Beware: Reading the following may result in disciplinary action by the University of Kentucky. Scroll at your own risk.
The University of Kentucky community has a right to not like Israel.
Experts agree: Israel is a modern-day colonization project that practices apartheid and is currently committing genocide.
You have a right to not like Israel.
It’s guaranteed by the First Amendment. And academic freedom.
So why is everyone on the University of Kentucky campus terrified of speaking their minds about Israel?
Because if you do, Zionist organizations will slander you. Your elected representatives will pass laws to muzzle you. And your university president will try to fire you.
It doesn’t matter who you are.
Staff.
Student.
Or a tenured professor.
Like UK law professor Ramsi Woodcock.
There’s a phrase for this: It’s called Zionist repression. It’s happening all over America.
President Capilouto just brought it home to UK.
But you have a right to not like Israel. You have a right to speak. And a right to think.
Especially at a university.
Don’t let them take it away from you.
When Professor Woodcock spoke out about what Israel is and what the world should do about it, Zionist organizations and Kentucky legislators demanded that University of Kentucky retaliate against him.
President Capilouto complied.
He banned Professor Woodcock from UK’s law building, suspended him from teaching, and started investigating him on a bogus charge of antisemitism.
Antisemitism?
Opposition to Israel is about opposing colonization, apartheid, and genocide.
We opposed these things when Protestants did them in South Africa.
We opposed them when Eastern Orthodox Christians did them in Bosnia.
We opposed them when the French did them in Algeria.
And when the British did them in India.
And when Russians did them in Ukraine.
And when Germans did them all over Europe.
And we oppose them now.
We couldn’t care less that this time around the perpetrators are Jewish—and falsely claim to speak for all Jews. No one gets to commit colonization, apartheid, and genocide.
And anyone who supports a colonization project that practices apartheid and is committing genocide, whatever his creed or color, definitely doesn’t get to tell us what to think or what to say.
We have a right to not like Israel.
The motto of the University of Kentucky, like the motto of Kentucky, is this: united we stand; divided we fall.
We need to take a stand.
How?
How to Fight for Your Right
Four suggestions. (Have an idea not listed here? Send it to ramsi@ramsiwoodcock.net .)
1. Say what Professor Woodcock is saying: The world needs to end Israel right now.
There is no more powerful way to protect free speech and targeted speakers than to repeat and amplify what they are saying. You can do that by signing the End Israel Now petition. Law professors are encouraged to sign a similar petition circulated by the Antizionist Legal Studies Movement. Or you can tick a checkbox indicating your agreement with Professor Woodcock’s views when you sign the Petition of Wildcats and Scholars (more on that petition in number 2. below). Please note: the University of Kentucky might punish you for speaking out in this way. But the more people do it, the safer it becomes.
2. Sign the petition calling upon President Capilouto to resign for trying to squelch speech in opposition to colonization, apartheid, and genocide.
You can also tell the University of Kentucky how you feel about its attempt to punish speech opposing Israel by signing the Petition for UK President Capilouto to resign.
Note that if you are reluctant to sign a petition because you fear retaliation from UK—and who wouldn’t after what UK has done to Professor Woodcock?—the signature form will give you the option to embargo public release of your signature until other colleagues have signed.
If you are not a member of the UK community or a scholar, please sign this version of the petition.
3. Platform Professor Woodcock.
Supporters of Israel know that they will never win a debate about what Israel is or what Israel does, because experts agree that Israel is a colonization project that practices apartheid and commits genocide. So they don’t debate their critics. They try to take away their platform.
When someone tries to take away a platform, a great response is to give it back.
Tell University of Kentucky you support free speech by inviting Professor Woodcock to speak to your UK student group, department, center, college, or school about the Antizionist Legal Studies Movement. The university banned Professor Woodcock from the law building, not the rest of campus. He can also speak to your group off campus or via Zoom.
Remember: The First Amendment protects your right to listen to Professor Woodcock as well as your right to speak. So, create space to hear what he has to say.
4. Tell the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees How You Feel
The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees runs the university. It can fire President Capilouto. Tell the board how you feel about President Capilouto’s attempt to squelch speech opposing colonization, apartheid, and genocide. The board meets on September 11-12, October 16-17, and December 1-2, 2025. You can request to speak to the board at one of these meetings by filling out this form.
5. Get Support Creating a Petition Tailored to Your Unit
If you would like to take the lead in encouraging your colleagues to speak up, send an email to ramsi@ramsiwoodcock.net with “Petition Support” in the subject line. Professor Woodcock will post your customized petition letter to this website, specifically addressed to your UK unit, offer your colleagues a customized signature form, and allow you to embargo signatures until customized participation thresholds are met.
6. Spread the Word
Forward this page to your networks. See below for email and social links.
7. Join Professor Woodcock’s Email List
8. Keep Talking
Keep talking about Palestine and University of Kentucky’s attempt to take away your right to not like Israel. Copy Professor Woodcock on your statements so he can amplify what you say.