Megyn Kelly vs. Candace Owens: Heated Debate Erupts Over Blacklisting Pro-Hamas College Students
The complicated and thorny issue of separating support for Hamas and support for Palestinians has sparked a heated debate between a pair of outspoken conservative women.
Radio host Megyn Kelly and The Daily Wire host Candace Owens clashed in a heated social media debate about whether or not the swathes of college students who effectively blame Israel for the bloody invasion launched by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 should be “blacklisted.”
Many college campuses across the country have drawn criticism for having students come out in such vocal support of the Palestinian cause — which many consider as a tacit, if indirect, endorsement of Hamas, as well.
The issue is significant enough that Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri is taking the issue to the Department of Justice.
“The repulsive celebration of terrorism against Israel on America’s college campuses should be called out for what it is: disgusting & immoral,” Hawley posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
But while Hawley works on moving that forward, a different discussion has emerged — one that has quickly gotten heated.
The conversation appeared to begin with GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, who took to X to call these pro-Palestinian students “simple fools,” but noted that they shouldn’t be blacklisted.
The Harvard student groups who co-signed the anti-Israel letter are simple fools. But it’s not productive for companies to blacklist kids for being members of student groups that make dumb political statements on campus. Colleges are spaces for students to experiment with ideas &…
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) October 15, 2023
“The Harvard student groups who co-signed the anti-Israel letter are simple fools,” Ramaswamy posted to X. “But it’s not productive for companies to blacklist kids for being members of student groups that make dumb political statements on campus.
“Colleges are spaces for students to experiment with ideas & sometimes kids join clubs that endorse boneheadedly wrong ideas.”
Ramaswamy then argued that blacklisting these students would be a form of leftist cancel culture — a line of reasoning that Kelly simply didn’t buy.
You’ve got to be kidding me. They sided with terrorists who murdered children and old women. You’re not clear on this as someone who wants to be president? https://t.co/656slMIQKL
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 15, 2023
“You’ve got to be kidding me. They sided with terrorists who murdered children and old women,” Kelly retorted. “You’re not clear on this as someone who wants to be president?”
When Ramaswamy tried to explain the nuance of his position to Kelly, she rebuffed those, too.
That’s when Owens jumped in, and things quickly escalated as she accused Kelly’s rhetoric of being disingenuous.
Oh stop it. This is incredibly disingenuous, Megyn.
You know that many of those students are not out there because they want babies to be murdered.
College kids are stupid. I used to be radically pro-choice. Glad I didn’t get put on a “conservative” black list for wanting… https://t.co/fxvnxUmSZY— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 15, 2023
“Oh stop it,” Owens began. “This is incredibly disingenuous, Megyn. You know that many of those students are not out there because they want babies to be murdered.
“College kids are stupid. I used to be radically pro-choice. Glad I didn’t get put on a ‘conservative’ black list for wanting babies murdered.”
Again, Kelly refused to budge an inch on her seeming position that college kids blaming Israel for Hamas’ attacks should, in fact, be blacklisted.
“Being liberal is not the same as taking to the streets to cheer murdered babies and blame said murders on the victims,” Kelly said. “But you go ahead and hire as many of them as you want Candace. I’m sure the @realDailyWire will love that.”
The lengthy X diatribe didn’t end there.
Owens argued that “misguided” students needed “education, not black lists,” before calling out Kelly’s “pettiness and immaturity” for tagging The Daily Wire in her initial social media salvo.
Kelly swiftly responded:
K I look forward to seeing them intern on your show and your reeducation of them. Me? I’ll be hiring the ones who saw murdered grandmas and entire families burned in their homes and easily identified this as a terrorist attack they would never in a million years defend. https://t.co/V6RihyXsx6
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 15, 2023
You can observe the way this “conversation” unfolded below:
You’re attempting snark, but as a matter of fact, I almost exclusively hired reformed BLM activists to work for my charity, BLEXIT. They actually proved to be the most dedicated employees to the cause because the mission was personal to them.
Students can change. I am living… https://t.co/XskUm7gxny
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 15, 2023
Awesome! Keep it rolling! Students for Justice in Palestine will love your thoughtful lessons on how it’s bad to murder Jews. Can’t wait to see you turn their lives around. https://t.co/l5hSbuaOdK
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 15, 2023
I am also glad to hear that my position is clear as I am writing it in near perfect English for all
to read:I do not believe college students belong on blacklists.
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 15, 2023
Oh no, I have it. I talked to them just two weeks ago when they asked me to put you on my show to promote your crime series and I said sure I will do you and Candace that favor. ‘Member? https://t.co/9gFJ8F1sCP
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 15, 2023
Yes I do remember. Sorry I couldn’t actually make your show in the end.
I’m not sure what obscure point you’re trying to prove so I’ll just continue being the mature one in this thread by thanking you for your willingness to help us promote a new series. https://t.co/O7YA1qreEn
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 15, 2023
This is how it works you see. You attack someone who has been nothing but nice to and supportive of you. Then when that person calls you out, you just keep saying “I am the mature one!”
Take care Candace. I wish you well. https://t.co/iJ0Stp4h2e— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 15, 2023
Megyn, you seem to be taking this personally. I am not attacking you, I am attacking your position that students should be put on blacklists or that the majority of them are genuinely marching to celebrate the death of grandmas overseas. I just don’t think you honestly believe… https://t.co/Mfj4m5eaLI
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) October 15, 2023
While the X fight appeared to end there, neither conservative firebrand appeared to reach any sort of a consensus on whether or not these students should be blacklisted.
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