This is an absolutely brilliant essay. The term “Ideological blockade” is far more insightful than the pedestrian “brainwashing” term that is commonly used.
This is excellent. Your analysis is reminiscent of the works of Robert Jay Lifton who has worked extensively on cults and cultism (see ‘ Losing Reality: On Cults, Cultism, and the Mindset of Political and Religious Zealotry’ and also ‘Thought Reform’).
Brilliant! As I was reading your article I was thinking of my father Manuel’s stories of “revolución’ in Cuba. He shared so many stories that are themed around your premise. In order to sell people on such a lie you must be totalitarian in methodology. There is no other way. The essence like you explain beautifully is no other thought is allowed.
The movie For Love or Country the Arturo Sandoval Story shows these tactics in full display. The first place it starts is in Universities. Then families are turned against each other. Any person you speak to that has fleed a Communist Totalitarian state will tell you that what you are explaining in detail is what occurs when communism is taking root. It has been rebranded they do not use this word. They use terms like social justice. My daughter just graduated from a liberal college I knew they would try to indoctrinate so like my father prepared me I prepared her. What was sad for me is there was no debate. Only one perspective and that is not a university. In college I was allowed and encouraged to. debate my points of view even against my professors.
Young adults today as a result of social media have a limited and shallow understanding of history. History proves that communism does not work and it is the ultimate surrender of personal freedom promising utopia for all.
Maybe someone well versed in this topic can enlighten me on the problem Professor Rashid Khalidi has with the IHRA working definition of antisemitism that Columbia University has adopted. He certainly is not a stickler for of accuracy when it comes to other definitions such as the one for genocide.
Is the professor referring to the commitment of Hamas and Iran to perpetrate another genocide against the Jewish people?
Professor Khalidi has decided not to teach his class “Modern Middle east History” this fall at Columbia University.
The way I understand the IRHA working definition of antisemitism is; A person or group or institution is free to criticize Israel and individual Israelis but spreading libelous accusations to delegitimize Israel and denying Israel’s right to be a Jewish State is antisemitic. If you read Professor Khalidi’s open letter to President Shipman of Columbia University it becomes quite apparent why he opposes the IRHA definition of antisemitism. He does not want his statements that accuse Israel of being an apartheid genocidal state to be considered antisemitic.
This is an absolutely brilliant essay. The term “Ideological blockade” is far more insightful than the pedestrian “brainwashing” term that is commonly used.
Thank you!
This is excellent. Your analysis is reminiscent of the works of Robert Jay Lifton who has worked extensively on cults and cultism (see ‘ Losing Reality: On Cults, Cultism, and the Mindset of Political and Religious Zealotry’ and also ‘Thought Reform’).
Brilliant! As I was reading your article I was thinking of my father Manuel’s stories of “revolución’ in Cuba. He shared so many stories that are themed around your premise. In order to sell people on such a lie you must be totalitarian in methodology. There is no other way. The essence like you explain beautifully is no other thought is allowed.
The movie For Love or Country the Arturo Sandoval Story shows these tactics in full display. The first place it starts is in Universities. Then families are turned against each other. Any person you speak to that has fleed a Communist Totalitarian state will tell you that what you are explaining in detail is what occurs when communism is taking root. It has been rebranded they do not use this word. They use terms like social justice. My daughter just graduated from a liberal college I knew they would try to indoctrinate so like my father prepared me I prepared her. What was sad for me is there was no debate. Only one perspective and that is not a university. In college I was allowed and encouraged to. debate my points of view even against my professors.
Young adults today as a result of social media have a limited and shallow understanding of history. History proves that communism does not work and it is the ultimate surrender of personal freedom promising utopia for all.
Thank you for your work.
Maybe someone well versed in this topic can enlighten me on the problem Professor Rashid Khalidi has with the IHRA working definition of antisemitism that Columbia University has adopted. He certainly is not a stickler for of accuracy when it comes to other definitions such as the one for genocide.
Is the professor referring to the commitment of Hamas and Iran to perpetrate another genocide against the Jewish people?
Professor Khalidi has decided not to teach his class “Modern Middle east History” this fall at Columbia University.
The way I understand the IRHA working definition of antisemitism is; A person or group or institution is free to criticize Israel and individual Israelis but spreading libelous accusations to delegitimize Israel and denying Israel’s right to be a Jewish State is antisemitic. If you read Professor Khalidi’s open letter to President Shipman of Columbia University it becomes quite apparent why he opposes the IRHA definition of antisemitism. He does not want his statements that accuse Israel of being an apartheid genocidal state to be considered antisemitic.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/01/columbia-historian-rashid-khalidi-open-letter
https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitism