Columbia Professor Resigns in Protest After Pro-Hamas Instructor Allowed to

We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

International and public affairs adjunct professor at Columbia University, Lawrence Rosenblatt, sent a resignation letter to the school’s administration after it had been confirmed that Professor Joseph Massad would teach a class on the “History of the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskala) in 19th century Europe and the development of Zionism.”

Massad is a piece of work. On Oct. 8, 2023, the day after the Hamas slaughter of 1,200 Israelis, Massad wrote a column for the Electronic Intifada, saying, “The sight of the Palestinian resistance fighters storming Israeli checkpoints separating Gaza from Israel was astounding, not only to the Israelis but especially to the Palestinian and Arab peoples who came out across the region to march in support of the Palestinians in their battle against their cruel colonizers.”

He continued, “No less awesome were the scenes witnessed by millions of jubilant Arabs who spent the day watching the news, of Palestinian fighters from Gaza breaking through Israel’s prison fence or gliding over it by air.”

But he’s OK to teach a course on Zionism? I think Columbia’s administration is giving the middle finger to Jews on campus. Evidently, Professor Rosenblatt believes this as well.

“While Massad has a right to think what he thinks and speak what he believes, Columbia has a responsibility to teach objectively and fairly,” wrote Rosenblatt. That’s the difference between “academic freedom” and political activism.

“At best, perhaps one could tolerate a class on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict co-taught from the many diverse Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, though not by someone who advocates for the eradication of a group of people.”

Referring to the slaughter of 1,200 innocents as “awesome” disqualifies anyone from teaching any subject in an accredited university. It’s not surprising that some outraged members of Congress are calling on the university’s accrediting bodies to withdraw their accreditation of Columbia.

Nine Republican Congressmen sent a letter to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education last spring, accusing the New York school of violating standards on “ethics and integrity” as well as failing to support the “student learning experience.”

“Accreditation entities play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and integrity of higher education institutions by assuring quality assurance, public accountability, and continuous improvement. The U.S. Department of Education has come to rely on accrediting agencies to help ensure that the higher education institutions that receive federal funds meet quality standards in curriculum, faculty qualifications, student services, facilities, and educational outcomes,” the May letter said.

Meanwhile, the university mouths all the right words about “free expression and the open exchange of viewpoints” while ignoring the fact that those exchanges and viewpoints are hateful and bigoted.

Would they defend a course taught by a Klu Klux Klan member as necessary for the “open exchange of viewpoints”?

“We have consistently condemned any celebration or promotion of violence or terror,” said a Columbia spokesman. “We remain committed to principles of free expression and the open exchange of viewpoints and perspectives through opportunities for constructive dialogue and understanding throughout our campus community, and we seek to provide a learning environment and classrooms that promote intellectual inquiry and analytical thinking along with civility, tolerance, and respect,” the spokesperson continued.

“Condemning” hate speech is fine and noble. But what are you going to do about it?

There is no opportunity “for constructive dialogue and understanding” with a fanatical hater of Jews. But it’s OK, says the spokesman: students have an opportunity to take the same course from two other professors.

“Professor Massad’s class is one of three courses Columbia students can elect to take next semester on the subject of Zionism and the history of Israel, two of which are offered through Columbia’s Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. Professor Massad’s class is limited to 60 students and is not a required course,” the spokesman added

As far as promoting “intellectual inquiry and analytical thinking along with civility, tolerance, and respect,” there’s nothing “analytical” about celebrating the death of innocents. And saying Massad promotes “tolerance” is an outright lie.

Columbia is a disgrace to the idea of academic freedom and needs to, at the very least, lose federal funding.