Scott: Harsh ‘Cultural Chemotherapy’ Needed to Stop Antisemitism in Colleges, Congress

In a stemwinder to the nation’s preeminent Jewish Republican group, presidential candidate Tim Scott called Saturday for deportations, student loan cancellations and college loan defunding for any person or institution that appears to condone the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel.

“We have to cut out the rot of antisemitism from our society. We need cultural chemotherapy to fight this cancer,” Scott, a South Carolina senator, told the Republican Jewish Coalition, whose members repeatedly rose in applause.

“So let me speak to any student who is advocating for murder and terrorism: You should be expelled from the campus,” he said to cheers.

“Any student on a foreign visa who calls for genocide should be deported. Any university that lets itself become a megaphone for evil should lose every single dime in federal money."

Scott added: " "Your tax dollars should not support that crap. Anybody who marches to the streets applauding the killing of Americans and Israelis should be considered unemployable. And any member of Congress who gives one ounce of aid, comfort or support to terrorist killers through their words, their actions or their affiliation with groups like the [Democratic Socialists of America] should be expelled from office immediately.”

As the only Black Republican running for president, Scott emphasized the racism of antisemitism and faulted students and campus administrators at Princeton, George Washington University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for demonstrations that appeared overly critical of Israel and too supportive of Hamas.

“Leftwing universities and college presidents have spent years rushing into every political controversy they can get their hands on. They've had no problem speaking up,” he said.

“But now? Now that their own institutions are being used as platforms to call for genocide, now they offer pathetic equivocation or worse: deafening silence. They seem more offended by micro-aggressions than by mass murder," Scott added.

Eliciting boos from the crowd, Scott referenced the 15 Democrats in the US House who either voted against or simply voted “present” on a resolution condemning the Israel attack. He singled out two Democratic Muslim members of the House: Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who have been critical of Israel.

Tlaib has drawn particular scorn for advancing the story that Israel was responsible for a Gaza hospital bombing. US and Israeli intelligence, as well as many independent media organizations, say the explosion was likely the result of an errant missile fired by Palestinian terrorists or militants.

“Rashida Tlaib is literally an extension of the propaganda machine of Hamas,” Scott said.

Weaving biblical scripture into his speech, Scott, a Christian, struck a decidedly Old Testament tone with a modern flourish when he closed his speech.

“May we be ambassadors of God's mercy to the good. But may we also be instruments of his justice to the wicked,” Scott said.

“Good will triumph and evil will fail," Scott declared. "Hamas and its allies need to feel the wrath of God — I daresay may they meet the wrath of God with some American military hardware. Send ‘em on their way.”