Amateur Hour at Brandeis

AsleepAtTheWheel
Thu, 10 Apr 2014 00:24:53 +0000

Today Brandeis abruptly withdrew its offer of an honorary degree to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali-born woman and former member of the Dutch Parliament who has spoken out against female mutilation, honor killings, and other abuses of woman that have been perpetrated in the name of Islam. Brandeis withdrew its offer after faculty and students accused the university of being insensitive to Muslim students by honoring Ali.

Story of Brandeis rescinding the honorary degree: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2014/04/09/brandeis-university-rescinds-planned-honorary-degree-outspoken-critic-islam/QEx8bCAu48JVxRLx1Q85DI/story.html

Ali’s statement: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/04/09/ayaan-hirsi-ali-response-brandeis-university-statement/scUhyo0C8NuU1DQU8PxtPN/story.html

I’m a Brandeis alumnus whose S14 has been accepted to this fall’s freshman class with a significant merit scholarship. My son is largely apolitical, but he has no patience for extremist views on either side of the political spectrum. We’ve already been concerned that Brandeis’ politics are so far to the left than any dissenting views will be considered intolerable by faculty and fellow students. The muzzling of such a courageous woman and the cowardice of the university is, to me, disgusting. Although we actually have a re-visit to the school scheduled for next week, there’s no way after a debacle like this that we’ll show up. Whatever side one’s politics are on, it’s clear that it’s truly amateur hour at the highest levels of Brandeis University.