Cornell professor’s discriminatory views tarnish academia and align with toxic culture
Russell Rickford stands out not for his extraordinariness, but for his lack thereof.
During the aftermath of an event on Oct. 7, the Cornell University professor made headlines by expressing his excitement about the terror attack that took place. He described the attack as “exhilarating.”
He did not specify what exactly thrilled him – whether it was the massacre at a music festival, the point-blank shooting of innocent people, the mass hostage-taking, the burning of individuals, or the despicable sexual violence.
For someone who opposed Zionism, there were plenty of moments to find exhilarating.
After receiving backlash, Rickford apologized for his poor choice of words.
However, during a pro-Palestinian rally on Oct. 15, his comments were not simply a matter of linguistic misstep. He consistently praised a brutal massacre, stating that “Hamas has challenged the monopoly of violence,” “Hamas has shifted the balance of power,” “Hamas has punctured the illusion of invincibility,” and “Hamas has changed the terms of the debate.”
All this amounted to praising the violent act.
Additionally, Rickford claimed that Palestinians and Gazans on that day experienced a sense of freedom they hadn’t felt in years. He found it exhilarating and energizing, and asserted that those who did not share the sentiment were not truly human.
The real issue here is not the manner in which the sentiment was expressed, but the sentiment itself.
Unfortunately, Rickford was accurate in noting that many Palestinians rejoiced in the deaths of innocent Israeli civilians, but such a reaction is a result of twisted hatred that no compassionate person would excuse or share.
While Rickford emphasized that he abhors violence and the targeting of civilians, this sentiment loses its significance when he expresses admiration for a violent attack that targeted innocent individuals.
Imagine saying, “I completely oppose harm to Olympic athletes, but the 1972 Munich massacre was truly thrilling. I’ve never felt more excited.”
Following the controversy surrounding his comments on Oct. 7, Rickford took a voluntary leave and has returned to teaching. The real issue is not that he wasn’t disciplined by the school but that he seamlessly fits into the environment.
If Rickford were to leave Cornell, he would most likely be replaced by someone with similarly harmful views.
The likelihood of Cornell finding a fair-minded instructor for its “Socialism in America” course is slim. Elite colleges are filled with an anti-Western ideology that pervades the humanities, making individuals like Rickford more common than exceptional cases.
Cornell faculty members supported the anti-Israel campaign at the school, and a diversity and inclusion officer praised the Palestinian “resistance” after the Oct. 7 attack, commending the struggle against colonization, imperialism, capitalism, and white supremacy, attributing these attributes to the United States.
In a society where purveyors of such ideologies enjoy free-speech protections, there is a clear discrepancy in their application.
Imagine a faculty member using poor word choice to praise the tiki torch marchers in Charlottesville – they would likely face consequences that Rickford did not.
The fact that institutions with significant influence over young people harbor such hostility toward our civilization is a scandal of our time. Radicalism, void of critical thought, has become the norm.
Russell Rickford’s toxic rhetoric is a mere symptom of a larger issue plaguing American higher education.
Twitter: @RichLowry
