The recent anti-Israel protests by students at top universities in the United States have been described as fanatical, ignorant, and possibly anti-Semitic. However, a viral video from Columbia University shows a PhD English student demanding food and drink while illegally occupying a university building as part of the protest. The student claims that basic humanitarian aid is necessary for the protesters to continue their demonstration.
The reporter interviewing the student questions her entitlement to be fed while illegally occupying a building, comparing it to burglars expecting breakfast after breaking into a house. The student defends herself by stating that she and her comrades pay for a meal plan at the university. However, this raises the question of whether other students who pay for their education are entitled to attend their lectures without interruption.
The use of the term “humanitarian aid” by the student is seen as part of a larger trend among Western protesters, who often adopt symbols of oppressed minorities, such as Palestinian-style headdresses, in a form of role-play. While it may be seen as a display of empathy and compassion, the entitlement and lack of self-awareness displayed by the protesters in the video is concerning.
Despite the humor in the video, the influence of these students on the future cannot be ignored. As students at Ivy League universities, they are likely to enter top positions in business, the arts, education, and politics in the future. If these entitled and pampered individuals represent America’s future leaders, there is cause for concern about the direction in which the country and the West as a whole are headed.
