After the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, reports of antisemitism at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania were disappointing, but not surprising. Curious to know what was happening on Colgate University’s campus, I went on the Colgate website, but didn’t see the subject addressed — until someone shared with me a link to an Oct. 11 statement on the Colgate website. I was encouraged by a vigil in front of the Colgate Memorial Chapel that same day and a posting on the Colgate website of a presentation by Yossi Klein Halevi addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On Nov. 1, I was emailed a picture of a poster posted around Colgate’s campus that read, “ZIONISTS F— OFF. SAVE SHEIKH JARRAH. FREE PALESTINE.” The Colgate administration’s response to the poster on the Colgate website included the following, dated Nov. 1: “Last night at about 10 p.m., the Campus Safety Department was alerted to anonymous posters, some of which could be read as antisemitic, taped on exterior doors and interior bulletin boards in buildings on the residential and academic quadrangles. These were removed, as Colgate policy strictly prohibits posters without a sponsoring organization.”
The poster in question is blatantly antisemitic and has no place on a college campus — or anywhere, for that matter. It is not a close call; this is openly hostile to Jews and Israel. The qualification that a poster of this type “could be read” as antisemitic evidences a lack of understanding as to what constitutes antisemitism.
While the Colgate statement from Nov. 1 condemned antisemitism, Islamophobia (the antisemitic poster had nothing to do with Islamophobia) and all forms of bigotry, the context suggests the Colgate administration feels it must balance the scales even in the face of virulent antisemitism. If Colgate’s administration wants to lead in creating an “inclusive” campus environment, they can call out and condemn antisemitism when it rears its ugly head, as it did at Colgate on Oct. 31. Tiptoeing around this issue will allow hostility toward the Jewish community to creep into Colgate’s campus culture. The Colgate community deserves better.
Michael Weiner ‘77 • Dec 10, 2023 at 7:12 pm
Could be read? What other interpretation(s) might be reasonable here? The citing of a policy about unregistered organizations as to the authority for removal of the posters is beyond misplaced. What are the qualifications for registering an organization on campus? If these posters were disseminated by a “registered organization” would they be permitted to remain? Academic exploration of differing points of view is necessary, acceptable and expected. That should not extend to the expression of hatred towards any group, however that group may be defined or constituted. This is not a gray area. Do the right thing.