- "What happened at UNC is a model for other universities and for other leaders across the nation.” Sen. Ted Budd
This week, North Carolina Republican US Sen. Ted Budd joined in the high praise for UNC-Chapel Hill Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts, law enforcement, and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brothers after pro-Palestinian demonstrators took down the American Flag and put up a Palestinian flag in its place during protests on Tuesday.
Nearly half a million dollars has been raised through GoFundMe for the fraternities whose members put themselves between demonstrators and the American flag, and country music star John Rich has offered them a free concert.
In a video posted to X by student media organization The Daily Tar Heel, Roberts is shown walking to the quad, surrounded by law enforcement officers, to put the American flag back up. Counter-protesters surrounded the flagpole and chanted “USA,” thanking Roberts for his intervention.
In a video released Thursday, Budd starts off talking about how chaos has engulfed college campuses across the country over the past month.
“Students are committing acts of trespassing, vandalism, and violence,” he said. “Now, while students have the right to peacefully protest, they do not have the right to break the law and endanger other students. Campuses should be places of higher learning and respectful dialogue, but under the weak leadership of some Ivy League universities, they have devolved into hives of radicalism and hate.
Budd said that universities, especially those who receive taxpayer dollars, must take action to end the lawless behavior.
“Beyond the despicable criminal acts, these students are espousing support for genocidal Hamas terrorists who are bent on eradicating all Jews,” he said.
Budd mentioned that “we saw evil in real-time with our own eyes” during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, which included the slaughtering of young people at a music festival, the kidnapping of innocent families out of their homes, and the murder of babies in front of their fathers and mothers.
“So, when these demonstrators literally chant “From the River to the Sea,” they are endorsing wholesale anti-Semitism in the genocide of the Jewish people,” he said. “They’re mimicking the rhetoric of ISIS, and Al-Qaeda, and, Taliban, and Iran.”
Budd said that President Biden has displayed weakness and equivocation at a time when leadership and moral clarity are needed.
“He seems more interested in pandering to his party’s pro-Hamas base than standing strong against Jewish hatred,” he said. “He has forfeited his moral leadership and he’s done it all for political gain in November.”
Budd ended the video by saying a true act of leadership was seen in North Carolina at UNC-Chapel Hill, through the actions of Roberts, law enforcement, and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity brothers.
“Within an hour, Chancellor Lee Roberts personally walked Old Glory back to the center of campus, and he raised it back up,” he said. “He did so with the help from members of law enforcement and patriotic students who stood watch and made sure our flag did not touch the ground. What happened at UNC is a model for other universities and for other leaders across the nation.”
A GoFundMe account set up in a show of support for Pi Kappa Phi to “Throw ‘em a Rager” netted $452,724. A message on the page from organizers said they were overwhelmed with the donations and are in contact with multiple leaders from fraternities whose members helped defend the flag, including Alpha Epsilon Pi and others, in addition to Pi Kappa Psi, and they will “update supporters on what comes next.”
Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was among the donors, chipping in $10,000 to the GoFundMe. Ackman has also contributed to counter-protests at UCLA.
Country music singer John Rich has offered to give a free concert for Pi Kappa Psi.
In a post on his X account, Rich said, “I’ve made contact with the Patriots at UNC! Working on a date to have a massive event to celebrate our flag and those who love her. I’ll keep ya’ll posted! Let’s call it #Flagstock.