(Daily360.com) Shabbos Kestenbaum spoke at the Republican National Convention about the anti-semitism that drove him away from the Democratic party. He is a previous Bernie Sanders voter, but said the anti-Jewish bigotry has extended beyond the universities. Kestenbaum talked about the poisoning of the Democratic party that occurred after he registered with the party on his 18th birthday.
Kestenbaum and other students filed a lawsuit against Harvard for unchecked antisemitism on campus in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack. He said he came to study religion, but found a culture that is against Western and American principles. He referred to Jewish values as being American values. He called upon voters to elect Trump as a president that will promote patriotic values and confront terrorism.
An op-ed in the Harvard Crimson criticizes Kestenbaum’s position and affiliation with the Republican party. The writer said Kestenbaum is a “self-proclaimed spokesperson” for Jewish students on campus and accused him of instigating violence at the university. The writer did not disagree with Kestenbaum’s assertion that antisemitism is prevalent at Harvard and that every Jewish student will have to encounter this kind of bigotry.
The op-ed writer insists that a small, but vocal minority of bigotry on campus should have been countered with “thoughtful, constructive” conversations to bridge the divide. The writer said Kestenbaum countered the hate with more hate.
During his speech, Kestenbaum said he was very nervous to address a crowd of 10,000 plus millions watching on TV from home. He referred to himself as a “scrappy” college kid who believes people should fight back when religion and other freedoms are under attack.
He also expressed nervousness to be invited to speak in front of former President Trump. While he alluded to a change in his party affiliation, Kestenbaum said he would be happy to speak at the Democratic National Convention. He said this issue is about far more than just politics, but it is about American values and combating bigotry.
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