ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES IS OLD HATE REPACKAGED; KENTUCKY IS NO HAVEN FOR HATE
By Sens. Lindsey Tichenor and Robby Mills
The 1964 Civil Rights Act marked a turning point in America. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally funded activities, including education. That mission—safeguarding constitutional rights—remains as critical today.
Since the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, antisemitism has surged globally. On many college campuses, Jewish students and Christian supporters of Israel have faced threats, harassment, and hostility. Yet university leaders have failed to defend them. We’ve seen repeated incidents targeting Jews on Kentucky college campuses, including in the last week. Last October, children ages 6–8 at the UK’s Chabad Jewish Center were harassed and accused of genocide by UK students.
While President Trump has championed federal civil rights protections in education, states like Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Kentucky are stepping up to address the crisis. Kentucky’s Jewish population may be small, but rising antisemitism signals broader societal decay. Ignoring it isn’t an option.
One alarming trend is the rise of antisemitism within far-left activism, especially on campuses. While antisemitism exists everywhere, many of the recent campus protests—often organized by progressive student groups—have featured rhetoric dehumanizing Jewish students and calling into question Israel’s right to exist. The Combat Antisemitism Movement reported a dramatic surge in campus incidents. No matter their philosophical stripe, radical ideologies can morph into open hostility when left unchecked.
If such slurs and harassment were aimed at Black students, university officials would have acted immediately. Yet the same institutions promoting “safe spaces” have done little to protect Jewish students from targeted abuse, not protected speech, but direct threats and intimidation.
Kentucky isn’t immune. What’s happening at elite coastal universities is spreading. Even on publicly funded campuses, chants like “from the river to the sea”—a call for Israel’s eradication have been heard.
In response, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution 55, a strong bipartisan stand against campus antisemitism. It requires:
Postsecondary institutions to adopt clear policies on antisemitism and notify students of their rights under Title VI;
Equal recognition of Jewish student organizations;
Disbandment of any campus group providing material support to terrorist organizations;
Annual reporting of antisemitic incidents to the Council on Postsecondary Education.
SJR 55 passed the Senate 35-0 and the House 75-6 before being signed into law by Governor Beshear. The broad support reflects a shared commitment: antisemitism has no place in Kentucky.
Antisemitism is often called “the world’s oldest hatred”—and for good reason. From ancient scapegoating to medieval blood libels, forced conversions, and the Holocaust, it has persisted across centuries and continents. Today, some activists pose as morally enlightened, especially on college campuses. Yet, their chants of “intifada” and “from the river to the sea” echo the same dehumanizing logic behind organized massacres and gas chambers. There is nothing progressive about echoing the bigotry of—or sympathizing with—those whose mission is to eliminate the Jewish people or the state of Israel. What we’re witnessing is the oldest hate, repackaged.
Free speech is vital. But weaponizing it to intimidate and threaten, especially a targeted minority, cannot be tolerated.
Kentucky stands united. Universities must reflect that resolve.
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Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, represents Kentucky’s 6th Senate District. She serves as co-chair of the General Assembly’s legislative Kentucky-Israel Caucus. She was the primary sponsor of the 2025 Legislative Session’s Senate Joint Resolution 55.
Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, serves as Senate Majority Caucus Chair. He is a member of the Kentucky-Israel Caucus. He co-sponsored the 2025 Legislative Session’s Senate Joint Resolution 55.