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A Columbia University freshman is standing up against what he calls “toxic” campus culture after facing intense backlash for speaking out. Lucca Ruggieri wrote an article supporting the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of anti-Israel protests at Columbia. For daring to question the radical protests, he’s been smeared online with hateful messages and even mocked as a Nazi in cruel memes.
Ruggieri isn’t backing down. He says elite colleges like Columbia push “foreign subversives” instead of training future American leaders. Ivy League schools get billions in taxpayer money but fill classrooms with students who hate Western values, he argues. “If you come here as a guest, you shouldn’t trash America,” Ruggieri told reporters.
The freshman’s fight goes beyond campus politics. He wants Congress to cut federal funding for Columbia until the school overhauls its admissions process. “They pick people who hate this country over patriotic Americans,” he said. Ruggieri believes schools are breeding grounds for anti-American radicals instead of responsible citizens.
This isn’t Ruggieri’s first political battle. As a Pennsylvania high schooler, he ran a polling company and managed a congressional campaign. Now he’s calling out Columbia’s failure to protect Jewish students and stop violent protests. “People are scared to speak up,” he said, describing how protesters bully dissenters into silence.
Ruggieri’s critics claim he’s attacking free speech, but he fires back. “They’re the ones shutting down debate,” he says. Students who wave terrorist flags or chant “death to America” get a free pass, while conservatives get threatened. He warns that taxpayer dollars fund this indoctrination through grants and scholarships for radical causes.
The freshman’s courage has drawn national attention. Federal lawmakers are now debating whether to pull $400 million from Columbia unless it cracks down on campus chaos. Ruggieri urges Americans to demand accountability. “Our universities should promote unity, not division,” he insists.
Not everyone agrees with Ruggieri, but his message resonates with frustrated parents and alumni. Many see Ivy League schools as broken institutions pushing extreme agendas. “If you hate America, don’t come here,” Ruggieri says to foreign students. He wants colleges to prioritize those who will strengthen the nation, not tear it down.
As graduation nears, Ruggieri remains focused on his economics studies – and his mission to fix higher education. “Silence isn’t an option,” he says. With threats still swirling, this young conservative proves some Gen Zers still believe in old-fashioned patriotism. His fight for free speech and American values is just beginning.
