{"id":2156030,"date":"2024-01-22T15:48:03","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T20:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harvard-anti-semitism-task-force-co-chair-under-fire-following-free-beacon-report\/"},"modified":"2024-01-22T15:50:50","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T20:50:50","slug":"harvard-anti-semitism-task-force-co-chair-under-fire-following-free-beacon-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harvard-anti-semitism-task-force-co-chair-under-fire-following-free-beacon-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Harvard Anti-Semitism Task Force Co-Chair Faces Backlash After Free Beacon Report"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fharvard-anti-semitism-task-force-co-chair-under-fire-following-free-beacon-report%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2156030&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><section id=\"article\">\n<article data-post-title=\"Harvard Anti-Semitism Task Force Co-Chair Under Fire Following Free Beacon Report\" data-post-slug=\"http:\/\/how-bidens-menthol-cigarette-ban-could-line-terrorists-pockets\" data-post-url id=\"print-1851321\">\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>\n<p>          Derek Penslar (Twitter\/University of Washington)<br \/>\n  \u2064   \u200c  \u200d<br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<h2>Harvard Anti-Semitism Task Force Co-Chair Faces Backlash<\/h2>\n<p>Harvard&#8217;s decision to appoint Derek Penslar as co-chair of its anti-Semitism <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-to-show-lockdowns-are-killing-more-people-than-the-virus\/\" title=\"How To Show Lockdowns Are Killing More People Than The Virus\">task force<\/a> is causing controversy \u2064after\u200b a report by the <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em> revealed his anti-Israel views.<\/p>\n<p>Interim Harvard president Alan Garber recently selected \u2064Penslar, a Jewish\u200c History professor, to lead the task force, \u2064which aims to uncover the underlying causes\u2063 of anti-Semitism \u200dwithin the university. However, the \u2064 <em>Free Beacon<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/campus\/harvard-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/things-that-donald-trump-did-not-do\/\" title=\"Things That Donald Trump Did Not Do\">anti-semitism<\/a>-task-force-member-called-israel-a-regime-of-apartheid\/&#8221; target=&#8221;_blank&#8221; rel=&#8221;noopener&#8221;>reported<\/a> that\u2063 Penslar had signed a \u200dletter in August referring to Israel as a &#8220;regime of apartheid&#8221; and urging American lawmakers to cut off military aid to the country. The letter also accused &#8220;Jewish billionaire funders&#8221; of supporting the Israeli\u200b government.<\/p>\n<p>Penslar had previously organized\u200d a campaign to defend former Harvard president Claudine\u2062 Gay, who\u200d faced\u200c calls\u200d for her resignation after failing to condemn anti-Semitism during a\u2063 congressional \u200bhearing in December.<\/p>\n<p>Now, influential\u200b Harvard alumni are speaking out against Penslar.<\/p>\n<p>Former \u2064Harvard president Larry Summers <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LHSummers\/status\/1749155870284693775\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">expressed<\/a> his belief that Penslar \u2064is ill-suited for the task force \u200ddue \u200dto his remarks about Israel. While Summers does not consider Penslar to\u2064 be anti-Semitic, he\u200d believes the professor \u2064has downplayed \u2063Harvard&#8217;s issue with anti-Semitism. Summers has lost confidence in the ability of Harvard leaders to create\u2063 an environment where \u2064Jews and \u2063Israelis can thrive.<\/p>\n<p>Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, a Harvard\u2062 graduate\u200c who previously pressured\u2064 the school to dismiss \u2064Gay, criticized Penslar&#8217;s\u200b appointment, stating \u200cthat it demonstrates Harvard&#8217;s\u2062 continued descent into darkness.<\/p>\n<p>However, some of Penslar&#8217;s colleagues have come to his defense.<\/p>\n<p>In a letter\u2064 to Garber, the American Academy for Jewish Research defended Penslar, describing him as a highly \u2062accomplished scholar of Jewish history whose expertise is crucial in the \u2062current climate, \u200cas reported by \u200cthe <em>Harvard Crimson<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecrimson.com\/article\/2024\/1\/22\/penslar-antisemitism-task-force-controversy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Harvard government professor Steven \u2064Levitsky also supported Penslar and urged Harvard to resist calls\u2063 for his removal \u2063from the anti-Semitism task force.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The same group\u2064 that successfully targeted Claudine Gay is\u200d now targeting Derek Penslar. It doesn&#8217;t surprise me,&#8221; Levitsky told\u2064 the <em>Crimson<\/em>. &#8220;I\u200c believe this\u2063 falls short\u2064 of being \u200ba controversy, and \u2062Harvard \u2063must stand firm against\u2062 this campaign.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Harvard \u200chas experienced a surge in anti-Semitic incidents following \u2062the October terrorist attack by\u200c Hamas against\u2064 Israel. The Department of\u200c Education \u2062has launched an investigation into these incidents, and a group of Jewish students has filed a lawsuit against the university, claiming it\u200d fosters a \u2063hostile environment for \u200bJews.<\/p>\n<p>Penslar and Harvard have not responded to requests\u200d for comment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does the controversy surrounding Derek Penslar&#8217;s appointment affect the credibility of \u2062Harvard&#8217;s anti-Semitism task force?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Er&#8221;>tweeted<\/a> his disappointment in the university&#8217;s decision, stating, &#8220;The credibility of any task\u2063 force depends\u2063 on its members. Derek Penslar&#8217;s views on Israel are extreme and deeply\u200c troubling. Harvard should reconsider this\u2063 appointment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, renowned Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz criticized the choice,\u2064 calling it a &#8220;betrayal&#8221; of the\u2063 Jewish community. He expressed concern that Penslar&#8217;s biased\u200c views may hinder the task force&#8217;s ability to address anti-Semitism objectively.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the\u2062 backlash, Harvard issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to freedom of expression and diverse viewpoints. The university defended Penslar&#8217;s appointment,\u200b stating that\u200d it values \u200dintellectual diversity\u200d and believes in the importance of engaging different perspectives in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dove-beauty-recruits-fat-activist-who-attacked-white-woman-after-blm-rally\/\" title=\"Dove Beauty hires 'activist' involved in controversial incident.\">addressing complex issues<\/a> like anti-Semitism.<\/p>\n<p>However, critics argue that while freedom of expression is crucial, it should not come at the expense of legitimizing anti-Israel sentiment \u2062or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obama-podcast-producer-denies-hamas-atrocities-in-israel-then-deletes-the-evidence\/\" title=\"Obama podcast producer denies Hamas atrocities in Israel, then deletes evidence.\">perpetuating harmful\u2064 stereotypes<\/a> against the Jewish community.<\/p>\n<p>This controversy comes at a time when anti-Semitic incidents have been rising globally, including on college \u2063campuses. Harvard&#8217;s decision to establish an anti-Semitism task force was seen as a positive step towards tackling this issue.<\/p>\n<p>However, the appointment of Penslar, with his questionable views, has raised concerns about the task force&#8217;s ability\u200d to fulfill its purpose effectively. The credibility and neutrality \u200dof the task force may be compromised if one \u2062of its co-chairs holds such controversial opinions.<\/p>\n<p>Some advocates for Jewish students and\u2064 pro-Israel organizations \u200dhave called for Penslar&#8217;s removal from the\u2063 task force, arguing that his biases make him unfit for the role. They argue that it is essential for the task \u200cforce to be led by\u2062 individuals\u200c who can approach the issue objectively and impartially.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, Harvard&#8217;s decision to\u200d appoint Derek Penslar as co-chair of its anti-Semitism task force has\u200d sparked controversy. The revelation of his anti-Israel views has led to backlash from influential\u200d alumni \u200cand Jewish advocates. While Harvard defends the appointment as an expression\u200d of intellectual diversity, \u2064critics\u2063 argue that it undermines the task\u200b force&#8217;s ability \u200bto objectively address\u200b anti-Semitism. As anti-Semitic incidents continue to rise, it\u2062 is crucial for institutions\u2062 like \u200cHarvard to take swift and effective action in combating this hatred.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Harvard&#8217;s selection of Derek Penslar as co-chair of its anti-Semitism task force is facing criticism due to his anti-Israel stance, as revealed by the Washington Free Beacon. Appointed by interim president Alan Garber, Penslar, a Jewish History professor, will help identify the underlying factors behind anti-Semitism<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":2156031,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2156030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2156030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/155"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2156030"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2156030\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2156031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2156030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2156030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2156030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}