Harvard, according to University President Claudine Gay, is a place that believes in Free Speech above all else. As she tells it calls for the genocide of the Jewish people, while not being something that Harvard condones, have to be allowed on campus because when it comes to free speech the stance of Harvard is non-negotiable.
It all sounds well and good, noble even, but if you're going to make a broad sweeping claim like that you'd better assume that people will be looking to see if you're actually walking the walk that you're talking in sworn testimony before a Congressional hearing. And, quelle surprise, it turns out that to no ones shock President Gay was full of horse puckey.
Two days after Claudine Gay claimed that genocidal rhetoric might be protected speech at Harvard because that’s how committed she is to free speech, her university canceled an event featuring a congressman who’d mocked …. Harvard cancel culture.https://t.co/6L6fILEUrL
— Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) December 12, 2023
Two days. TWO DAYS. Claudine Gay and her cronies in the Harvard administration couldn't contain themselves from being censorious for longer than two days before they reverted to norm and went back to shutting down speeches by people they didn't like. Just outstanding.
You can read the piece yourself (it's short) but the gist is that a conservative student group on campus was looking to run an event featuring two Democratic congressmen that would be cosponsored by American Affairs magazine. Harvard was very helpful in arranging the whole event until one of the Representatives, Massachusetts Rep. Jake Auchincloss, released a statement mocking Gay's claims to be an advocate for 'free speech'. Immediately afterwards Harvard suddenly became much less helpful in setting things up, and indeed began to claim that they had no record that the event was ever scheduled to begin with.
Free Speech indeed.
Seems problematic……….
— Esoteric Darkdonnie (@Darkdonnie) December 12, 2023
Kind of lends credence to the argument.
— u̴n̴·̴a̴·̴p̴o̴l̴·̴o̴·̴g̴e̴t̴·̴i̴c̴ Sauron's Mouth (@DonBrad78335792) December 12, 2023
I guess they don’t need the event anymore since cancelling the event proves their point for them.
— Ben Lerch (@BenLerch1) December 12, 2023
If you told us this was all some sort of Andy Kaufman-esque performance art on the part of the Harvard administration... maybe we wouldn't believe it but we'd be open to considering it.
Once again, it's the inability to detect irony that offends me the most.
— Skeptical Possum (@possumcollege) December 12, 2023
Beyond parody
— Madeleine Howell (@Madelei82243981) December 12, 2023
So much for being champions of free speech.
— FriarFam ‘91/‘92/‘14 (@rwgeelan) December 12, 2023
Well, you know, championing free speech but only freedom of speech about things you like is free speech too... right?
What Gay meant was: free speech for me(& those she likes), not for thee. https://t.co/EBz1V3RXb1
— Zetetic Advocate (@ZeteticAdvocate) December 12, 2023
stunning https://t.co/NFCWXUHYrZ
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 12, 2023
She’s bad and should be removed or step down, but so what if she does? The entire student population and faculty are already propagandized https://t.co/TWsRag9GLd
— Brandon Goldman (@YoThatsRough) December 12, 2023
Which is a good point. Claudine Gay isn't the cause of the virulent intellectual illness that's infected Harvard and so many schools, Claudine Gay is a symptom like so many other things that have been going at our 'elite' institutions have been symptoms. A mental and spiritual rot has taken hold at what should be some of the most rigorously intellectual places in our country, one that will be incredibly difficult to stomp out if it is indeed possible to do so at all. Perhaps shining a light on these things will act as a disinfectant, but with how deep into the very structure of places like Harvard this rot has penetrated... it's hard to hold out much hope.
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