Part 12/14:
Concluding with a discussion on recent developments, Lukianoff reflects on the fallout from the October 7 Hamas attacks and subsequent antisemitism. He criticizes some campuses' hesitancy or inconsistency in addressing anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiments, which sometimes spill into threats and calls for violence. These incidents underline the fragile state of free speech, especially in a polarized environment.
He notes that elite institutions like Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have exhibited especially poor performance in defending free speech, leading to a loss of credibility. FIRE continues to defend students and faculty, emphasizing that protecting speech does not mean defending harmful conduct but understanding the difference.