Harvard President ‘Sad’ She Caused ‘Pain’ as Pressure Builds Over Controversial Anti-Semitism Testimony
AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Harvard President Claudine Gay told the Harvard Crimson she was “sad” that her words had “amplified” the pain of Jewish students on campus with her performance at a congressional hearing on anti-Semitism amid calls for her resignation.
In an interview with the Crimson, Gay said that “there are some who have confused a right to free expression with the idea that Harvard will condone calls for violence against Jewish student.”
“Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group are vile, they have no place at Harvard, and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account,” she continued.
Gay has been criticized by a wide variety of voices — including the Biden administration and House Democrats — over her refusal to say whether calls for genocide against the Jewish people violated Harvard’s code of conduct.
“We embrace a commitment to free expression, even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful,” said Gay, despite the fact that Harvard was rated the worst university in the country for free speech by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
The embattled leader explained to the Crimson that she “got caught up in what had become at that point, an extended, combative exchange about policies and procedures” during the hearing. “What I should have had the presence of mind to do in that moment was return to my guiding truth, which is that calls for violence against our Jewish community — threats to our Jewish students — have no place at Harvard, and will never go unchallenged.”
“To contemplate that something I said amplified that pain — that’s really difficult,” continued Gay. “It makes me sad.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who sparred with Gay at the hearing, and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman are among the prominent alumni who have called on Gay to resign.
“They must all resign in disgrace,” declared Ackman. “If a CEO of one of our companies gave a similar answer, he or she would be toast within the hour. Why has antisemitism exploded on campus and around the world? Because of leaders like Presidents Gay, Magill and Kornbluth who believe genocide depends on the context,” he added, lumping the presidents of MIT and the University of Pennsylvania into his critique.
