Ostensibly, college is the time for students to officially "leave the nest" and learn the skills that will serve them well throughout life. It is a time when young adults reach their maturity and set their feet on the paths that will lead them to their dreams.
Or some such rot.
I'm not sure when was the last time those things actually happened. I'm assuming in some instances, they still do. I'd just be hard-pressed to find any of them. Of course, college is also a time when students may engage in stupid stunts or pranks before buckling down and becoming contributing members of society. But as most readers know, in recent years, colleges have evolved past the point of being elaborate and expensive daycare centers to becoming training grounds for dog fighting. Too many of today's college students are not just clueless or entitled; they are also vicious.
Back on Nov. 29, the group known as Mizzou Students for Israel set up two tables on the Speaker's Circle at the University of Missouri. One table featured books and pamphlets about Israel, Zionism, and the current conflict for people to take and read. The other was a table set up for a Shabbat dinner in honor of the Jews being held hostage. That table also held flyers featuring the photos of kidnapped Israelis.
The student newspaper, The Maneater, reported that a student who has yet to be named approached the tables and engaged with one of the organizers, Daniel Swindell. According to the paper, Swindell was wearing a garment that said "Zionist." The unnamed student (whom Campus Reform identified as a woman) found the display "insensitive and offensive." On the strength of that argument, and because of Swindell's outerwear, she flipped over the Shabbat table, breaking the dishes and scattering the flyers.
Swindell called campus police and followed her until officers caught up. The woman was arrested for vandalism. Swindell pressed charges for $30 to recoup the cost of the broken dishes. The city prosecutor recommended a fine of $200.50. Ultimately, the judge sentenced the student to pay a fee of $31.50, undergo a year of probation, and perform 20 hours of community service. He also admonished her that while she was free to speak her mind, she had to resolve her conflicts in a "productive manner." She has been referred to the university's Office of Student Accountability and Support.
In other words, the student got a slap on the hand and may or may not have to apologize. And any apology will likely be tepid, at best. It would have been more fitting if she had been made to watch all of the footage from October 7 to get a clear picture of what went on that day and spend some time talking with members of Mizzou Students for Israel to better understand the situation in Israel. Better yet, she should also have been made to see the Instagram post and compose an essay explaining what kind of sane, rational person would resort to such a destructive tantrum.
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Even if all of that had been done, it would likely have made no difference. That is one of the most frightening aspects of this story. College students have lost the self-control and problem-solving skills that one normally associates with a young adult and in some cases, elementary school students. Not only will these people be taking important jobs in the years to come, they will be walking the streets.
