads I will tails you lose’ election. His potential vp (Celebrity Apprentice) candidates in turn befouled their reputations by sidestepping the acceptance of results question. Tim Scott should be ashamed of himself. They all should.
Steve, I was disappointed and sad to read this piece. While I share your opposition to an autocratic/fascist candidate, you seem to have forgotten that the ends do not justify the means as it appears you are advocating regarding Gaza.
1. That there are wholesale and deliberate atrocities against civilians in Gaza is a fact. The ICJ has indicated that there is a plausible genocide (see paragraph 54 of the ruling at https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/e9d8337ab5ae1d92/72977573-full.pdf). Aid organizations, medical teams on ground and independent journalists have confirmed. At least 24,000 human beings have lost their lives, the majority women and children. The deliberately imposed famine is raging, entire infrastructure of Gaza including water, medical supplies and food have been destroyed. International and US domestic laws have been flouted or ignored. This supersedes all politics and alliances. Kudos to the protestors who are brave enough to put their humanity on the line even if it means jail, mistreatment or expulsion. How many of us are willing to do the same?
2. When the government of one group perpetrates war crimes and genocide against a people, there will always be those who will deny it is happening or rationalize it. Thus, for example, Turkey claims that the Armenian genocide never happened, that it was just wartime confusion. But it did and was finally recognized by the US in 2007. While some might attempt to smear the entire nation of Turkey, this would be wrong and unfortunate but doesn’t change the facts of the genocide. What would be more wrong is to pretend the genocide never happened. In the same way, there are antisemitic people who will attempt to blame the nation of Israel and all its inhabitants for the government’s horrific slaughter in Gaza. This is wrong and must be opposed but cannot be used as a justification for keeping silent. If you are blaming the protestors for the presence of these undesirable elements, you are missing the whole point of the protest and the indescribable evil and horror on a people.
3. The link you gave supporting your claim that young people don’t see Gaza as a priority belies that claim. I suggest you read it carefully because it actually suggests the opposite.
4. I wouldn’t be quoting the administration as an unbiased source on the negotiations. They have indicated that if talks collapse, it is totally Hamas’s fault. Really? That is ludicrous as public statements by the Israeli government point to a lack of interest in getting a deal for the hostages. The administration is pretending that none of these public statements matter which is ludicrous.
5. The situation in Gaza should be concerning to all Americans because their tax dollars are being used to commit the atrocities. Rather than chide the protestors for hurting Biden’s reelection effort in pointing this out, maybe we should all as a nation strive to convince the administration to substantially work for a permanent cease fire/hostage deal and a workable plan to have all people live together unlike the effort now that appears to be for show only.
6. “Dissent must never lead to disorder” - one of those phrases that sound good but has never been true. Any protest worth its salt against the status quo has some disorder to gain attention. This is different than violence which should never be tolerated. One only has to look at the civil rights non-violent movement in the US and its heroes such as Martin Luther King, to see how this type of thinking by the administration was deemed harmful. MLK talked about the white moderate’s affinity towards order over justice as harmful. He and others like John Lewis called for good trouble and necessary trouble. Notice that the prioritization of order over protests is used by those who disagree with the point of the protests and wish to suppress them.
I’ve been a member of America, America for some time now. I’ve come to expect a certain objective standard and quality in your posts. This last post disappointed me immensely. I’ve noticed over the years that It is easy to spout principles when they support one’s end or their candidate. It’s more difficult to adhere to those principles when that end or candidate’s election appears to be in jeopardy. The latter takes real courage but is what is needed for credibility in the long run.