Pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses have only increased as war is rages on between Israel and Hamas. Now State Senator Rene Garcia (R-13) is claiming the pro-Hamas protests have transgressed the Freedom of Speech.
Almost every politician at this point has offered their two cents on the issue, but Senator Garcia has possibly used the most colorful language of them all. In a statement this week Garcia said regarding the pro-Hamas protests, "As a staunch advocate of fundamental rights of the First Amendment, I am deeply troubled by recent events unfolding on college campuses across our great nation. While the right to freedom of speech lies at the core of our democracy, it is imperative that we distinguish between the exercise of this very liberty and actions that undermine it."
Garcia called the protests "misguided," and "adversative to the spirit of the First Amendment." Garcia argued that this is evidenced by the masks these protestors typically wear are to "seek anonymity to safeguard against potential repercussions."
The letter also accuses protestors of simply using a support for Palestine as a thinly veiled mask to advance anti-semitism. To Garcia, cultivating fear among Jewish people and students "is precisely the climate that these Hamas supporting protests have created."
The state senator's letter ended with a call to action for his colleagues and other public officials. "It is incumbent upon us, as leaders and members of the community, to unequivocally condemn these actions and demand an end to this troubling trend."
