More Than 100 Harvard Professors Trash University President for Condemning Antisemitism

AP Photo/Michael Casey

What a world we are living in right now. More than 100 Harvard professors are upset that University President Claudine Gay sent out a message denouncing antisemitism on campus.

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The professors think she made her statement as she bowed to wealthy donors and alumni. They think this is an infringement on the free speech of students. You can’t make this stuff up.

“As Harvard faculty, we have been astonished by the pressure from donors, alumni and even some on this campus to silence faculty, students and staff critical of the actions of the State of Israel,” the open letter reads.

“It is important to acknowledge the patronizing tone and format of much of the criticism you have received, as well as the outright racism contained in some of it.”

The letter went on to urge university officials to “affirm its commitment to the freedom of thought, inquiry and expression in light of the extraordinary pressure being brought to bear upon critics of the State of Israel and advocates of the Palestinian people.”

“There must … be room on a university campus for debate about the actions of states, including of the State of Israel,” it said.

That is quite a flex. Antisemitism is hate-filled speech. It incites violence. Jewish students no longer feel safe at their schools. Antisemitism on campuses has included physical attacks on Jewish students. This is way beyond a free speech issue.

Let’s remember, that Harvard’s president was very slow to publicly condemn the massacres conducted by Hamas against Israel on October 7. She backed a letter signed by student groups that blamed Israel for the attacks by Hamas that day. Think about that – these people choose to support Hamas, a group designated as terrorists that killed 1,400 Jews and others in Israel on October 7. It is hard to wrap my head around such blood-thirsty behavior.

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Gay formed an advisory board and announced it at a Harvard-hosted Hillel Shabbat dinner during Family Weekend. The board is to combat antisemitism on campus.

With more than 200 Jewish students and their family members in attendance, Gay admitted that “antisemitism has a very long and shameful history at Harvard,” referring to past anti-Israel acts before the war even broke out, including a 2018 incident where a swastika was found on a school bulletin board.

“For years, this University has done too little to confront its continuing presence,” Gay continued. “No longer.”

The reason that large demonstrations on college campuses are happening now is because of the neglect from administrators for years. Antisemitism has been just below the surface, gaining strength, and when October 7 happened, it erupted. If you hadn’t been paying attention to the far-left swing on college campuses in recent years, you may have been caught by surprise. It is shocking to see the magnitude of the demonstrations. Demonstrations held off-campuses often turn violent. These college professors are telling us who they are – they have no problem with expressions of antisemitism and consider it free speech. Believe them when they tell you who they are. They are dangerous far-left radicals who have indoctrinated college students and do not like being reined in.

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The angry professors want an advisory board on Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism. They are as tone-deaf as the Biden administration.

The president also condemned the use of the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which many see as calling for the elimination of Israel.

“To have a Harvard president condemn this speech goes too far for us,” said Amir Mohareb, an assistant professor of medicine.

He maintained that freedom of speech — and the disagreements that come with it — is an essential part of higher education.

“An institutional environment should be safe for people of all identities and walks of life, but at the same time, not infringe on speech that’s very important for these global issues,” he told the Boston Globe.

“A big part of the education is being exposed to ideas and opinions that one doesn’t agree with.”

History professor Kirsten Weld also said that by releasing her statement condemning antisemitism on Nov. 9, Gay showed favoritism to one side of the conflict.

“In a conflict with high stakes, [Harvard] may not want to look as though it’s taking a side, but if it only takes a task force for one group of students, it sends a message that protecting one group of members of its community is far more important than protecting others.”

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The ignorance is breathtaking. There is only one side to this for civil society. There can be no support shown for the animals of Hamas. Hamas can not co-exist along the border of Israel. They must be eliminated.

This is a time for moral clarity. It cannot be said often enough. There is no moral clarity on most college campuses, that is clear now. This has to change.

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David Strom 3:00 PM | May 01, 2024
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