The presidents of Harvard, M.I.T., and the University of Pennsylvania were caught under fire as they dodged probes on how their schools handled issues of anti-semitism, particularly the call for the genocide of the Jews.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) repeatedly asked Harvard University’s Claudine Gay, the University of Pennsylvania’s Liz Magill, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sally Kornbluth why they have not prosecuted students or expelled students and student groups who called for the genocide of Jews. The three administrators responded that they “value free speech.”
Universities are embroiled in demonstrations and conflicts about the Israel-Hamas war.
A spike in antisemitic incidents has raised concerns that the universities and local authorities have not done enough to ensure students’ safety.
Rep. Stefanik further probed the group if their schools considered it a violation of their codes of conduct if one student called for the elimination of Jews, but they repeatedly dodged the question.
Kornbluth answered that “[he] had not heard calling for the genocide of Jews on our campus.”
Gay replied, “it depends on the context.” While Magill said, “if the speech becomes conduct, it can be harassment.” For her, “this is a context-based decision.”
But the New York representative was not having any of it, she retorted, “This is the easiest question to answer.”
“Conduct means committing the act of genocide? This is unacceptable, Ms. Magill.”
None of the school leaders explicitly said that calling for the genocide of Jews would necessarily violate their code of conduct. Instead, they explained it would depend on the circumstances and conduct.
These testimonies earned the ire of various leaders and personalities.
Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO, called it “one of the most despicable moments in the history of US academia.”
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) criticized Harvard and called it “ground zero for antisemitism.”
Stefanik, on the other hand, called for the resignation of Gay.
Hedge funder Bill Ackman called for the three to “resign in disgrace.”
“Why has antisemitism exploded on campus and around the world? Because of leaders like Presidents Gay, Magill and Kornbluth who believe genocide depends on the context,” Ackman added.
In a video published last Wednesday, Magill justified her actions and that she was not focused during the trial.
Magill backtracks her statement and said “I was not focused on – but I should have been – the irrefutable fact that a call for genocide of Jewish people is a call for some of the most terrible violence human beings can perpetrate. It’s evil. Plain, and simple.”
