‘It’s a Yes or No Question!’: Stefanik Grills Harvard President Over Students Calling for ‘Intifada’ on Campus

CHAIR You re recognized ░░░░░░░░ five minutes STEFANIK Dr ░░░░░░░░ a Harvard student calling ░░░░░░░░ the mass murder of ░░░░░░░░ Americans is not protected ░░░░░░░░ speech at Harvard correct ░░░░░░░░ Our commitment to free ░░░░░░░░ STEFANIK It s a ░░░░░░░░ or no question Is ░░░░░░░░ correct Is that OK ░░░░░░░░ students to call for ░░░░░░░░ mass murder of African ░░░░░░░░ at Harvard Is that ░░░░░░░░ free speech GAY Our ░░░░░░░░ to free speech extends ░░░░░░░░ It s a yes ░░░░░░░░ no question Let me ░░░░░░░░ you this You are ░░░░░░░░ of Harvard so I ░░░░░░░░ you re familiar with ░░░░░░░░ term intifada correct GAY ░░░░░░░░ ve heard that term ░░░░░░░░ STEFANIK And you understand ░░░░░░░░ the use of the ░░░░░░░░ intifada in the context ░░░░░░░░ the Israeli Arab conflict ░░░░░░░░ indeed a call for ░░░░░░░░ armed resistance against the ░░░░░░░░ of Israel including violence ░░░░░░░░ civilians and the genocide ░░░░░░░░ Jews Are you aware ░░░░░░░░ that GAY That type ░░░░░░░░ hateful speech is personally ░░░░░░░░ to me STEFANIK And ░░░░░░░░ have been multiple marches ░░░░░░░░ Harvard with students chanting ░░░░░░░░ There is only one ░░░░░░░░ intifada revolution end quote ░░░░░░░░ the intifada Is that ░░░░░░░░ GAY I ve heard ░░░░░░░░ thoughtless reckless and hateful ░░░░░░░░ on our campus Yes ░░░░░░░░ So based upon your ░░░░░░░░ you understand that this ░░░░░░░░ for intifada is to ░░░░░░░░ genocide against the Jewish ░░░░░░░░ in Israel and globally ░░░░░░░░ GAY I will say ░░░░░░░░ that type of hateful ░░░░░░░░ is personally abhorrent to ░░░░░░░░ STEFANIK Do you believe ░░░░░░░░ type of hateful speech ░░░░░░░░ contrary to Harvard s ░░░░░░░░ of conduct Or is ░░░░░░░░ allowed at Harvard GAY ░░░░░░░░ is at odds with ░░░░░░░░ values of Harvard But ░░░░░░░░ values also STEFANIK Can ░░░░░░░░ not say here that ░░░░░░░░ is against code of ░░░░░░░░ at Harvard GAY We ░░░░░░░░ a commitment to free ░░░░░░░░ even of views that ░░░░░░░░ objectionable offensive hateful it ░░░░░░░░ when that speech crosses ░░░░░░░░ conduct that violates our ░░░░░░░░ against bullying harassment crosstalk ░░░░░░░░ Does that speech not ░░░░░░░░ that barrier Does that ░░░░░░░░ not call for the ░░░░░░░░ of Jews and the ░░░░░░░░ of Israel GAY When ░░░░░░░░ speech STEFANIK You testified ░░░░░░░░ you understand that is ░░░░░░░░ definition of intifada Is ░░░░░░░░ speech according to the ░░░░░░░░ of conduct or not ░░░░░░░░ We embrace a commitment ░░░░░░░░ free expression and give ░░░░░░░░ wide berth to free ░░░░░░░░ even of views that ░░░░░░░░ objectionable outrageous and offensive ░░░░░░░░ You and I both ░░░░░░░░ that s not the ░░░░░░░░ You are aware that ░░░░░░░░ ranked dead last when ░░░░░░░░ came to free speech ░░░░░░░░ you not aware of ░░░░░░░░ report GAY As I ░░░░░░░░ earlier I reject that ░░░░░░░░ of our campus STEFANIK ░░░░░░░░ s the data shows ░░░░░░░░ s true And isn ░░░░░░░░ it true that Harvard ░░░░░░░░ rescinded multiple offers of ░░░░░░░░ for applicants and accepted ░░░░░░░░ for sharing offensive memes ░░░░░░░░ statements sometimes as young ░░░░░░░░ 16 years old Did ░░░░░░░░ not rescind those offers ░░░░░░░░ admission GAY That long ░░░░░░░░ my time as president ░░░░░░░░ I can t speak ░░░░░░░░ that STEFANIK But you ░░░░░░░░ that Harvard made that ░░░░░░░░ to rescind those offers ░░░░░░░░ admission GAY I have ░░░░░░░░ reason to contradict the ░░░░░░░░ as you present them ░░░░░░░░ me STEFANIK Correct Because ░░░░░░░░ s a fact You ░░░░░░░░ also aware that a ░░░░░░░░ House faculty Dean was ░░░░░░░░ go over over who ░░░░░░░░ chose to legally represent ░░░░░░░░ That was while you ░░░░░░░░ Dean GAY That is ░░░░░░░░ incorrect characterization of what ░░░░░░░░ STEFANIK What s the ░░░░░░░░ GAY I m not ░░░░░░░░ to get into details ░░░░░░░░ a personnel matter STEFANIK ░░░░░░░░ let me ask you ░░░░░░░░ Will admissions offers be ░░░░░░░░ or any disciplinary action ░░░░░░░░ taken against students or ░░░░░░░░ who say from the ░░░░░░░░ to the sea or ░░░░░░░░ advocating for the murder ░░░░░░░░ Jews GAY As I ░░░░░░░░ said that type of ░░░░░░░░ reckless offensive speech is ░░░░░░░░ abhorrent to me crosstalk ░░░░░░░░ And today that no ░░░░░░░░ GAY When STEFANIK will ░░░░░░░░ taken what action will ░░░░░░░░ taken GAY when speech ░░░░░░░░ into conduct that violates ░░░░░░░░ policies including policies against ░░░░░░░░ harassment or intimidation we ░░░░░░░░ action and we have ░░░░░░░░ disciplinary processes that allow ░░░░░░░░ to hold individuals accountable ░░░░░░░░ What action has been ░░░░░░░░ against students who are ░░░░░░░░ and calling for the ░░░░░░░░ of Jews on Harvard ░░░░░░░░ campus GAY I can ░░░░░░░░ you we have robust ░░░░░░░░ processes crosstalk STEFANIK What ░░░░░░░░ have been taken GAY ░░░░░░░░ actions under way STEFANIK ░░░░░░░░ m not asking I ░░░░░░░░ asking what actions have ░░░░░░░░ taken against those students ░░░░░░░░ Given given rights to ░░░░░░░░ and our obligations under ░░░░░░░░ I will not say ░░░░░░░░ about any specific cases ░░░░░░░░ than to reiterate that ░░░░░░░░ are ongoing STEFANIK Do ░░░░░░░░ know what the number ░░░░░░░░ hate crime in America ░░░░░░░░ GAY I know that ░░░░░░░░ the last couple of ░░░░░░░░ there has been an ░░░░░░░░ rise of anti Semitism ░░░░░░░░ is understand is the ░░░░░░░░ topic that we are ░░░░░░░░ to discuss STEFANIK That ░░░░░░░░ correct It is anti ░░░░░░░░ hate crimes And Harvard ░░░░░░░░ the lowest when it ░░░░░░░░ to protecting Jewish students ░░░░░░░░ is why I ve ░░░░░░░░ for your resignation And ░░░░░░░░ testimony today not being ░░░░░░░░ to answer with moral ░░░░░░░░ speaks volumes I yield ░░░░░░░░ CHAIR: “Gentlewoman yields back.”