The ardent supporter of Columbia University also wrote an opinion piece that appeared on the top page of the New York Post, urging educational institutions to eradicate antisemitism.
In Short
- Robert Kraft criticizes Columbia University’s handling of antisemitism protests.
- He compares current protests to historical events and calls for action and accountability.
- Kraft emphasizes the need for leadership and a safe environment for students.
TFD – Robert Kraft voices concerns about Columbia University’s approach to antisemitism protests, drawing parallels to historical events and calling for action and accountability.
Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, stated on Thursday that there is a further comparison between the countrywide student protests against Israel’s assault in Gaza and the events leading up to the Holocaust.
In an interview Thursday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Kraft, a longtime supporter of Columbia University, said that when he created the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, in part as a response to the “Unite the Right” protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, he saw rising signs of extreme hatred.
He claimed to be observing more parallels between the circumstances that contributed to the emergence of the Nazis and the current campus protests.
According to Kraft, “it starts like it did in Germany in the ’30s.” “I noticed the beginnings of hostility here five years ago. I don’t want the 1940s to replicate here and unfortunately, I’m seeing signs of that and good people have to stand up and be counted. And, you know, that’s where the leadership is.”
“I find it astonishing that young Jewish students at Columbia University in New York City feel afraid,” he continued. “They’re returning home.”
The local branch of the international Hasidic-Orthodox Jewish organization, Chabad at Columbia, said on Sunday that anti-Semitic remarks had been directed towards Jewish students, with some even being ordered to “go back to Poland” and “stop killing children.”
Other Jewish students are participating in the campus rallies despite accusations of harassment directed at Jewish individuals during those times. Since the Middle East turmoil began this fall, Muslim students have also encountered threats on campus.
The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Education Department launched an inquiry in November into claims of antisemitic and Islamophobic acts at several American schools and universities, as well as a nearby school district.
Even though Kraft, a 1963 Columbia graduate, praised the decision to dispatch the New York Police Department to arrest protesters, he compared today’s demonstrations negatively to the antiwar ones he witnessed as a student in the 1960s, hailing that period as a “open forum” where “free speech prevailed and people express[ed] their opinion.”
When called upon, Kraft replied, “I think Mayor [Eric] Adams, Governor [Kathy] Hochul, and the New York Police Department did a great job.” “However, this is about holding people accountable and upholding the policies that are in place on campus.”
Additionally, Kraft penned an opinion piece titled “Stand up to Jew hatred: Campus leaders must show courage and stop radical professors from poisoning young minds” that appeared on the New York Post’s main page on Thursday.
Kraft stated, “The Columbia I loved is no longer a place I know.”
He continued by criticizing academics for being “more focused on politics than they are on education.” When it comes to crackdowns on the demonstrations, a number of faculty members in the areas where protests have broken out have voiced solidarity with the demonstrators.
Kraft stated earlier this week that he would stop giving Columbia financial assistance due to the way the university handled the protests. However, he later emphasized in a different interview that he will continue to support the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life on campus, saying it had served as a “haven of safety.
Wednesday saw the continuation of the nationwide crackdown on school protests, with 108 individuals being detained during demonstrations around Boston’s Emerson College and 93 people being taken into custody on the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles after demonstrators were told to leave.
Following their discussion, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., demanded that President Minouche Shafik of Columbia University step down and threatened to withhold federal funds for education.
Strongly supporting President Shafik as she steers the university through this extraordinarily challenging time,” the board of trustees of Columbia said on Wednesday.
Conclusion
Robert Kraft’s critique underscores the importance of addressing antisemitism on campuses and the role of leadership in fostering a safe and inclusive environment for students. His call for action resonates with ongoing discussions about campus activism and free speech.
Connect with us for the Latest, Current, and Breaking News news updates and videos from thefoxdaily.com. The most recent news in the United States, around the world , in business, opinion, technology, politics, and sports, follow Thefoxdaily on X, Facebook, and Instagram .