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After protest from faculty and student body about Ayaan Hirsi Ali …
Brandeis Awards Islamophobe Ayaan Hirsi Ali Honorary Degree
… But one choice stands out like a sore thumb: Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Readers will recall that she is the executive producer of Honor Diaries, the latest bit of Islamophobe propaganda from the Clarion Project shop.
I also reported that she gave an interview in Reason Magazine in which an incredulous interviewer got her to admit she favored extermination of Islam, even by military means. It’s an extraordinary account of unfettered almost genocidal hate.
Today’s statement by Brandeis University president Lawrence – Statement from Brandeis University.
- April 8, 2014 – Following a discussion today between President Frederick Lawrence and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Ms. Hirsi Ali’s name has been withdrawn as an honorary degree recipient at this year’s commencement. She is a compelling public figure and advocate for women’s rights, and we respect and appreciate her work to protect and defend the rights of women and girls throughout the world. That said, we cannot overlook certain of her past statements that are inconsistent with Brandeis University’s core values. For all concerned, we regret that we were not aware of these statements earlier.
Brandeis Rescinds Hirsi Ali Honorary Degree
(Tikun Olam) – A little background is in order. I was made aware of the award originally by a faculty member and wrote the post about the story. It took a few days, but finally campus activists began to organize and in the past few days the Brandeis Justice had an editorial rejecting Hirsi Ali’s degree, the Muslim student group wrote an op-ed and there was a roundly negative news article. Students began a petition campaign and faculty weighed in against it. CAIR put the award on its national bulletin circulated to its members and the media.
In the end, Lawrence bowed to the inevitable and withdrew the degree. Not to have done so would’ve risked a huge scandal which would’ve gone national. While I don’t believe that personally Lawrence has any problems with Hirsi Ali’s Islamophobia, nor would the trustees who are the ultimate “deciders,” he had to recognize the rest of the world doesn’t see things quite the same way.
But one portion of the statement is truly pathetic. How can a university president, former law school dean, and noted legal scholar not understand the principle of due diligence? It would take 15 seconds worth of Google search to dig up the interview from Reason Magazine which I found. The truth is that either a pro-Israel trustee or his chief of staff, who’s a director of the David Project, suggested her to Lawrence.