{"id":2161351,"date":"2024-01-28T13:47:03","date_gmt":"2024-01-28T18:47:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/head-of-harvards-anti-semitism-task-force-backs-out-of-panel-on-anti-semitism\/"},"modified":"2024-01-28T13:51:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-28T18:51:40","slug":"head-of-harvards-anti-semitism-task-force-backs-out-of-panel-on-anti-semitism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/head-of-harvards-anti-semitism-task-force-backs-out-of-panel-on-anti-semitism\/","title":{"rendered":"Harvard&#8217;s Anti-Semitism Task Force Head Withdraws from Anti-Semitism Panel"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/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%2Fhead-of-harvards-anti-semitism-task-force-backs-out-of-panel-on-anti-semitism%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=2161351&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--><blockquote>\n<h2>&#8216;It would not be appropriate for me \u200bto make\u2062 public comments at this time,&#8217; Derek Penslar says in statement<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Derek Penslar (Twitter\/University\u2063 of Washington)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<p><span>The head of Harvard University&#8217;s 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>\u200b backed out of a panel\u200b on anti-Semitism he was scheduled to participate in Sunday, citing\u2064 an unwillingness to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-look-to-hold-hunter-biden-in-contempt-after-defiance-of-subpoenas\/\" title=\"House GOP seeks to hold Hunter Biden in contempt for defying subpoenas\">answer questions publicly<\/a>\u200d &#8220;about goings on at Harvard.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Derek Penslar, co-chair of Harvard&#8217;s Presidential Task Force on Combating Anti-Semitism, was <a href=\"https:\/\/cjh.org\/addressing-antisemitism\/\"><span>slated<\/span><\/a>  to speak at a Sunday morning Center\u200b for Jewish History panel titled, &#8220;What is Antisemitism? Definitions and Debates.&#8221; At\u200d the start of the panel, however, moderator Gavriel\u2062 Rosenfield \u2064announced\u200b Penslar&#8217;s\u200d withdrawal from the event and read a statement from the Harvard professor, who has <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/campus\/harvard-anti-semitism-task-force-co-chair-under-fire-following-free-beacon-report\/\"><span>faced criticism<\/span><\/a>  for signing an <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/campus\/harvard-anti-semitism-task-force-member-called-israel-a-regime-of-apartheid\/\"><span>open letter<\/span><\/a>  that called Israel &#8220;a\u2064 regime of apartheid.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>&#8220;I am mindful of \u2064my\u200c role \u200cas co-chair of the Harvard Task Force on Combating Anti-Semitism,&#8221; Penslar said in\u200d his statement, \u2062&#8221;and since at\u2062 the symposium I would invariably be asked to speak about the goings on\u2063 at \u200dHarvard, and since the task force is only \u2063now just\u200d being put together, and its plan of action is being formed, it would not be appropriate for me to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/county-votes-to-ban-coke-machines-over-leftism-your-bigoted-and-racist-thinking-has-no-place-here\/\" title=\"County Votes To Ban Coke Machines Over Leftism: Your \u2018Bigoted And Racist Thinking\u2019 Has No Place Here\">make public comments<\/a> at this time.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Penslar&#8217;s selection to the task force elicited widespread criticism, including \u200cfrom prominent Harvard alumni. Former Harvard president\u200b Larry Summers last week\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LHSummers\/status\/1749155870284693775\"><span>said<\/span><\/a>  Penslar was &#8220;unsuited&#8221; for the task force, while billionaire investor Bill \u2062Ackman said Penslar&#8217;s selection shows Harvard &#8220;continues on the path of\u200d darkness.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One panel participant, Fairfield University&#8217;s Glenn Dynner, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5PGpWfKJqQM\"><span>spoke out<\/span><\/a>  against Penslar&#8217;s critics, accusing them of pushing &#8220;a certain agenda.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>&#8220;I do feel I should acknowledge \u2026 how \u2062problematic \u2063it is and the chilling effect that occurs when somebody&#8217;s arguments\u200c and words are suddenly used against them and often twisted and used\u2062 for a certain agenda,&#8221; Dynner said after praising Penslar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>&#8220;I think all of us feel\u200d a little\u2064 bit now worried \u2063that our words\u2063 too are \u2063going to be twisted,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;So there \u2064is a kind of chilling effect that I would like to acknowledge.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Addressing Antisemitism: Contemporary Challenges\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5PGpWfKJqQM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span>Neither the Center for Jewish History nor\u200c Penslar responded to requests for comment. Had \u2064he participated in the panel, Penslar would have discussed &#8220;difficult \u200dchallenges\u2062 such as identifying the line between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism,\u2064 determining the \u200cdifferences between free speech and hate speech, and deciding the proper role universities should play in navigating these highly-charged issues.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In addition to signing the &#8220;apartheid&#8221; letter, Penslar \u200dorganized a\u200d campaign to defend former Harvard president Claudine Gay after she faced calls to \u2064resign\u200d over her disastrous <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/campus\/anti-semitism-hearing-highlights-ivy-league-hypocrisy-on-free-speech\/\"><span>testimony<\/span><\/a>  during a December congressional hearing on campus anti-Semitism. Dynner\u200b during the panel alluded to the ordeal, saying the fight against anti-Semitism at\u200c Harvard has been &#8220;exploited for political purposes.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>&#8220;We&#8217;ve seen in the case \u200bof Harvard how a \u2062righteous cause, which is\u2062 combating anti-Semitism, can\u2064 also be exploited for political purposes to fight against diversity, equity, and inclusion and \u200bwokeism and so on and so forth.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does Derek Penslar&#8217;s involvement in\u200c the anti-Semitism\u200b task force at Harvard contribute to the controversy surrounding the \u200bpanel discussion?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  The controversy surrounding Derek Penslar&#8217;s involvement in the panel discussion,&#8221; Dynner said.\u200b &#8220;However, I also believe that\u2064 it \u2063is important to have diverse perspectives and voices represented in discussions \u2064on anti-Semitism, even \u2062if we may disagree\u200b with their views.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The controversy surrounding Penslar&#8217;s appointment to the task force stems from an open \u200dletter he signed in 2019 that \u2064criticized Israeli policies and referred to the country as &#8220;a regime of apartheid.&#8221; Critics argue that Penslar&#8217;s involvement with the task force contradicts its objective of combating anti-Semitism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Penslar&#8217;s decision to withdraw from the panel appears to be an\u2064 attempt to prevent further\u200b criticism and controversy. By avoiding public comments on the goings-on at Harvard, he\u200b aims to distance himself \u200dfrom any potential conflicts of interest and maintain \u200dthe credibility of the task force.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>However,\u2062 critics maintain that Penslar&#8217;s withdrawal undermines the purpose of the panel discussion. They argue \u2064that the panel should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/woman-pleads-guilty-to-murder-after-pretending-to-be-stranded-motorist-and-killing-college-student\/\" title=\"Woman admits to murder after posing as stranded motorist and killing student.\">include diverse perspectives<\/a> and open dialogue, even if it means addressing controversial topics \u2064such as Penslar&#8217;s involvement with the task force.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Harvard&#8217;s anti-Semitism task force was established with the goal \u200dof addressing and combating anti-Semitism on campus. It is meant to bring together scholars, experts, and community members to develop strategies and initiatives to tackle this issue. The\u200c controversy surrounding Penslar&#8217;s role within the\u2062 task force raises questions about the effectiveness and impartiality of \u200dits work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>While it\u200d is understandable that Penslar may not want to \u200caddress the ongoing discussions at \u2062Harvard at this time, his withdrawal from\u2064 the panel may be seen as evasive and indicative of a lack of \u200dtransparency. For a task\u200b force that aims to \u2062combat anti-Semitism, it \u2064is crucial to address the concerns and criticisms \u2062raised by the\u200c community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Moving forward, it is important for Harvard University to ensure that\u200d its \u200ctask force is composed of\u200b individuals\u2062 who are committed to combating anti-Semitism and who do not hold controversial \u200bviews that may undermine the task force&#8217;s credibility. Furthermore, \u2063open discussions on controversial topics should be encouraged, while maintaining an atmosphere of respect \u2062and constructive dialogue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The controversy surrounding Derek Penslar&#8217;s withdrawal from the panel highlights the challenges that universities and institutions face when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sean-reyes-reacts-to-allegations-against-tim-ballard-by-avoiding-endorsement\/\" title=\"Sean Reyes responds to allegations against Tim Ballard without endorsing him.\">addressing sensitive issues<\/a> such as anti-Semitism. It serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency, diverse perspectives, and\u200c open dialogue in\u2062 fostering\u2062 understanding and combating discrimination.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Ultimately, the\u2062 effectiveness of \u200bHarvard&#8217;s anti-Semitism task force \u2064will depend on its ability \u2062to navigate these challenges and work towards creating \u200ca campus environment that \u200bis free from discrimination\u200d and \u200bprejudice. This will require the active participation and\u2064 collaboration \u200cof all stakeholders, including \u200dstudents, faculty, alumni, and\u2063 community members.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s not the right time for me to make public remarks,&#8221; states Derek Penslar, head of Harvard University&#8217;s anti-Semitism task force. He withdrew from a panel on anti-Semitism, expressing his reluctance to address inquiries openly &#8220;regarding current events<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2020,"featured_media":2161352,"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-2161351","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\/2161351","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\/2020"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2161351"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2161351\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2161352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2161351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2161351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2161351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}