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Would Harvard have tolerated an anti-Semite?
Harvard University, the US’s oldest higher-learning institution, has defended Hindutva advocate Subramanian Swamy’s “right to free speech” in response to a petition to oust him as summer instructor for his recent article considered hateful towards Muslims. Click here
The university is well within its rights to take such a view or decision based on the premise that an Islamophobe is entitled to exercise his right to free speech, however “distressful”.
But Harvard’s conclusion begs a simple question. Would Harvard have spared or tolerated an anti-Semite? In other words, would Harvard authorities have condoned Swamy had he said the same things about Jews? Very unlikely.
It is well known that the American public or institutions would not put up with any hatred towards Jews. Indeed, nobody should accept hatred towards not just Jews but all people.
One can reasonably argue that Harvard would not have unqualifiedly upheld free speech had Swamy’s rant been anti-Semitic rather than anti-Islamic.
A statement from Harvard spokesperson Jeff Neal said Swamy’s views were “distressful to many” and “understandably so” but the university upholds the right to free speech. Swamy continues teaching his summer Economics course.
In a July 16 op-ed on combating terror in the DNA newspaper, Swamy proposed disenfranchising Muslims unless they proudly declared their alleged Hindu ancestry and declaring India a Hindu state, apart from demolishing 300 mosques.
I think Swamy’s devious strategy to combat terror brings into question his cognitive functions, mental health and his suitability to be a teacher. His knowledge of counter-terrorism must be hollow. This is what Megan Knight, a reader, commented on a piece in the UK’s Times Higher Learning site on Swamy’s article.
“His (Swamy’s) knowledge of history must be particularly limited, since there have been no instances whatsoever of people ceasing to fight after having all their rights stripped. Man sounds like a loon, and should be deprived of his academic post on the basis of stupidity alone.” Click here
Harvard did not explicitly say if it investigated Swamy, but the spokesperson’s statement suggests it did not consider such an investigation necessary.
Harvard Summer School dean Donald H. Pfister, in an earlier statement, had said Harvard authorities would give “serious attention” to a petition from over 250 Harvard affiliates to terminate Swamy, suggesting some kind of disciplinary investigation. Click here
Separately, in an editorial, the Harvard Crimson — the Ivy League university’s fiercely independent 138-year-old newspaper – slammed Harvard for what it called “Harvard’s historical aversion to dismissing tenured faculty in any circumstance”, calling it “bizarre” and “unjustifiable”.
The editorial referred to past instances when faculty members were defended despite proven misconduct, such as in 2004, when professor “Andrei Shleifer was found liable for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. The University not only refused to fire Shleifer, but it also went so far as to pay $26.5 million to settle a government lawsuit against him.”
I quote the editorial: “As any academic community should, Harvard mandates a certain code of conduct among its members. In turn, that code governs the University’s intellectual vitality and ensures its longevity. Refusing to hold any member of the community accountable — even the most highly esteemed — only sends the message that academic integrity is a suggestion rather than a requirement and an aspiration rather than a reality. Frankly, that’s a message far too dangerous for a research university as prestigious and as well-respected as Harvard to send to its affiliates and to the world.”
As everybody else, I have known Harvard as a hallowed institution of higher learning. And I take away nothing from this historic reputation when I say that Harvard has a heavily brained head but lacks a moral soul.
(81 votes, average: 2.43 out of 5)
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tajender Reply:
August 7th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
jews were always protected by muslims read the history of turkey and spain.they lways preffered to live in muslim ountry than christian countries.they were by christians from jerusalam brought back to jerusalam by omar bin khattab.
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Rajeev Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 12:31 am
That is why you occupied their Temple Mount and installed two mosques over it.
Nice tolerance.
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tajender Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 2:02 am
this area was already destroyed by christians.entire population of jews was expelled.hazrat omar bin khattab brought them back.place was sacred to all three religion.he allowed all three religion worship there.
Rajeev Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 2:26 am
Now that jews are back what stops you from handing them over this site. This site never belonged to you and christians.
tajender Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 3:06 am
can u transfer prayag kashi and mathura to budhhdist they are the original inhabitants of this land.
same people converted to izlam and christianity.so status quo is better solution.
saifi qadeer Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 4:08 am
tajender,
Rajeev is a RSS man. This people just feeded with snake poison not milk when they were child.
This people did not read about ISLAM or Muslim history. just followed some Brahmin(swamy) type *****.
Rajeev u may be a Brahmin, Don’t forgot you people are just 2% in India. Do not create your venom here. Go and dive in Ganga.
Mind it Muslim 25%, Dalit 40%, Christian 10% are still betrayed by your type of citizens.
Anurag Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 4:21 am
What on earth are you blabbering about, tajender? Prayag, Kashi and Mathura (that’s the correct way to spell them!) have always been Hindu sites. Buddhism itself was carved out of Hinduism.
Your comments are getting more and more desperate as you run out of proper arguments.
Rajeev Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 6:10 am
There is no evidence of what you talk of Buddhists. By the way it is matter between us and buddhists so don’t play your divide and rule Islamic politics here.
Before speaking about Buddhists you must know that most of afgahnistan and pakistan was buddhist before muslim barbarians attacked them, destroyed their places of worship, burnt down university and libraries, forced buddhists to accept Islam and exterminated those who refused.
The muslims like you should stop talking about love, tolerance, democracy, human rights etc. because you believe in none.
mha Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 8:32 am
Whole world is now in trouble these because increased influence of RSS minded Hindus at World level. They are playing game to manipulate the news at each and every levels against Muslim, whenever they get opportunity. Christan and Jews should understand the cunning behavior of RSS minded Hindu before it will be too late. Rajeev belongs to same group. Thanks.
Raj Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Dear Tejender/Zia (I think you are two of the same),
I personally sent an email to Harvard and their dean of the Summer School and I hope you’d realise that I had a good number of my contacts at Oxbridge do the same as well. Know one thing – only Hindu seculars have the fundamental right to set right our right wing since our right wing have not gone global, you muslims have plenty to fix in your own house given the transnational nature of Islamic terrorism. Being muslim is your identity, 1st/2nd (Indian) no matter, that means anything you do for Hindu elements will never be accepted because your actions, quite rightly, biased. So, since I have traced most if not all anti-Hindu articles (left or centre wing) emanating from Zia – I ask to let reason prevail and cease, focus on more important issues at hand, leave the Hindu problem to the Hindus.
I am a secular above all, but I do sense bias emerging from Zia’s activities. I think he has biases and that disqualifies his opinions for any reasonable mind, I have never seen him criticise Islamic elements, has anyone? Note one thing as well, you fight the pen (opinion by this Swamy gentleman) with pen, you never hit someone below the belt and take the battle to his/her workplace.
It seems you guys are creating an environment of intimidation – that in the public domain you can’t speak your mind. If you have a problem with an article *SUE* the person, don’t have him fired, or take it out on his household/family and children.
So, Swamy’s article would have to punish his livelihood and his family’s bread and butter to sate Zia’s doubtable position, give me a break. One day Zia, chickens will come back home to roost. If you continue hitting people’s stomachs, eventually, someone will hit yours. Besides, all you could get was some Divinity School rejects to petition, only losers go to Divinity Schools! Bring on some competition comprising of Dalits/Christian/Muslims who at least matter, not losers.
Hindu right wing needs to be checked, but we don’t need an Indian who is visibly an Islamic (or anything else) sympathizers. Though I am an atheist, know that in a diverse country such as India, Hinduism (80+%) is one common identifier of our people, you lose that, India will splinter.
Pallav Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 10:56 am
Intelligent post, Zia!
RajX Reply:
August 9th, 2011 at 11:40 pm
Haha..I dont think tejender is Zia. Tejender is too much of a fun guy to be Zia.
Raj 911 Reply:
August 8th, 2011 at 8:37 am
Why are you hiding behind a Sikh name? Are you a coward? First, proud of your own identity, don’t hide like a thief. But you know, that is what Islam did. Hide behind the truth. Take off your stupid mask, bozo.
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raj1010 Reply:
August 9th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
there was an argument, how non muslims were treated well by muslims, in jerusalem . when some hard questions, facts provided, muslims broght up RSS into picture. & they totally lost the plot. trying to kill the messenger.
the orignal questions were not yet answered. it means they are ashamed or want to divert & push it under carpet. pls answer , then lets us talk about RSS separately.
raj101 Reply:
August 9th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
typical conversation with muslim like tajender , mr T.
muslim authors bias is pointed out by readers (including muslims)
mr. t – no rely or rebuttal to questions or topic discussed
but we get
- islam is very good religion , muslims are good, muslim countries best
- bring in hinduism , hindus, caste – cut & paste anything to criticize these
- blame cia & zionist , usa, jews – what ever fed by ISI
- occasionally bring in christian (may be isi advise)
raj101 Reply:
August 9th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
jews were always protected by muslims read the history of turkey and spain.
— but why were muslims there in the first place.
muslims were always protected by christians read the history of kuwait and iraq
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