Cowards

1 week ago, Mahmoud Khalil, a student activist who attends Columbia University, was arrested by U.S. ICE agents.

As of the date of this publication, Khalil continues to suffer violation of his rights. The United States continues to detain him without cause and threatens him with deportation - both potentially gross violations of the law.

As the United States backslides into a clear authoritarian regime, this is just one more example of how civil liberties - supposedly protected through the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the United States - are being eroded by the actions of militants in government.

Unfortunately, these activities are hardly novel.

In the 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy made unsubstantiated claims against individuals in order to root out supposed influence of Communism within various parts of the government. McCarthy was bouyed in his efforts by the skepticism and fear regarding Communism and the then Soviet Union, pervasive in American politics at that time.

Indeed, the United States government between the years of 1947 to 1956 instituted a "Loyalty Screening" program which aimed to prevent persons of insufficient loyalty from entering governmental service. Ultimately, this program acted as a weapon of hysteria attacking otherwise law-abiding citizens.

Concerningly, similar activities seem to have been undertaken by the Department of Governmental Efficiency Gross Epithets (DOGE), in an effort to curtail normal government programs

The count of total victims of fearmongering, misinformation and outright lies of the McCarthy period may never be known. Stories such as those of John Henry Faulk are stark reminders of the power and corruption that self-righteous right-wing extremists wield under the guise of patriotism and reform.

In the spring of 1954, Faulk was fired from his job at CBS Radio. He had recently been active in his union: The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. This normal and completely legal (not to mention, nothing to do with Communists) activity caught the ire of individuals who were in AWARE, an organization dedicated to rooting out Communist symathizers. AWARE put Faulk on a ban list, which prevented him from finding employment in the industry.

Faulk decided to sue AWARE. As evidence to how pervasive McCarthyism had spread, attorneys for AWARE, including McCarthy-committee counsel Roy Cohn managed to stall the lawsuit.

In 1962, Faulk won, but by that time many countless individuals had lost their livelihoods and their contributions in Hollywood and other media appearances were curtailed or blighted by the stain of McCarthyism.

Just as in the 1950s individuals were targeted by bigots in the government, under unfair or trumped up charges, it is possible the same is true for Khalil today in 2025.

As a Green Card holder, Khalil is entitled to some reason as to merit deportation. While the Secretary of State can personally rule against a defendent, doing so without a preponderance of evidence would be far outside the norm, and create an immensely threatening precendent for removal of legal permanent residents without substantive due process.

The government has claimed, without evidence, that Khalil is aligned with Hamas and is claiming that his activities as part of protests of Israeli actions inGaza were inciting violence and in support of terrorists. None of this has been substantiated - in fact there is ample evidence to the contrary.

1. Khalil was a leader of campus protests at Columbia University, advocating for Palestinian rights and criticizing Israel's treatment of Gaza
2. He served as a representative for student activists in discussions with university officials regarding a divestment initiative
3. Khalil participated in public demonstrations at the university
4. He has not been charged with any crime

The "problem", it seems, is that Khalil has merely pissed off some people, doing nothing more than speaking. Talk about having thin skin.

For those keeping score, that's just being a good American.

Let's be clear: Khalil should not be deported. The arguments against him are weaker than 47's support of the Ukrainian president. Even Israeli generals admit that Hamas cannot be pigeonholed into a simple terrorist organization. Hamas does act as a representative of the Palestinian people, and supporting Palestinians (or, not supporting Israel) is not a terrorist sympathizing action, much less a crime to be arrested for.

The mere fact that Khalil is still in custody and was arrested on a trumped up notion of oppression is cause for alarm. The United States through both laws and the U.S. Constitution itself protect freedom of speech (of which peaceful protest is a form) for all persons in the United States - citizens and non-citizens alike.

Violating the 1st Amendment is not only unconstitutional (illegal), it shows the true colors of 47 and his administration.

They're cowards.