Rabbi David Wolpe, a visiting scholar at Harvard and former member of Harvard University's antisemitism task force, explained his resignation from it Thursday during an appearance on Newsmax's "Robb Schmitt Tonight."
Wolpe expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of substantial changes. He pointed out the need for effective measures, stating, "That was really the problem . . . that I didn't see the kinds of changes that we wanted."
Wolpe expressed frustration over what he called the lack of prompt and forceful action to counteract the rise in antisemitic sentiments. "The reason I resigned was because I didn't see the kind of action that I know has to happen right away to restore the university to what it once was," he declared.
The genesis of the task force dates back to Oct. 7, triggered by a surge in antisemitic incidents at Harvard. Wolpe stressed that antisemitism has persisted at various institutions for a long time, including Harvard, Penn, Columbia, Berkeley, and Stanford. The urgency to address the issue intensified after an event on Oct. 7 when individuals on Harvard Yard were seen "celebrating Hamas."
However, amid his concerns, Wolpe shared a positive note. "People should know, even at Harvard, most of the students want to learn and study and have a career," he remarked. Wolpe acknowledged a "core group of agitators," influenced by faculty and administration, but said most are students who aspire to a conventional academic path.
The situation, according to Wolpe, "is nuanced," particularly in the context of a prestigious institution like Harvard. He emphasized the need to address ideological issues decisively, "especially at a place like Harvard, where you would think that people would think this kind of ideology is so simplistic and dangerous that we have to continually call it out."
He emphasized his perspective on achieving equality, stating, "The only way you get equal results is if you take the top down, not by bringing the bottom up." Wolpe criticized the notion of achieving equality through top-down government intervention, considering it "corrupt and mistaken."
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