Jim Banks lies about the IU protests — and about me

Jim Banks is a powerful Republican congressman who is likely to be elected in November as one of Indiana’s two U.S. Senators — unless Hoosiers wake up to the fact that his recent Star comments about IU Bloomington are lies.

Since the horrendous Oct. 7 Hamas attacks that I and others condemned, Banks has sought to pressure IU President Pamela Whitten to crack down on pro-Palestinian students, threatening both academic freedom and the First Amendment. Whitten has complied, leading to criticisms from human rights groups across the country, including the conservative-libertarian Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

Banks responded to faculty defenses of academic freedom by describing us as “woke” defenders of Hamas — which is a lie. He attacked me personally on “X” as a “radical Marxist professor” and “communist” who defends antisemitism — another lie.

Over 800 faculty members, many conservative, overwhelmingly supported a vote of no confidence against Whitten because she was undermining academic freedom and civil liberty. Her response: calling in the state police to violently suppress a peaceful student encampment organized on Dunn Meadow, in a designated “free speech” zone on the edge of campus, far from any classrooms or major academic buildings.

The demonstrations there were completely peaceful. Student leaders, some Jewish, often chanted anti-Zionist slogans with which I disagreed, and said so. But I heard not a single statement or chant that was violent, hateful, or called for harm against Jews. The students are idealistic young people exercising their constitutional rights. They do not deserve to be attacked, harassed, or arrested.

Banks lies when he says that IU professors demand IU divestment from Crane. No faculty statements have made this demand, which obviously ignores Crane’s indispensable role in the state’s economy. But students have demanded this, and faculty have defended their right to make their demands heard — for we live in a democracy.

We are dedicated academic professionals and citizens of the state of Indiana, not, as Banks implies, “outsiders” linked to “the Ivy Leagues” — though most of us have degrees from the top universities in the country.

Banks, a small-minded man, wants Hoosiers to “take back” the university from us and from our students. IU is a world-class university with “outside connections” in every part of the world, and tens of thousands of “foreign” and out-of-state students whose tuition dollars comprise a huge part of the university’s operating budget.

Lacking any regard for IU’s traditions, Banks’ approach would ruin Indiana University and undermine everything — economic, educational, scientific, civic — that the university contributes to the state.

Hoosiers deserve better.

Jeffrey C. Isaac is the James H. Rudy Professor of Political Science at Indiana University.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jeffrey C. Isaac: Jim Banks' IU lies threaten academic freedom