Middlebury refuses to condemn Hamas, readily condemned Russia for invading Ukraine
‘There is no place here for hate, racism, ethnic discrimination, antisemitism, or Islamophobia,’ the school said in a recent university-wide email.
‘We ask that each of us acts with sensitivity, empathy, and care with the understanding that we as a community and as individuals may be processing these events differently and through the lens of our own experiences,’ the email also states.
In an email sent to students, faculty, staff, and alumni on Monday, Oct. 9, Middlebury College did not specifically condemn Hamas for waging terror on Israel even though the institution had condemned Russia for invading Ukraine in 2022.
“We ask that each of us acts with sensitivity, empathy, and care with the understanding that we as a community and as individuals may be processing these events differently and through the lens of our own experiences,” a screenshot posted to X by Middlebury alum Erielle Davidson states. “Please look out for one another and recognize that some are struggling.”
“Open expression and the free exchange of ideas are core to the Middlebury mission,” the email also states. “However, there is no place here for hate, racism, ethnic discrimination, antisemitism, or Islamophobia.”
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Davidson, who shared the screenshot online and called Middlebury’s response “embarrassing,” received several replies.
“@Middlebury we now know you would stand on the side of Nazi Germany,” one X user replied. “You stand with Hamas. Antisemitism is alive and well in America. It saturates academia where sick academics seek to marinate evil ideologies into the minds and hearts of young people. We now see the results.”
Davidson also screenshotted and posted Middlebury’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia’s aggression against its democratic neighbor is a violation of international law, made only more egregious by its escalation in the face of international condemnation,” the message reads.
Davidson posted on X the statement of Middlebury’s former President Ron Liebowitz, now the president of Brandeis University, to highlight the stark contrast of the two responses.
“We condemn in the strongest way terrorism such as we have seen today perpetrated against innocent civilians; we support Israel’s right to defend itself,” Liebowitz wrote.
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On Oct. 11, Middlebury students organized a vigil with Davida and Rabbi Binyamin of Middlebury Chabad, WCAX reported. Davida Murray, co-director of Middlebury Chabad, said, “It’s important to not let events like this break us, and as Jews, we have a lot of strength within us. We’re all one people, we’re combined by one soul, and joy breaks all barriers, and unity breaks all barriers.”
“I’m scared for my family and friends in Israel. I’m scared for the girl in my high school district, who’s currently a hostage in Gaza. I’m scared for the rising racial tensions and anti-Semitism both in the Middlebury community, and the entire world,” Middlebury student Levi Goldberg told WCAX.
Campus Reform has contacted Middlebury College for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
