You have to love how Florida keeps racking up wins. As antisemitic — and sometimes violent — encampments are engulfing many ‘prestigious’ colleges and universities, the University of Florida put a quick stop to anything similar happening on its campus with a simple note to students and staff.
No, the school didn’t call in riot police, it didn’t arrest everyone, it just simply laid out what is free speech … and what is decidedly NOT free speech. And it clearly laid out the consequences of going beyond the boundaries of the First Amendment.
The result? The students shut down their encampment. Immediately.
We haven’t loved university president Ben Sasse this much since he gave pink slips to ALL of the DEI staff at the University of Florida.
BREAKING: University of Florida students chose to breakdown their encampment after being handed this of Allowable Activities and Prohibitive Items and Activities.
Look at those Consequences for Non-Compliance 👀
University of Florida’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of… pic.twitter.com/l4jYjrSVcr
— Stu (@thestustustudio) April 26, 2024
The tweet continues with a response from the Young Democratic Socialists of America (in screaming ALL CAPS, of course):
University of Florida’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America said, ‘UF PD HANDED OUT FLYERS WITH DRACONIAN NEW REGULATIONS ON THEM, CLEARLY DESIGNED TO STOP OUR LIBERATION ZONE– THEY WILL NOT WIN!!’
These people are unhinged. But the YDSA are telling themselves here (likely not even knowing it). The note said nothing about ‘stopping’ them. It just said what they can and cannot do, like setting up encampment structures, blocking egress, harassment, threats, violence, and weapons.
If that is stopping you from staging your protest, maybe you are the problem.
Our favorite part is the potential consequences for violations. Students will be removed and suspended from campus and faculty will also be removed from campus and have their employment terminated.
This might be the best part: “Employees will be trespassed and separated from employment”
The indoctrination and rot from the “educators.” gets addressed.— Savannah (@BasedSavannah) April 26, 2024
Shouting ‘But I am a PROFESSOR‘ doesn’t seem like it is going to get the staff anywhere at U of F.
This is very well done. Nowhere does the letter say they can’t protest, nor does it tell them that certain viewpoints aren’t acceptable. It simply informs them that they must follow the same rules as everyone else or face the consequences. Pretty simple. Florida setting the… https://t.co/C2D4JaoOPV
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 26, 2024
Seems pretty straightforward. There are rules. YSDA has to follow them like everyone else.
In Florida, we know the difference between free speech and harassment, and we enforce the rules. That’s why the @UF plaza “occupation” by the Hamas crowd only lasted about 5 minutes. https://t.co/vx0TwGreDE pic.twitter.com/UNk8wHVm0b
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) April 26, 2024
The YSDA followed up by proclaiming a rally at the university today, as though it was some act of defiance.
UF YDSA “will be reassembling at noon, Friday, 4/26. If you are planning to go to the RTS rally, we will be in Plaza after as well!”
More on the RTS Rally in the next Tweet… pic.twitter.com/alHg94137v
— Stu (@thestustustudio) April 26, 2024
There’s only one problem. The university never said that they couldn’t have a rally or a protest. So, knock yourselves out, YSDA (not literally, of course; we would NEVER … ahem … wish that on them).
Props to UF for spelling out the rules very clearly https://t.co/A0aMHFuJ7Z
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyDillon) April 26, 2024
Well done university of Florida!
Clear rules and actual consequences 👏👏👏
— Clark_A 🎗️ (@clarkA418) April 26, 2024
More. https://t.co/c3PRQOeLBJ
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) April 26, 2024
There’s no reason every college or university could not spell out these same guidelines for their campuses and protect their Jewish students and staff.
The only reason they aren’t is because they don’t WANT to.
Maybe they could mail that letter up to Columbia and let them copy it.
— John 🇮🇱 (@noahsflood_) April 26, 2024
I knew my Alma Mater wouldn’t let me down! Go Gators! 🐊
THIS IS FLORIDA! Take your terrorist simping back to preppy, lib NY. https://t.co/X5YuYS2Sbv
— Reese🇺🇸🐊 (@reeseonable) April 26, 2024
Lolol Democratic Socialists of America, welcome to Florida https://t.co/kIfzRNSJtv pic.twitter.com/ep6hZQk8ZL
— Helena Handbasket 🐊 (@hobbes16) April 26, 2024
LOL.
Florida continues to clarify FAFO.
Good. https://t.co/0wpM47dDsj
— Jenn Ecks Redux (@CactusCat236) April 26, 2024
We only wish the letter had ended with those four letters emblazoned across the bottom.
Excellent. Well done.
Half of the current student rage stems from a belief that it is a rite of passage to engage in student rage.
Disabuse them of this notion.
Protest? Sure. That’s your God-given right.
Rage and disrupt? Not even for a minute. https://t.co/9eqDWo4Onq
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) April 26, 2024
What is happening on far too many campuses is a choice. And too many administrators are making the wrong choice.
🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊 https://t.co/H86sM6sGso
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 26, 2024
Many reasons to be bullish on Florida’s growth and trajectory. @UF is one of them. @BenSasse is what real leadership on a college campus looks like. https://t.co/1y8RpDUv5c
— Katherine Boyle (@KTmBoyle) April 26, 2024
Florida is the model state for this country. https://t.co/85R4wOf7PB
— Burt Macklin (@BurtMaclin_FBI) April 26, 2024
It truly is. It wasn’t that long ago that people used to laugh at Florida.
Not anymore.
(Though we do still love a good ‘Florida Man’ story now and then.)