How Harvard’s President Gay has failed
In testimony before Congress, Harvard president Claudine Gay said, “I’ve sought to confront hate while preserving free expression.” She added “This is difficult work. I know I have not always gotten it right.”
I do not see any indication that Gay has “confronted” hate, which I would like to see her define, and I wonder if she would preserve the free expression of a Ku Klux Klan protest in Harvard Yard.
President Gay does not seem to understand her role. It’s not her job to preserve free expression. The Constitution of the United States does that (well, okay, under normal administrations that enforce the laws of America faithfully).
Gay’s job is to: 1) educate Harvard students with, among other things, historical facts, enabling them to reach informed, wise conclusions on their own; and 2) support and preserve the values of her institution. Clearly, she is incompetent on both counts.
Harvard students have expressed support for eighth-century Islamic savagery and for killing Jews. Since this unqualifiedly offends the institution’s values, Harvard has no right to mentor our children and no reason to exist.
Supporting core Judeo-Christian American values should be a sine qua non. Some companies have reportedly done that, withdrawing job offers from Harvard students supporting Hamas and Jew killing. Gay and Harvard can do it too, by expelling students, faculty, and staff who support or supported Hamas and the murder of Jews. Failing to do that, Harvard proves it has no right to exist.
Image: C-Span screen shot