US Justice Department sues UCLA alleging antisemitic educational environment

[u/awaythrowawaying]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-justice-department-sues-ucla-alleging-antisemitic-educational-environment-2026-05-26/

[u/justafutz]

The guide literally agrees with my definition of Zionism... It defines it as the belief that the Jewish people are a nation and have the right to establish a state on their homeland (Israel.)

You may notice the difference between "colonizing" and the belief that Jews deserve the right to self-determination in their historical homeland.

I certainly do.

There was a long existing desire by many Jews to return to the land of Israel, but it didn't become a political movement to establish a state there until the 19th century.

The fact that Jews finally got organized in the 19th century doesn't change that it is a fundamental part of the Jewish faith and was before the 19th century.

Again, if you have read the guide, it's quite helpful:

Pivoting around this old-new homeland, Zionism is more than a political movement: it's a spiritual and ideological journey, rooted in Judaism, Jewish history, Jewish values, and the Jewish people. Especially since the Holocaust ended in 1945 and Israel emerged in 1948, Zionism is foundational to Jewish identity.

And:

Contrary to what many have tried to sell you – no, Judaism cannot be separated from Israel. Zionism is, "simply put, the manifestation of that belief."

Please don't skip over those portions of the guide. They're very informative.

[u/justafutz → u/[deleted]]

Oh, so earlier the guide was agreeing with you, now that you've realized it proves you wrong, you've decided to say what Jews believe to Jews. That's cool.

Zionism seeks to establish a Jewish state in their homeland. That necessarily implies colonization since there were a great deal of non-Jews living there already.

It doesn't "necessarily imply" anything. That's false.

There is a difference between the desire/longing to return and the desire to establish a state. Zionism is the latter, not merely the former. The "spiritual and ideological journey, rooted in Judaism" existed before Zionism. It may have been a foundation of Zionism, but it is not in and of itself Zionism.

They're also ahistorical and misleading. Zionism is not merely the spiritual desire to return to the Jewish homeland, it is the desire to establish a Jewish state in that homeland.

It's funny how you agreed with the guide when you thought it supported your point, but now it's "ahistorical and misleading". Sure, you know better than virtually all Jews, and the Jewish People Policy Institute too. Whatever you say.

[u/SmoothAnus → u/justafutz]

It doesn't "necessarily imply" anything. That's false.

They wanted to establish a state on land that was already inhabited.

It's funny how you agreed with the guide when you thought it supported your point, but now it's "ahistorical and misleading". Sure, you know better than virtually all Jews, and the Jewish People Policy Institute too. Whatever you say.

The guide says Zionism is the belief that "the Jewish people have rights to establish a state on their homeland"

I agree with this.

The guide then tries to hem and haw and slightly contradict itself because it doesn't want to acknowledge that definition it just gave.

Zionism is not some abstract spiritual belief about Jewish self-determination, it is specifically the belief that Jews have a right to establish a nation state on their ancestral homeland of Israel. Zionism is a political movement to establish the nation state of Israel. Denying this is ahistorical and silly.