“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

 - Thomas Jefferson

From the start of The Common Sense Movement, there have been many instances that remind me just how important it is to stand up for what is right. The genesis of this movement is to unite the country around shared principles of Family, Freedom and Security, to bridge the divide and give a voice to Common Sense Americans who no longer feel they are represented by their elected officials. 

The perfect example recently comes out of UNC where fraternity brothers, on their way to class, stopped to defend the American flag from being replaced for the second time that day with a Palestinian flag. "My fraternity brother and others ran over to hold it up, in order for it not to touch the ground. People began throwing water bottles at us, rocks, sticks, calling us profane names. We stood for an hour defending the flag so many fight to protect." said Guillermo Estrada

Throughout the spring, I was shocked at the open antisemitism proudly displayed across college campuses. Just when you think that the radical agenda in our country cannot become more distasteful, we saw a mix of paid protestors and students across the country, create their own on-campus autonomous zones, taking over academic buildings, while vandalizing parts of campus with anti semitic verbiage and in some cases displaying the words “INTIFADA” an Arabic word for a rebellion or uprising, or a resistance movement. 

These were not just one-off cases. As spring came and the weather turned, the byproduct of today’s far-left elite in higher education showed their true colors. Once considered prestigious academic institutions, Ivy League schools led the charge as students all across America hunkered down on their campus quads chanting “From the River to the Sea.” When many of the ‘brave’ students didn't even know why they were protesting. 

https://x.com/TheConsultant18/status/1794541934662615098/video/1 

Probably the most covered was Columbia University, which after many nights of unrest, the school moved to hybrid learning for the rest of the term. The backlash from that decision alone was the least of the school's worries. After days of the schools inability to control their students, and end the unacceptable treatment of Jewish students and faculty on campus, and vocal disdain by many prominent alumni, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, formally withdrew his financial support of the school and had even gone as far as to say that this type of hatred is akin to Germany in the 1930’s and 40’s…. “The Columbia I loved is no longer a place I know.”

Similar to the “Summer of Love” where cities burned to the ground, it seemed once again, a radical, dangerous mob was forming, rooted in hatred and no one was willing to stand up and put a stop to the madness. Although in many cases like Boston, and even at Columbia where the police finally intervened and shut it down, there was still a feeling of unrest.

What many people still do not realize is that the divide in our country is not as simple as political disagreements, it is much more than that. We are at a crossroads. It is not the first time that we as a Nation have been here, which is why I have faith in better days to come. What we are dealing with is much deeper than Republican vs Democrat, or how much taxes we pay or not, this is a cultural battle of good and evil. 

Many of us are on the good side, we want to live, provide, raise our families, keep the government out of our day to day lives and be left alone to live freely. Sadly, some would say that that is a radical thought today. But only some. Most of us are too busy and fulfilled with our own lives to go out and burn down cities at night and rob stores in the name of justice. Most of us want to finish our college semester on the right note, in anticipation of going home for a fun summer with friends, or working an exciting internship we strived for. Most people are not out there kicking and screaming, making obscure demands while praying on anyone who will listen to guilt them into agreement. We are the Silent Majority, but naturally, at some point, we are going to be forced out of our silence. 

As these campus protests continued to grow, I would talk to people in passing about these encampments and never once spoke to anyone who was remotely in favor of the idea or even slightly defended it. All of my conversations were based on the universal understanding that these students are crazy and they are acting like children. I didn't physically go to any encampments, the subject would just come up at work, with friends, in casual day to day conversations. 

Even though everyone I spoke with shrugged these stories off, it did not sit well with me. If these people are so crazy, and their anti semitic push was so unacceptable, how come the schools are not being more proactive? Why did Columbia allow these nut jobs to bring the school to remote learning at the end of the semester? Why hasn't anyone stood up and put a stop to this insanity? All of these questions were rushing to the front of my mind as I watched these campuses continue with the madness. 

What I was really looking for was a patriotic moment. For something to side with during all of the negative hatred.

Breakdown of Events at UNC

• UNC Anti-Israel protesters removed the American flag on the Chapel Hill quad with a Palestinian flag.

• UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts, along with law enforcement officers returned the American flag.

• Activists attempted to take down the flag again

• Fraternity brothers stepped up, refusing to allow the flag to touch the ground, and defended the flag from being disrespected, or replaced by another country's flag for over an hour while being physically and verbally abused by protestors.

Finally! Not from a senator, or elected official, or even a celebrity, but normal everyday people, stepping up and saying “No.” These fraternity brothers are exactly what I was looking for, it is exactly what this country needs. And if you do not think that this is the feeling of the silent majority, then just go back and look to see how quickly this story blew up. Afterwards, a Go-Fund Me was created for these guys to throw a party and it raised just under $500,000. In all the overwhelming darkness, these students represent a spark of light that so many common sense Americans are looking for.

Immediately after this viral moment, so many people got behind these guys, because what they did was right. Defend the flag, Defend American values, and expose these radicals for who they are… How ironic is it that these protestors are anti-American enough to replace the American flag with a Palestinian one, yet they still go to school here, they capitalize on all the freedom that America has to offer and then they pretend like America is so horrible. Give me a break.

Good for the young men who on their way to class said to themselves, “not today.” I hope they inspire more people to stand up for what is right. To hold the line and to finally say, enough is enough. Unfortunately, this brief victory is not going to settle the cultural divide we face, but it is a reason to be hopeful. It is inevitable that we will come to a point where you have to take a side and take a stand, and I hope that most of us in the silent majority look to these guys as inspiration. 

In closing, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes. It has sat above my desk since my time at college and remains there today.