I've been puzzling over the reason students are rioting on American University campuses these days. Now, if these were mostly Muslim students, I suppose it might make some sense, in terms of Israel killing large numbers of their coreligionists in the Gaza Strip, lately. It might be over Israel, then. However, I don't believe these are mostly Muslim students. So, what exactly is the issue, or are the issues, here?

Let's try to compare the situation to the riots in the 1960's, supposedly over the Vietnam War. It is significant that the rioting ceased completely in 1971, when the draft of young men for the Vietnam War ended, while the Vietnam War continued for another four years. So, really, the rioting wasn't over the Vietnam War, per se, it was over the possibility of being drafted for the Vietnam War, and of suffering, being wounded and dying in Vietnam, for no good reason that anyone could understand, at all. These are, of course, very practical issues.

So, what exactly, are the practical issues that students might be rioting over today?

1. Abortion rights. Women in the Red States, mostly in the conventional American South, cannot get access to abortions anymore, since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. This is very, very threatening for young women, many of whom are in college. So, to some extent, some of the students may be rioting over this important right -- the right to having abortion on demand.

2. Transsexual Rights. The notion that everyone has the right to choose their own gender is a very recent concept, but, among a very large group of young people it's become a very important concept. Precisely what this right comprises is open to debate, and, indeed, is being debated all the time. At times, it appears that transsexuals are demanding the right to impose themselves sexually on anyone of either gender!

3. Black compensation for slavery. Many legislators throughout the U.S., but, particularly in California, have put forward legislation mandating compensation on the order of millions, or tens of millions of dollars for every single black person born in the U.S, forever. The notion is that black slavery from two centuries ago has put them at a permanent disadvantage, so, some tens of millions of dollars will be required for each black man, woman and child, for the indefinite future, so that each of them can "get back on their feet", as it were. Nice work if you can get it!

4. The "Me Too" movement, also known as the "I want some money too!" movement. All women and children now are very actively encouraged to make criminal accusations against any and everyone at the drop of a hat, for "sexual impropriety", which, these days, can mean, quite literally, looking at someone the wrong way. Supposedly, being "touched inappropriately" induces long term psychological trauma, that can be passed on through multiple generations of families, indefinitely, and forever. So, there's a huge industry now in terms of lawsuits against wealthy individuals, schools, institutions and even governments in the United States. Basically, a credible accusation of sexual assault of any type is the best route to fame and fortune in these, our great United States! So, many of these rioting students may feel they deserve a piece of the sexual misconduct pie, as it were.

5. These students are often paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for utterly worthless training from professors who are little more than professional, pathological liars. They realize they're simply wasting their time and money, and, they're frustrated about this. Wouldn't you riot, too?