Great article, Leo. I’m fortunate Yikyak gained traction my senior year rather than my freshman. Besides rare positivity and sometimes useful information, it was appalling (gross thoughts, name-dropping, defamation, attention-seeking). It did not mirror the student body I felt proud to be apart of for 4 years (maybe I’m naive). Arcelus led the college through Covid! But being the victor (pun intended) of an app boycott is a near impossible challenge without an authoritative ban (which might sever the faith students have in admin, a faith that seems to already be hanging by a thread). Nonetheless, great piece.
It’s also a weak argument to assume Leo’s privilege and circumstances when you don’t know anything about his life and lack the bravery to put your name behind your words like he does. If people like you stopped hiding behind anonymity and learned to have respectful conversations the world would be a much better place
The extreme left's framework of viewing society through a rigid lens of "privileged" versus "oppressed" is problematic because it reduces complex historical dynamics into simplistic binaries, ignoring the nuances of culture, individuality, and power. Harping on being an "oppressed" person is an oversimplification of the world which leads to a victim mentality. Such a mindset fosters a sense of helplessness rather than agency.
Yes, acknowledging historical injustices is important, yet framing entire groups as perpetual victims undermines people's ability to overcome challenges and contribute to society. This ignorant worldview also ignores human history, which has been shaped by conquest, migration, and the rise and fall of civilizations. Virtually every society has experienced BOTH oppression and dominance. To single out particular factions as uniquely privileged or oppressed ignores the fluidity of power dynamics. This selective framing perpetuates resentment and division as opposed to fostering mutual understanding and cooperation
Obsessing over "privilege" is antithetical to progress; it dismisses individual merit, personal responsibility, and the potential for growth. By attributing success or failure to systemic factors, the roles of individual effort, resilience, and innovation are downplayed. This discourages ambition and improvement, as people like you convince themselves that their outcomes are predetermined by their group identity, as opposed to their actions.
A more balanced, thoughtful approach would be to recognize historical issues whilst empowering individuals to transcend their perceived limitations to work towards a more inclusive future.
The contention that Israel is committing a genocide and that the land of Israel is "stolen" is a misinformed vantage point...
1. Genocide is defined as acts committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, and/or religious group. Israel's actions do not meet this definition for several reasons:
LACK OF INTENT: Israel's militaristic operations are aimed at defending its citizenry from attacks by groups like Hamas, not at destroying the Palestinian people at-large.
PALESTINIAN POPULATION GROWTH: The Palestinian population in both Gaza and the West Bank has grown significantly over the last decade, contradicting any notion of a genocidal campaign. Genocide encompasses a drastic reduction of the targeted populace.
INTERNATIONAL LAW: Israel is a democratic state with a functioning legal system that adheres to international law.
2. The claim that Israel's land is "stolen" is a historical misinterpretation largely rooted in antisemitism.
HISTORICAL TIES: Jewish people have maintained a continuous presence in the land of Israel for thousands of years. Israel possesses deep religious, cultural, and historical significance for Jews, serving as the birthplace of Judaism and the site of ancient Jewish kingdoms.
LEGAL FOUNDATIONS: Israel's establishment in 1948 was based on international legal frameworks, including the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the 1922 League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, and the 1947 UN Partition Plan. These documents recognized the right of Jews to establish a homeland in the region.
LAND PURCHASES: Prior to 1948, Jewish organizations and individuals legally purchased significant amounts of land from Arab landowners.
TWO-STATE SOLUTION: Israel has repeatedly supported a two-state solution, which would establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT: The displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War was a result of broader regional conflict, not unilateral theft. Many Palestinians fled or were displaced due to war, likewise many Jews were expelled from Arab countries during the same period. The conflict is a tragic consequence of competing national aspirations, not a one-sided act of theft.
Israel's actions and history do not support your bogus claims of genocide or theft. The conflict is incredibly complex and deeply-rooted, but framing it in terms of genocide and stolen land oversimplifies the legal, historical, and cultural realities. A nuanced understanding is required to recognize the legitimate rights and narratives of both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as the need for peaceful coexistence and mutual recognition.
Also, FWIW, the Palestinian territories, specifically the Gaza Strip, voted Hamas into power in the 2006 legislative elections. Hamas, an Islamist militant-terrorist organization is inherently anti-peace and has only served to propel economic hardship, political isolation, and destruction in the region.
LACK OF INTENT: False. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians are dead.
Israel has consistently committed horrific war crimes, often blaming the victims. Furthermore, this is a consistency of every war Israel has committed (eg., Lebanon).
PALESTINIAN POPULATION GROWTH: Irrelevant.
INTERNATIONAL LAW: Israel consistently violates international law and gets away with it. Israel should first return the land they promised to return in previous agreements that they violated.
HISTORICAL TIES: Irrelevant and mostly false. The Palestinian people have lives there for longer, and more recently. Israel was never a sovereign state before.
LEGAL FOUNDATIONS: Israel's establishment in 1948 was based on genocide and terrorism they committed. It was a (mistaken) attempt at placating them.
LAND PURCHASES: Irrelevant. Less than 10% of Israel's land was taken in purchases. Furthermore, those purchases were made in bad faith, and those Ottoman landowaners would not have sold it had they known what it would lead to.
TWO-STATE SOLUTION: Israel has never supported a genuine two-state solution. The West Bank kneels to Israel, and Israel continues to violate their sovereignty, kidnapping children to hold in prison as hostages, and placing more and more illegal settlements (stealing land). Gaza, on the other hand, is basically an open-air prison camp; not allowed to procure its own electricity or water, then Israel claims "humanitarian" clout for "providing" those utilities (and turning them off when they want).
Students who support Palestine and Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, deserve no sympathy given their alignment with such a group completely undermines the principles of peace, human rights, and social justice (of which they proclaim to support)...
Hamas has a documented history of inhumane violence and has perpetuated cycles of conflict that harm both Israelis and Palestinians. By endorsing Hamas, these students condone terrorism and reject diplomacy.
Their blind support disregards the complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict, grossly oversimplifying it in ways which ignore the suffering of innocent people on both sides. True advocacy for Palestinian rights ought to focus on humanitarian efforts, peaceful dialogue, and opposition to extremism, not the glorification of violence, terrorism, and division. Sympathy should be reserved solely for those who seek constructive, nonviolent, non-disruptive paths to justice and coexistence.
The basic point of the article is not Israel. Although your myopic focus on Israel tells me a lot. The basic point of the article is that we cannot build a supportive inclusive open community if people are not bound by societal norms.
There are a lot of issues that exist on campus right now that are much more important than foreign policy. There are many many students struggling with mental illness, struggling with finding themselves, struggling with how to fit in in the world and move forward, how to become adults. We need an open and honest and supportive society for these people. For all of us.
Great change was never affected by anonymous people. The letter from a Birmingham jail was not signed anonymously.
Donald Trump has shown us over and over that if we repeat baseless and malicious lies often enough, they become the truth. In this time where our president is assaulting truth, I think it is in common upon all of us to strive for truth. And the only way to do that is to be accountable for what we’re saying.
We cannot live in a community where the only repercussions for vitrol and lies are to the person who is accused and not the person who is doing the accusing.
While it's true that repetitive misinformation can influence public opinion, it does not alter objective truth. The claim that Trump's rhetoric has "assaulted truth" is a wholly subjective interpretation of his language, one likely rooted in political bias as opposed to an objective aassessment of his impact on truth itself.
Trump has been rightfully criticized for making hyperbolic and misleading statements, however, it is an overreach to suggest that he has single-handedly undermined truth as we know it. Truth is not so fragile that it can be destroyed by one individual, no matter how influential. Truth has been both upheld and decayed by various institutions, media entities, and individuals across time.
Trump's tendency to challenge established narratives has undoubtedly fueled polarization and distrust, yet this doesn't equate to an "assault." Rather, it highlights the importance of fact-checking and critical public discourse.
Politicians across the ideological spectrum have long leveraged selective facts to advance their agendas. Trump's approach, while uniquely brash, is not entirely unprecedented. What has set him apart is a willingness to challenge mainstream narratives openly, which have exposed major flaws in legacy media and institutional credibility, sparking needed discussions centering around bias and accountability.
At the end of the day, truth is a COLLECTIVE responsibility. The solution resides in strengthening our societal commitment to factual accuracy, encouraging critical thinking and diversity of thought, as well as fostering a culture where evidence-based discourse is valued. Blaming Trump alone is a cop-out which oversimplifies the issue and absolves others of their role in upholding and/or undermining truth in American public life.
That’s a fair critique. I disagree with much of what you say, but I respect your perspective. And I dare say , it leaves us in agreement as to the role anonymous trolling / Yik Yak plays in undermining truth. Then again, maybe we are both just Jewish Billionaires agreeing on how to run the world.
He wants YikYak banned BECAUSE of support for Palestine and opposition to Israel. The rest are excuses. Same as why Tiktok was threatened with being banned.
After Tiktok bent the knee and was willing to be bought by Jewish billionaires, suddenly all the concerns about attention spans and online bullying disappeared, and the "ban" was off the table.
He's not "brave". He's a moral coward. He's a protected, privileged, coddled, triggered little snowflake who thinks him not wanting to be called out trumps others' right to speak.
I believe you are referring to the writer’s pro-Israel views - to the exclusion of other points he is trying to make about the dangers of anonymous and malignant trolling to an open conversation and supportive campus.
Perhaps you are trying to say that you have been punished for your views which are in solidarity with Palestine? I have not seen any punishment on campus for people holding these views. In fact, I have seen repeated dialogue with the board, proud banners flying from Cro, and just yesterday, an unimpeded protest. So I would definitely like to hear about punishment you have suffered because I think it would be important for the community to know.
Clearly ideas do not matter to you... here I am, engaging in civil discourse with you from an anonymous account, albeit on the other side, but you seem to only be interested in resorting to name-calling, a victim mindset, and projection...
Great article, Leo. I’m fortunate Yikyak gained traction my senior year rather than my freshman. Besides rare positivity and sometimes useful information, it was appalling (gross thoughts, name-dropping, defamation, attention-seeking). It did not mirror the student body I felt proud to be apart of for 4 years (maybe I’m naive). Arcelus led the college through Covid! But being the victor (pun intended) of an app boycott is a near impossible challenge without an authoritative ban (which might sever the faith students have in admin, a faith that seems to already be hanging by a thread). Nonetheless, great piece.
🙏
my grandpas a zio and he's not jewish in fact he is very catholic
cry more, zio
If you really meant that, you wouldn't be hiding behind an anonymous account.
Then you admit you are privileged and I am oppressed. Thank you.
That’s a weak argument especially considering you aren’t willing to put your name behind it
The fact that I cannot speak without being doxxed, expelled, fired, assaulted, or killed is a "weak argument"? You are just a troll.
That is the dumbest, oldest bait non-argument on the internet. "Tell me your name so I can dox you!"
It’s also a weak argument to assume Leo’s privilege and circumstances when you don’t know anything about his life and lack the bravery to put your name behind your words like he does. If people like you stopped hiding behind anonymity and learned to have respectful conversations the world would be a much better place
"Tell me your name so I can dox you!" Troll.
Dude u know it’s kinda hard to have a debate when u don’t put your name behind your words
"Tell me your name so I can dox you!"
I am a person, like you, that refuses to be defined by trigger words
Yet you are triggered by being called a zio.
The extreme left's framework of viewing society through a rigid lens of "privileged" versus "oppressed" is problematic because it reduces complex historical dynamics into simplistic binaries, ignoring the nuances of culture, individuality, and power. Harping on being an "oppressed" person is an oversimplification of the world which leads to a victim mentality. Such a mindset fosters a sense of helplessness rather than agency.
Yes, acknowledging historical injustices is important, yet framing entire groups as perpetual victims undermines people's ability to overcome challenges and contribute to society. This ignorant worldview also ignores human history, which has been shaped by conquest, migration, and the rise and fall of civilizations. Virtually every society has experienced BOTH oppression and dominance. To single out particular factions as uniquely privileged or oppressed ignores the fluidity of power dynamics. This selective framing perpetuates resentment and division as opposed to fostering mutual understanding and cooperation
Obsessing over "privilege" is antithetical to progress; it dismisses individual merit, personal responsibility, and the potential for growth. By attributing success or failure to systemic factors, the roles of individual effort, resilience, and innovation are downplayed. This discourages ambition and improvement, as people like you convince themselves that their outcomes are predetermined by their group identity, as opposed to their actions.
A more balanced, thoughtful approach would be to recognize historical issues whilst empowering individuals to transcend their perceived limitations to work towards a more inclusive future.
No, sometimes there IS a "simplistic binary." Sometimes, there are just facts, and you have to have the moral courage to take the correct side.
Jews are committing a genocide right now on land they stole.
The contention that Israel is committing a genocide and that the land of Israel is "stolen" is a misinformed vantage point...
1. Genocide is defined as acts committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, and/or religious group. Israel's actions do not meet this definition for several reasons:
LACK OF INTENT: Israel's militaristic operations are aimed at defending its citizenry from attacks by groups like Hamas, not at destroying the Palestinian people at-large.
PALESTINIAN POPULATION GROWTH: The Palestinian population in both Gaza and the West Bank has grown significantly over the last decade, contradicting any notion of a genocidal campaign. Genocide encompasses a drastic reduction of the targeted populace.
INTERNATIONAL LAW: Israel is a democratic state with a functioning legal system that adheres to international law.
2. The claim that Israel's land is "stolen" is a historical misinterpretation largely rooted in antisemitism.
HISTORICAL TIES: Jewish people have maintained a continuous presence in the land of Israel for thousands of years. Israel possesses deep religious, cultural, and historical significance for Jews, serving as the birthplace of Judaism and the site of ancient Jewish kingdoms.
LEGAL FOUNDATIONS: Israel's establishment in 1948 was based on international legal frameworks, including the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the 1922 League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, and the 1947 UN Partition Plan. These documents recognized the right of Jews to establish a homeland in the region.
LAND PURCHASES: Prior to 1948, Jewish organizations and individuals legally purchased significant amounts of land from Arab landowners.
TWO-STATE SOLUTION: Israel has repeatedly supported a two-state solution, which would establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT: The displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War was a result of broader regional conflict, not unilateral theft. Many Palestinians fled or were displaced due to war, likewise many Jews were expelled from Arab countries during the same period. The conflict is a tragic consequence of competing national aspirations, not a one-sided act of theft.
Israel's actions and history do not support your bogus claims of genocide or theft. The conflict is incredibly complex and deeply-rooted, but framing it in terms of genocide and stolen land oversimplifies the legal, historical, and cultural realities. A nuanced understanding is required to recognize the legitimate rights and narratives of both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as the need for peaceful coexistence and mutual recognition.
Also, FWIW, the Palestinian territories, specifically the Gaza Strip, voted Hamas into power in the 2006 legislative elections. Hamas, an Islamist militant-terrorist organization is inherently anti-peace and has only served to propel economic hardship, political isolation, and destruction in the region.
LACK OF INTENT: False. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians are dead.
Israel has consistently committed horrific war crimes, often blaming the victims. Furthermore, this is a consistency of every war Israel has committed (eg., Lebanon).
PALESTINIAN POPULATION GROWTH: Irrelevant.
INTERNATIONAL LAW: Israel consistently violates international law and gets away with it. Israel should first return the land they promised to return in previous agreements that they violated.
HISTORICAL TIES: Irrelevant and mostly false. The Palestinian people have lives there for longer, and more recently. Israel was never a sovereign state before.
LEGAL FOUNDATIONS: Israel's establishment in 1948 was based on genocide and terrorism they committed. It was a (mistaken) attempt at placating them.
LAND PURCHASES: Irrelevant. Less than 10% of Israel's land was taken in purchases. Furthermore, those purchases were made in bad faith, and those Ottoman landowaners would not have sold it had they known what it would lead to.
TWO-STATE SOLUTION: Israel has never supported a genuine two-state solution. The West Bank kneels to Israel, and Israel continues to violate their sovereignty, kidnapping children to hold in prison as hostages, and placing more and more illegal settlements (stealing land). Gaza, on the other hand, is basically an open-air prison camp; not allowed to procure its own electricity or water, then Israel claims "humanitarian" clout for "providing" those utilities (and turning them off when they want).
ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT: Started by Jews.
Nothing is simply as black and white as you believe; most EVERYTHING is comprised outside of the margins, in nuance, in the grey areas...
Google "students expelled for supporting palestine".
Students who support Palestine and Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, deserve no sympathy given their alignment with such a group completely undermines the principles of peace, human rights, and social justice (of which they proclaim to support)...
Hamas has a documented history of inhumane violence and has perpetuated cycles of conflict that harm both Israelis and Palestinians. By endorsing Hamas, these students condone terrorism and reject diplomacy.
Their blind support disregards the complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict, grossly oversimplifying it in ways which ignore the suffering of innocent people on both sides. True advocacy for Palestinian rights ought to focus on humanitarian efforts, peaceful dialogue, and opposition to extremism, not the glorification of violence, terrorism, and division. Sympathy should be reserved solely for those who seek constructive, nonviolent, non-disruptive paths to justice and coexistence.
The basic point of the article is not Israel. Although your myopic focus on Israel tells me a lot. The basic point of the article is that we cannot build a supportive inclusive open community if people are not bound by societal norms.
There are a lot of issues that exist on campus right now that are much more important than foreign policy. There are many many students struggling with mental illness, struggling with finding themselves, struggling with how to fit in in the world and move forward, how to become adults. We need an open and honest and supportive society for these people. For all of us.
Great change was never affected by anonymous people. The letter from a Birmingham jail was not signed anonymously.
Donald Trump has shown us over and over that if we repeat baseless and malicious lies often enough, they become the truth. In this time where our president is assaulting truth, I think it is in common upon all of us to strive for truth. And the only way to do that is to be accountable for what we’re saying.
We cannot live in a community where the only repercussions for vitrol and lies are to the person who is accused and not the person who is doing the accusing.
While it's true that repetitive misinformation can influence public opinion, it does not alter objective truth. The claim that Trump's rhetoric has "assaulted truth" is a wholly subjective interpretation of his language, one likely rooted in political bias as opposed to an objective aassessment of his impact on truth itself.
Trump has been rightfully criticized for making hyperbolic and misleading statements, however, it is an overreach to suggest that he has single-handedly undermined truth as we know it. Truth is not so fragile that it can be destroyed by one individual, no matter how influential. Truth has been both upheld and decayed by various institutions, media entities, and individuals across time.
Trump's tendency to challenge established narratives has undoubtedly fueled polarization and distrust, yet this doesn't equate to an "assault." Rather, it highlights the importance of fact-checking and critical public discourse.
Politicians across the ideological spectrum have long leveraged selective facts to advance their agendas. Trump's approach, while uniquely brash, is not entirely unprecedented. What has set him apart is a willingness to challenge mainstream narratives openly, which have exposed major flaws in legacy media and institutional credibility, sparking needed discussions centering around bias and accountability.
At the end of the day, truth is a COLLECTIVE responsibility. The solution resides in strengthening our societal commitment to factual accuracy, encouraging critical thinking and diversity of thought, as well as fostering a culture where evidence-based discourse is valued. Blaming Trump alone is a cop-out which oversimplifies the issue and absolves others of their role in upholding and/or undermining truth in American public life.
That’s a fair critique. I disagree with much of what you say, but I respect your perspective. And I dare say , it leaves us in agreement as to the role anonymous trolling / Yik Yak plays in undermining truth. Then again, maybe we are both just Jewish Billionaires agreeing on how to run the world.
He wants YikYak banned BECAUSE of support for Palestine and opposition to Israel. The rest are excuses. Same as why Tiktok was threatened with being banned.
After Tiktok bent the knee and was willing to be bought by Jewish billionaires, suddenly all the concerns about attention spans and online bullying disappeared, and the "ban" was off the table.
Why not ban Substack? Facebook? Instagram?
I am talking about CONNECTICUT COLLEGE as is the article.
He's not "brave". He's a moral coward. He's a protected, privileged, coddled, triggered little snowflake who thinks him not wanting to be called out trumps others' right to speak.
We are anonymous, because our speech is punished.
He is not, because his is not.
In what ways have you been punished? Be specific.
I believe you are referring to the writer’s pro-Israel views - to the exclusion of other points he is trying to make about the dangers of anonymous and malignant trolling to an open conversation and supportive campus.
Perhaps you are trying to say that you have been punished for your views which are in solidarity with Palestine? I have not seen any punishment on campus for people holding these views. In fact, I have seen repeated dialogue with the board, proud banners flying from Cro, and just yesterday, an unimpeded protest. So I would definitely like to hear about punishment you have suffered because I think it would be important for the community to know.
Liar.
It’s funny how you guys are proving exactly my point with your dumb anonymous comments
It's funny how you're proving us right, by completely surrendering the debate and resorting to "Let me dox you!"
You can debate against anonymous people, if you acknowledge that it is a legitimate debate - that is, the ideas are what matter.
Clearly ideas do not matter to you... here I am, engaging in civil discourse with you from an anonymous account, albeit on the other side, but you seem to only be interested in resorting to name-calling, a victim mindset, and projection...