Again, President Joe Biden showed why he deserves a second term in the Oval Office.
In comments at the White House yesterday (May 2, 2024,) the President struck the right notes in supporting the rights of peoples and groups to protest with regard to both sides of the current Israelis-Gaza conflict while also condemning those individuals and cliques that take their first amendment rights to violent lawless extremes.
Saying that both right to protest and preserve the rule of law "must be upheld," Mr. Biden continued, in a veiled swipe at Donald 'I want to be dictator for a day' Trump' by stating "we are not an authoritarian nation where where we silence people or squash dissent."
Calling American protests among "the best traditions of how Americans respond to consequential issues," the President cautioned that "neither are we a lawless country. We're a civil society and order must prevail."
Condemning those, again in a swipe against Mr. 'I am going to set up concentration camps if I get reelected" out to "score political points," Mr. Biden said, "this isn't a moment for politics. It's a moment for clarity."
He went in further detail, saying:
"Violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is. It's against the law when violence occurs. Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It's against the law. Vandalism. Trespassing. Breaking windows. Shutting down campuses...None of this is peaceful protests. Threatening people. Intimidating people. Instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest. It's against the law. Dissent is essential to Democracy but dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others so students can finish a semester and their college education. It's a matter of fairness. It's a matter of what's right. There's the right to protest but not the right to cause chaos...People have the right to walk across campus safely without fear of being attacked. There should be no place on any campus, no place in America, for Anti-Semitism or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind whether it's Anti Semitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans. It's simply wrong."
President Biden closed by stating:
"There's no place for racism in America...It's Un American...Make no mistake, as President, I will always defend free speech but I will always be just as strong standing up for the rule of law. That's my responsibility to you, the American People. My obligation to the Constitution."
When asked if, like Donald 'Mad King' Trump and other MAGA apostates suggest, he supports deploying the National Guard to these campuses, the President, walking away, gave a firm "No."
He also said the protests have not altered his policies toward Israel and Gaza.
Again, using the Goldilocks analogy, President Biden's comments on the college protests were just right.
People who support the causes of the Israelis, Palestinians, or both should have the right to express their views as long as they do not steer into hate or violence.
Voters will not hear these words from the other fellow.
Remember that when you vote this November.
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