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This Time It’s Personal
When I heard that the chancellor of Rutgers University had retracted his statement condemning anti-Semitism, I was spitting mad. And I’m trying to get my head around the spineless, hateful, and bigoted statements that university executives all over the country are prepared to make in order to pacify the angry crowds.
In case you missed this story, chancellor Christopher Molloy initially sent out the following email:
Recent incidents of hate directed toward Jewish members of our community again remind us of what history has to teach us. Tragically, in the last century alone, acts of prejudice and hatred left unaddressed have served as the foundation for many atrocities against targeted groups around the world . . .
If you have been adversely impacted by anti-Semitic or any other discriminatory incidents in our community, please do not hesitate to reach out to our counseling and other support services on campus. Our behavioral health team stands ready to support you through these challenging times . . .
[While the email also mentioned the recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas, the administrators did not take a position on the conflict.]
We have also been witnesses to the increasing violence between Israeli forces and Hamas in the Middle East leading to the deaths of children and adults and mass displacement of citizens in the Gaza region and the loss of lives in Israel . . .
Please note that his statement was specific in referring to the long global history of prejudice and murder against the Jews during the last century. His comment about the conflict between Israel and Hamas, although perhaps not even necessary, was at least balanced.
But, of course, the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) protested the chancellor’s message, writing that the “statement exclusively addressing antisemitism comes during a time when Israel’s occupation of Palestine is finally receiving widespread criticism.”
They had much more to say, basically trying to equate anti-Semitism in this country and worldwide that has taken place over centuries, to the conflict of the last 100 years between the Palestinians and Israel.
Don’t misunderstand. The SJP is entitled to say whatever it wants, but my outrage is directed at the chancellor for caving in to their criticisms and protests. Here was his follow-up email, called, “An Apology”:
The administrators apologized to the university’s Palestinian Community members and said that the first message ‘fell short’ of their intention to be a ‘place where all identities can feel validated and supported.’
‘In hindsight, it is clear to us that the message failed to communicate support for our Palestinian community members. We sincerely apologize for the hurt that this message has caused,’ the message said.
‘Our diversity must be supported by equity, inclusion, antiracism, and the condemnation of all forms of bigotry and hatred, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia,’ it added.
‘As we grow in our personal and intuitional understanding, we will take the lesson learned here to heart, and pledge our commitment to doing better. We will work to regain your trust, and make sure that our communications going forward are much more sensitive and balanced,’ it read.
It’s interesting that he didn’t feel he had to apologize specifically to other identities. Where were his apologies to blacks, Latinos, and Asians? It is probably unnecessary to say that this “apology” was unsatisfactory to the SJP as well.
There are so many reasons why this whole incident is a travesty. The university allowed the Palestinian students to turn this statement of solidarity with and concern for Jews into a political attack. They allowed their original statement, referencing the historic attacks on Jews, to be disparaged by allowing it to be compared to the modern difficulties of the Palestinians. The chancellor, by complying with their demands, allowed them to create a political platform for attacking the Jews and demonstrating their own anti-Semitism with the use of the term anti-Zionism. And by discounting his first statement, he withdrew his own condemnation of anti-Semitism.
I have news for the chancellor. While he allows himself to be intimidated by the demands of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and by those who have an extreme political ax to grind, he is telling the rest of us who are Jews that we are not included in his efforts. He is prepared to cower in the face of anti-Semitic demands and expressions. And his cowardice is unconscionable and sad.
For me it’s personal, Mr. Molloy. And I don’t expect an apology.
Published in Education
From the lost introductory comments made by President Abraham Lincoln on the occasion of his speech at Gettysburg, 1863:
“It has been brought to my attention that, in my recent strenuous criticisms of that ‘peculiar institution’ involving the chattel ownership of human beings, I may inadvertently have caused offense to those individuals who possess slaves, who participate in the buying and selling of slaves, or who are engaged currently in the prosecution of a war the intent of which is to sustain the practice of slavery. I apologize for whatever offense I have caused.”
I love just thinking about it, Hank! Do you think the chancellor is apologizing to the wrong party, huh? It’s beyond me to understand how these people think that groveling is admirable. Sigh.
Just remember, the correct order is Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE).
Yikes! Don’t tell anyone I screwed up. The enforcement police will be after me!
I know of no public statement which meets with the approval of absolutely everyone, but universities appear tireless in their research. It’s as if they left all other criteria behind. I guess all you need to do is throw out all values, standards, sincere beliefs, everything which makes something worth listening to. The lesson I took away from Theodore Reik was – if your patient was putting you to sleep, they were avoiding talking about something. Now it may mean they’re tenured.
I don’t think those “leaders” are worried about offending someone; they are worried about being criticized by anyone.
Just listening to this stuff day after day after day is so……I don’t even know what. They leave me speechless. What do think at night when they go home and look in the mirror? Or can they even bear to look in the mirror? Do you think they sleep well?
Do you think they sleep well?
I hope not.
“We’re the real victims here!”
Pathetic.
Yes, Susan it is personal.
Our Neo-Marxist ruling elite are in full attack mode.
It is no longer about abstract political concepts.
They want to destroy not only the Jews but everyone who is conservative and religious. That said Jews come in for a special all out attack treatment because Israel has terribly, irreparably offended all of Islam by the fact that Jews are now ruling over part of what was once Dar Al Islam. Islam is now a very sacred cow of the Democratic party. We all must do the full Kowtow, no questions asked. That is part of our program of inclusiveness and diversity we all must embrace. The punishment for desecrating Dar Al Islam is death. Never mind that the Moslems weren’t all that interested in the place before the Jews came back to the Holy Land. It also doesn’t matter if a a Jew is a card carrying member of AntiFA or not, they are sentenced for death.
All one needs to ask is our Dear Leader Uncle Joe the Stalinist Biden pursuing those who attack Jews here in America with the same extreme extra legal vigilance that he pursuing the “insurrectionists” who might be charged but very likely not convicted unless in a kangaroo Court of the misdemeanor of trespassing at the January 6 incursion into the Capitol ?
How can you withdraw a statement condemning bigotry? Oh, I see – wokism . . .