Campus Protests, Antisemitism, and Western Values (Episode #367)

Sam Harris discusses the recent protests on college campuses, why focusing narrowly on the problem of "antisemitism" will be counterproductive, widespread confusion about the threat of Islamic extremism, and the necessary defense of Western values.

May 13, 2024

[joshpomeranc]

“All your concern about white privilege, as you bounce between lacrosse practice and Starbucks, is misapplied here.” One of the coldest and truest lines I’ve heard.

[Theriverflows]

As a Pakistani ex-Muslim - you made me tear up at the end. Thank you for doing what you are doing.

[stephenholmgren]

Sam calling Islam the mother load of bad ideas remains the greatest moment in television history.

[shivashakthi]

Hindu Americans have faced the brunt of these attacks across campuses and cities from these same Islamist tropes .Before Oct 7th we had no clue on how to counter them..
Standing alongside the Jews we can at least now learn on how to fight these dangerous narratives.

[BanjoSick]

I live in a largly muslim quarter in Oslo, Norway.
At my kids football practice, the muslim dads openly discuss Turning Norway into an islamic country when they have the numbers.
I could not walk the streets here with a Star of David without getting attacked.

[theinngu]

We in the U.K., as well as terror attacks from Islamists, have greatly suffered, for decades from the Muslim grooming gangs. Thousands of vulnerable girls were groomed in many cities and the authorities turned a blind eye, out of fear of being called Islamophobic. Of course not all Muslims are bad but we need to protect our societies from this appalling harm and the first thing to do is to admit it exists.

[frasomer]

(A genocidal death cult) the most accurate description of Hamas.

[stellis]

I am an Israeli atheist. I could not have done a better job at summarizing the insanity in the west since the events of Oct. 7th. Well done Sam Harris.

[Tamara-qddc]

In Berkeley, CA, teachers at a public middle school took their students on several pro-Palestinian walkouts. One of the walkouts of 100 students stopped by the Jewish community pre-school (which accepts children of any faith or background) with bullhorns, stayed there for a while and then returned back to school. Group was accompanied by the teachers and two women in a conservative Muslim attire. One may wonder why demands of the immediate ceasefire has to be aimed at the American preschoolers. The same day, a graffiti was posted on the white board at the same school "such-and-such HATES JEWS. We stand with such-and-such!" . This happened two days AFTER the head of Berkeley Unified School District claimed at congressional hearing that there is no bias in Berkeley schools. Just to remind that middle school age is 11-13. About the same age Hamas trains their school students to hate and <insert a more radical word that this website would not allow> Jews. This is the face of American woke left now and their interpretation of freedom of speech.

[ali-karimi]

I am from Iran and am appelled by not only religious fanaticism but frankly by religion itself and its intervention in any public aspect of human life.

[NastazyaPhylipovnaTchornaya]

I quit donating to my alma mater, Princeton University, around 2015, when an organization known as the Black Justice League, encouraged by a former Dean of Studies in the 1990s turned President of Brown University, pressured the school to remove the name of Woodrow Wilson from every building, dorm, and the School of Public and International Affairs; they also began circulating an anonymous BDS petition among undergraduate students, which is akin to mob tactics.
As for other lofty moral relativists who find excuses for the dregs of humanity, I recall French "sociologist-philosopher" Alain Badiou after 9/11 explaining that the US somehow had it coming, and Noam Chomsky, after the Charlie Hebdo and Kosher supermarket massacres of January 7 to 10, 2015, finding excuses for the culprits due to their social class. These people had pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda and to ISIS and had received training in Yemen.

[tylerg]

You and your team should consider breaking this up into YouTube shorts in an attempt to get these ideas to the youth. I know it’s not the optimal delivery mechanism, but it may be necessary. Thank you for being a rare example of a rational and compassionate truth seeker.

[jacobszekely]

What an amazing public service this podcast is! Thank you Sam for your moral clarity. Of all the sane voices speaking out with moral clarity on this topic virtually none of them have the courage to address the Islamic aspect…. It’s understandable from the standpoint of security concerns or just fear of being called a big head or a racist for telling the truth. We cannot see you understand the entire picture of what has gone on in Gaza, Israel, etc. without addressing this.

[hlysnan]

Sam is indispensable. Cuts right through the popular nonsense.

[talbotd]

I’m a 27 year old from the Midwest who is gay, leans left, and is also horrified by the general brain dead response to this whole event. After October 7th last year, I have never changed my opinion that Hamas and Palestine, as well as the general Muslim response to this thing were as evil as can be. It’s literally the definition of evil. But I’ve been shocked by how many people my age, whose opinions I previously respected, have shown support for Hamas and contempt for the Jewish people. To be clear, support for the Jewish people in this situation comes down to two things: intelligence and morals. Thats it

[markchurch]

" Should you be kicked out of Yale for being this stupid? Probably " LMAO

[templecreations]

Culture matters.
Ideas matter.
Thanks Sam.

[degitaar]

Israel has to plow through civilians to get to Hamas, Hamas has to plow through the idf to get to the civilians, sums up the asymmetry in this war.

[tor]

So important the Qatar statements. There is no free money. Wonder why so much antisemitism at university campuses? Years and years of massive financial contributions, the number one donor, as Sam said. (Not the only reason, of course, but an important one.)

[ianmeli]

“We’re witnessing a zombie apocalypse of profoundly misinformed kids…”