The Letter (The One The Newspapers Never Publish) by Janet Amighi
September, 2025
They fell like zapped flies: the universities and colleges. Their administrators, with the possible and very limited exception of Harvard, surrendered without even raising their voices in protest. In effect they said, “We will give up names of students and professors and their freedom of speech rights in exchange for getting back our funding.” It was supposedly clear to then which one of these is more important to the goals of study and the production of knowledge. It might as well be 1951. It was not much different during the McCarthy era, as now in the time of Trump. In each period university administrators betrayed their students and professors, not resisting when they saw them blacklisted and sometimes deported. It was ugly in McCarthy’s time and, indeed, uglier now because historically we should know better. The whole thing warrants a comic routine by Stephan Colbert but, he too is (almost) gone, as was Jimmy Kimmel, another victim of the corporate administrator’s fear of a government retributions, until his fan base got him back. That should be a lesson learned.
Both reactionary periods offered cover stories—there are always cover stories. I don’t know how many people understand these, or really believe the cover stories that both eras used. They know doubt understood the fear generated. It was communism then, and now it is antisemitism. Then, it was that any good word about communism would get you into trouble, now its any bad word about Israel and/or the Zionists will get you fired.
So, here is a paradox for you: any criticism of Israel is antisemitism. Any criticism of Jews is antisemitic. This writer is Jewish and I accuse Israel of genocide and organized persecution of children. Remember now, you can’t criticize me. I’m Jewish. I’m singled out as special. But wait, that practice violates Trump’s anti-DEI policies. See, the whole thing is full of real and potential contradictions. However, do not worry, Trump and his rightwing rationalizers will overcome this by censoring all who notice their flaws. They will quote the Bible and allay all guilt.
JA
