{"id":135808,"date":"2023-10-19T00:00:12","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T04:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=135808"},"modified":"2023-10-19T13:43:13","modified_gmt":"2023-10-19T17:43:13","slug":"cornell-condemns-comments-by-professor-who-called-hamas-attacks-exhilarating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/cornell-condemns-comments-by-professor-who-called-hamas-attacks-exhilarating\/","title":{"rendered":"Cornell condemns comments by professor who called Hamas attacks \u2018exhilarating\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Says incident under review<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Cornell University has disavowed itself from comments one of its professors made at an off-campus rally that the Hamas attacks against Israel were \u201cexhilarating\u201d and \u201cenergizing.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement provided to The College Fix<\/em> from Cornell media affairs attributed to Cornell University President Martha Pollack and Board of Trustees Chair Kraig Kayser, the campus leaders said that history Professor Russell Rickford\u2019s remarks were \u201creprehensible\u201d and demonstrate \u201cno regard whatsoever for humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we said in yesterday\u2019s statement<\/a>, endorsed by senior leadership of the Board of Trustees, any members of our community who have made such statements do not speak for Cornell,\u201d the statement said. \u201cIn fact, they speak in direct opposition to all we stand for at Cornell. The university is taking this incident seriously and is currently reviewing it consistent with our procedures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rickford, at a Pro-Palestinian rally, told the crowd the Hamas attacks on Israel were \u201cexhilarating,\u201d according to a video, a copy of which<\/a> was obtained by The College Fix.<\/em><\/p>\n

Rickford is an associate professor of history, who specializes in African-American political culture in the post World War II era.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Hamas terror attacks killed more than 1,100 Israeli civilians, including infants, women and families. Thousands more were injured.<\/p>\n

\u201cHamas has shifted the balance of power,\u201d Rickford said at the rally. \u201cHamas has punctured the illusion of invincibility. \u2026 Nothing will be the same again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rickford added that he abhors the targeting of children and civilians, yet added \u201cbut we are able to breathe \u2014 for the first time in years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was exhilarating. It was exhilarating, it was energizing,\u201d Rickford said. \u201cAnd if they weren\u2019t exhilarated by this challenge to the monopoly of violence, by this shifting of the balance of power, then they would not be human. I was exhilarated.\u201d<\/p>\n

The professor\u2019s comments were met with cheers of \u201cPalestine will be free from the river to the sea!\u201d<\/p>\n