School Safety is on the Ballot this November
Your vote is not just a political statement; it’s a stand against hate on college campuses
One of the most important votes this November is the vote of the youth as this election is really about their future and their freedom. The choices we make in November will determine their futures over the next decade or longer and many of them are too young to vote and have a say in their future.
I have been speaking with college-age voters and their parents. Regardless of their religious background, October 7th has changed how high-school students and their parents are looking at the college admission process.
Since October 7th, our college campuses have been under attack. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, about three in four Americans said they identify with a specific religious faith and most of them believe in Judeo-Christian principles.
This election is also about Making America Safe Again on our campuses, in our schools and on our streets.
This is our future and I am doing everything I can to restore safety and security to this nation so our children can have the education that many of us received, free from fear of attacks by radicals while respecting the First Amendment.
Below is a story that a high school student sent me that expresses the sentiment of our college-age children. While this student happens to be Jewish, these are views expressed by many students for their general safety and respect for a healthy expression of diversity of ideas.
The big takeaway from this student and from parents across our district is that you are voting for voices that cannot vote. As this student states “Many of us aren’t old enough to vote, and we’re counting on you to consider our physical and emotional safety when you go to the polls this November. Your vote is not just a political statement; it’s a stand against hate.”
Take that sentiment to the polls this November.
The Impact of October 7th on the College Decision Process:
The tragedy of October 7th and the American response has affected the lives of American Jewry in countless ways. As a high school senior, it's ravaged the one place where I should feel safe: my home for the next 4 years–college.
Before October 7th, the list of colleges I was most excited about looked like this: Columbia, Harvard, UPenn, Cornell, Yale. Now almost a year after the atrocities, all but one has been crossed off the list of schools I am applying to entirely.
According to the ADL, the U.S. has seen a 400% increase in the number of antisemitic incidents post-October 7th. Perhaps even more compelling is that before October 7th, two-thirds of Jewish college students reported feeling “very” or “extremely” physically safe on campus. Today, that number has fallen below one-half.
In May 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill designed to combat anti-Semitism. Only 21 Republicans voted against the measure, compared with 70 Democrats.
Democrats hide behind the First Amendment. But their commitment to supposed “free speech” is a thinly veiled excuse to continue allowing pro-Palestinian protestors to terrorize Jewish students and wreak havoc on college campuses across the nation. I am a major proponent of free speech. But free speech is different from hate speech.
Jewish students deserve lawmakers who recognize the difference between the two, and will advocate for our protection in Congress.
Many of us aren’t old enough to vote, and we’re counting on you to consider our physical and emotional safety when you go to the polls this November. Your vote is not just a political statement; it’s a stand against hate.
Vote Goldstein for Safety this November. If you can support my campaign so we can continue to get the word out, we would greatly appreciate it.
If you want to volunteer and help out our campaign, please reach out.
Dr. Michael Goldstein
Paid for by Goldstein for Congress