Back in the 1950s and into the 1960s in this country, when Black people, particularly in the South, were rising up against open (“Jim Crow”) segregation and terror by the Ku Klux Klan and local police, and activists came from other parts of the country to join in this fight for justice, those activists were denounced by racist politicians and other white supremacists who insisted that Black people there were perfectly happy with the situation, until they were stirred up by these “troublemakers.” “Outside agitators”—that was the term these lynch mob racists used, to attack those coming from other parts of the country to join the struggle against literally murderous injustice.

Decades later, we again hear this term “outside agitator” being thrown around—not just by blatant racists and ignorant reactionaries but also by people in authority (and those speaking on behalf of authorities) who pretend to be about “enlightened values” but feel no shame in echoing lynch mob white supremacists. We heard this cry of “outside agitators,” including from Democratic Party governors and other politicians, in the context of the massive 2020 uprising provoked by the vicious police murder of George Floyd. And now, once again, we hear this from college administrators, ruling class politicians and the “mainstream” media (as well as the openly fascist “news” outlets, like Fox) in their attacks on the protests against the genocidal slaughter of the Palestinian people by Israel, with the full support and aid of the U.S.

In response to these shameless accusations of “outside agitators,” first of all, it needs to be said, that what is being done to the Palestinian people—including the slaughter of nearly 15 thousand children now, by Israel—is something that people everywhere, inside and “outside” of universities, should be “agitated about” and outraged by. All decent people should be moved, as many college students have been, to put themselves on the line to actively oppose this genocide.

No one who takes part in righteous protest against this genocide is an “outsider!” (And in fact good “agitators”—sharply exposing this atrocity, and shining a penetrating light on the actual forces and deeper causes driving it—make a very important contribution.) College students being joined by others in protesting this genocide—that is something that should be welcomed and encouraged. It would be a great thing to see college students holding up signs and banners proclaiming: “Welcome Outside Agitators!”

The protest and resistance against the U.S.-Israeli genocidal slaughter of Palestinians needs to spread not only to still more college campuses but throughout all parts of the country (and the world), becoming even more powerful and determined to stop this genocide.

The shameless repeating of “outside agitator” does nothing to discredit the courageous protest against this genocide, but it does serve to reveal even more fully the bankrupt and truly depraved nature of those behind this genocide and those seeking to suppress righteous opposition to it.