Readers sound off on campus protests, anti-war Jews and car ads

Protest by occupation goes beyond demonstrating

Hartsdale, N.Y.: Nice of Voicer Blake Fleetwood to self-out being one of the students who vandalized the president’s office at Columbia University in 1968. It’s funny that there was no mention of how that was resolved: Since the university is private property, the NYPD got into the campus using the access tunnels and summarily removed the protesters — you know, pretty much like what was done the other day, but this time it was much more kid-gloves.

Fleetwood refers to the protesters as “peaceful,” which is somewhat at a variance to the racket they make that can be heard blocks away. These “protesters” are squatters and posers with upper-class privileges and should be removed from the campus.

I don’t think many people are against peaceful protest. As a former and present protester — against the Vietnam War, against civil rights violations, against gun crimes and against homophobia — I am all for it. What is happening at my alma mater is not peaceful protest; it is an occupation by a vocal minority of bullies who seek to change, by force, policies that were adopted not by force, but by reason.

One thing I can guarantee to the Blake Fleetwoods of the world: You aren’t making many allies in your support of Palestine’s Gaza population, who are similarly not supported by most of the Arab world. Can you explain that? Norman E. Gaines Jr.

When ya gotta go

Staten Island: Where are these Columbia University protesters relieving themselves? Myra Goodman

No condemnation

Washington: Pro-Palestine student and professional protestors never renounce the Hamas goal to destroy Israel, never renounce the Oct. 7 terrorist attack and massacre by Hamas, never demand that Hamas release all of the hostages, and never demand that Hamas stop using civilians as shields. William G. Schiffbauer

Captives concern

Manhattan: While the protesters are concerned about Israel, do they have any idea if the innocent hostages are alive, and if so, what their medical conditions are? Maybe that’s not as exciting as shouting and proving how concerned you are for the Palestinian people and Hamas? Marilyn Levin

No outrage?

Rego Park: Where were these pro-Palestinian protesters when Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, brutally oppressed Palestinians in Gaza, denying them civil, human and political rights? Where were these protesters when Hamas stole international aid meant for Palestinian civilians and used it to fuel its war machine, including taking building supplies meant to build housing and using them for militarized tunnels? Where were these protesters when Hamas continually undermined efforts at Middle East peace that would have allowed the people of Gaza to thrive? Oreg Tuttle

Ignored issues

Brooklyn: How many times have the anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University demonstrated against China’s murderous occupation of Tibet, its genocide of the Falun Gong, Uyghurs and Kazaks, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the genocide in Myanmar of the Rohingya Muslims and the murder of 50,000 Nigerian Christians by Muslim terrorists? The answer is zero. These Israel-haters should not be permitted to derail the university’s educational program. Wendy Jackson

Entrenched educators

Yonkers: Many years ago when I was involved in academia, there was a popular joke among the faculty: What’s the difference between a tenured professor and a terrorist? The answer: You can negotiate with a terrorist. Well, judging by the way events have unfolded at Columbia University, there’s plenty of truth in the joke. Columbia’s administration has surrendered to the protesting professors. Frank Brady

Militarized response

Laguna Beach, Calif.: Re “Johnson says head of university should quit, eyes National Guard” (April 25): House Speaker Mike Johnson is only 52, so he has no firsthand knowledge of what happened 54 years ago at Kent State. Because I am 75, I know what happened. I was a senior at USC in Los Angeles when Ohio National Guard troops arrived on Kent State’s campus and opened fire on anti-war protesters, killing four and wounding nine. I’m not saying Johnson’s call to deploy New York’s National Guard to Columbia University will result in the same outcome as in 1970, but I do know this: NYPD officers are better trained and experienced than National Guard troops when it comes to handling demonstrators. Before he makes any additional comments, I urge Johnson to consult with older lawmakers who remember exactly what happened at Kent State. Denny Freidenrich

Dangerous proposal

Bar Harbor, Maine: To GOP Speaker Mike Johnson’s demand that President Biden send in the National Guard to end student protests at Columbia University, I have two words (no, not those two): Kent State. Annlinn Kruger

Out of place

Brooklyn: Speaker Johnson, did you come to New York to agitate the students or to kiss the ring? Either way, go back to D.C. to do what you are paid to do. Your presence here serves no purpose. June Lowe

Jewish erasure

Forest Hills: Shame on Biden for falsely portraying Palestinian solidarity protests at Columbia and other university campuses as antisemitic and ridiculously implying they pose a threat to Jewish students. Countless Jewish students are part of this movement and, in fact, have held makeshift Seders and other religious ceremonies at Columbia’s protest encampment. When these students were among those being doxed, harassed, blacklisted and even physically attacked by Zionist individuals and groups upset by their message, where was Biden? As a Jewish American, let me say this loud and clear to Biden and any other politician who thinks they can hang the Israeli war crimes they fund around our necks: Being an ally to the Jewish community does not mean supporting the genocide of Palestinians, and protesting said genocide does not make one antisemitic or dangerous. If you won’t acknowledge this, then you’ve lost my vote for life. Matthew Zeidman

Protective custody

Surrey, British Columbia: Donald Trump can reside in Manuel Noriega’s old building built for him at Coleman Low, a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility in Florida. There is a yard for Trump to exercise in and a secure fence to keep out the other prisoners. Although Manny was never seen outside of his abode, once in a while you could see the drapes move and know he was looking out. Glen Misko

Still waiting

Brooklyn: Another year where Johnny Maestro is not elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It’s long overdue. After all, it is called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Andrew Cioffi

Selling speed

Tuckahoe, N.Y.: Why does almost every TV car ad feature how fast they can go? They lovingly show speedometers blasting up to 100 mpg, gravel flying and gears grinding as cars race down city streets and country roads. Meanwhile people’s and animal’s broken bodies are crushed and habitats are destroyed, all to appeal to a child’s version of driving. One ad even superimposes a child gleefully driving like this, in case there’s any doubt about what the ads are appealing to. But we’re not children. Meanwhile, there is a fatal hit-and-run each week. Children are also the victims of merciless speeding drivers. Where is the truth in advertising? Cigarettes and liquor must by law have “danger” labels; cigarette ads have been banned on TV and liquor ads strongly curtailed, yet the automotive industry gets rich by promoting its product’s lethal capability proudly, with more cars than ever on the road. Kiley Blackman

Civilian support

Brooklyn: There is a definite need for uniformed officers to be out on the street, doing what they were hired to do. Yet, because of a cutback of civilians assigned to precincts, that is not happening. It is great that the mayor is adding more uniformed recruits, though that number would increase if there were also police administrative aide classes. I implore the mayor to increase the number of civilians who are assigned to precincts. A matter of safety and sanity, it would help the city become safe again. Sharon Cesario