The other reason this is a hotbutton issue is because it is related to the general problem of abusing the universities as a protected platform for general subve

The other reason this is a hotbutton issue is because it is related to the general problem of abusing the universities as a protected platform for general subversion for its own sake. It's not innovation or research, or even progress, it's actively destabilizing and subverting a targetted community that a huge part (even majority) of the economy depends on the integrity of. This is a hawkish view, but in a challenging cultural moment, their activities are very difficult to be charitable about.