Anti-Semitic outbursts on our campuses and on the streets of America and Europe have been appalling, although none of us should be shocked given immigration patterns in recent decades and the ideological temper of these institutions.

The response of some governments, though, worries me as well. Although again I am not surprised.

The UK, France, and Germany have all made (generally unsuccessful) moves to ban pro-Palestinian demonstrations. This is perfectly in line with other speech suppression policies in Europe (and in the US, unfortunately), and I think the policies are a mistake for many reasons.

Police pressure leads to cancelled pro-Israel rally in north London https://t.co/J0rJp43jfY

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 22, 2023

First and most obviously, free speech is a good in itself. Without such a basic freedom none of us can be truly free.

Just as important, though, is that people reveal who they are through what they say and what they do. And Westerners need to face up to the fact that we have been actively importing large numbers of people into our countries who do not share our values, our commitment to the freedom of others, or of social peace.

We have to stop that, and the first step is to confront the fact that hundreds of thousands of people in our midst are just fine with the behavior of Hamas. These demonstrations have clarified things nicely.

“Muslim armies!” Says the banner in London. They don't want peace, they want war. They want Islamic Jhiad in Europe too. Due to uncontrolled immigration we have a huge security problem in Europe which must be solved now. pic.twitter.com/TD0u8fS9Pp

— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) October 21, 2023

The proper way to deal with immigrants who declare their allegiance with terrorists is actually much harsher than trying to suppress their speech: we should deport them if we can.

🇩🇪 The cover of Der Spiegel by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz:

"We have to deport (immigrants) on a large scale." pic.twitter.com/MnzRwvbvho

— Wall Street Cartel (@wallstreetcrtl) October 22, 2023

A commitment to free speech and a policy of deporting aliens (not naturalized citizens) are not as incompatible as you might think. Just as non-citizens are not allowed to vote, they don’t share all the rights of citizens. Immigrants are here by our sufferance; they have no right to be here, and we certainly have no obligation to invite people into our society who reject our most cherished values.

When I’m President, if foreign students are out there celebrating terrorism, I will cancel their visas and send them home. pic.twitter.com/BPcVls2w7e

— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 21, 2023

Short of incitement to violence, free speech should be celebrated. It allows us to clarify our own thoughts, and more fundamentally nobody can be free at all if they are not free to think as they will. And thinking freely necessarily requires people to communicate their thoughts.

Private individuals can choose to respond to others’ ideas as they will, but government should stay out of policing citizens’ thoughts, or even what is said by non-citizens. If Harvard students who are citizens come out in favor of genocide, terrorism or rape the government should stay out of it; private individuals and businesses should be free to take a pass on employing or dealing with them.

If they are on a visa, say goodbye.

The government is our agent when it comes to immigration policy, and if citizens don’t want to invite in people who hate us or our friends there is no reason why the government should invite them in or give them the right to stay.

Opposing genocide is a basic Western value; is it too much to expect that the people we invite into our countries share it?

No.