Harvard’s Kennedy School Dean Should Be Applauded For Defending Academic Integrity

Last week it was reported that Douglas Elmendorf, Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School, decided Award not given Kenneth Roth, the former director at NGO Human Rights Watch was awarded a prestigious fellowship.

A school spokesperson stated that the school made the decision based on “an evaluation of the candidate’s potential contributions” Roth was quick to get out of the school. ran Sympathetic news outlets used his rejection (without any real proof) to portray it as a violation. “academic freedom” It was based on his well-documented antisemitism.

Roth couldn’t help but double down on some items this week. “speculation” He had seen that. Accused Shadowy (again, with no evidence) “donors” of having influenced Elmendorf’s decision — a thinly veiled reference to the “Jewish money” The world’s bogeyman loves to blame others for their misfortunes.

The sad reality is that two separate things can be true at the same exact time: Kenneth Roth has said many false and wildly antisemitic things, and Kenneth Roth also does not deserve a prestigious fellowship at Harvard because he is a poor academic — an ideologue, not an expert, who Weaponized His discipline and his simple manner You cannot trust them to tell the truth. To the extent that his smears about Israel did have any effect on the decision to reject him, Dean Elmendorf should be roundly applauded for protecting his schools’ academic integrity.

First, Kenneth Roth’s protestations aside, it is understandable that people would like to accuse him of being a racist. antisemitismParticularly in his attempts demonize, delegitimize, and hold the Jewish State to a double standard, which is not common for democratic nations. 

Roth’s pathological Obsession With Vilifying Robert Bernstein was its founder and long-serving chairman emeritus when the Jewish State was so bad for Human Rights Watch. Publicly condemn The organization Multiple times for losing its way — and its credibility — under his leadership.  

Roth has a bad habit of repeating dangerous fabrications. These often focus on Jews and/or Israel and are sometimes used to make excuses for Roth. “justify” Antisemitic violence. He has, for instance, been arrested on two separate occasions. Blamed Antisemitic Attacks in the U.K. In Germany You can also find information on Israel (instead o antisemites) Claim He was misunderstood. He also used the Jewish law to refer to him. “primitive,” mockingly Referred Jewish culture, defended war crimes Terrorist organizations, including HamasThe following is an example of a statement: Be dismay Israel has not been subject to more casualties while it defends its own borders. 

It is clear that Dean Elmendorf may feel Roth is not eligible for a Harvard position because he makes false statements about Israel and calls it terrorism. “scholarship.” His supposed ability to “expertise” in international law, Roth’s 2021 histrionic report labeling the Jewish state guilty of “apartheid,” This is a throwback at the Zionism is-racism United Nations canard. It was widely criticized and proved false. rejected. Roth’s dubious understanding of the basics of international humanitarian law and the principle of Proportionality – it is a prospective, not a retrospective analysis – have been repeatedly exposed, as has his disturbing inability to recognize genocide When it comes to threats against Jews. 

Roth appears to have confused the ideas of victim and victim by trying to portray himself as the victim. “free speech” And “academic freedom.” Spreading falsehoods using shoddily-researched reports riddled in Errors, OmissionsSupport outright and / or Lies, is absolutely protected First Amendment activity outside of the academy — but it is precisely the kind of behavior that demonstrates professional unfitness for an academic post. The American Academy of University Professors has. Detailed explanation, “Freedom of speech presumes the freedom of the individual to opine without regard to standards other than the dictates of his or her own conscience and the minimal requirements of the law. By contrast, scholars are failing to do their job — and may be subject to discipline — if they do not reject ideas that have been tested and found wanting.” Roth can (and does) say whatever he wants, but that doesn’t mean anyone has to support, let alone hire him. 

It is also worth noting that both Elmendorf and the Kennedy School are demonstrably not biased towards Israel — despite what the woke mob He might believe that he is being resigned by those who frantically demand it. As recently as 2020, for example, under Dean Elmendorf’s tenure, Saeb Arekat himself, the chief negotiator for the Palestinian Liberation Organization, was awarded a year-long fellowship. The problem here is obviously not Kenneth Roth’s “viewpoint” on Israel or any legitimate criticism he might offer — it is Kenneth Roth’s blind spot born of apparent hate which manifests as disciplinary Incompetence. 

As always though, it is easier to just blame the Jews, or Israel, for causing all the worlds’ problems. 

Dr. Mark Goldfeder, an international lawyer and director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, is a doctor.

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