Cornell University’s leadership has condemned Professor Russell Rickford for calling the Hamas terror attack against Israel on October 7 “exhilarating” during a Sunday pro-Palestinian rally in downtown Ithaca.
The Cornell Daily Sun reported that Rickford, an associate professor of history, said that Hamas “punctured the illusion of invincibility. That’s what they have done. You don’t have to be a Hamas supporter to recognize that.” Rickford proceeded to say that “in those first few hours, even as horrific acts were being carried out, many of which we would not learn about until later, there are many Gazans of good will, many Palestinians of conscience, who abhor violence, as do you, as do I. Who abhor the targeting of civilians, as do you, as do I. Who were able to breathe, they were able to breathe for the first time in years. It was exhilarating. It was exhilarating, it was energizing. And if they weren’t exhilarated by this challenge to the monopoly of violence, the shifting of the violence of power, then they would not be human. I was exhilarated.”
At this point, video footage shows some in the crowd chanting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
For full context, here is the entire video of Cornell University Professor Russell Rickford speaking about Hamas terrorist attacks. Thanks to @nnn_Netanel_nnn for sharing. pic.twitter.com/6ApgIq38BR
— Sam Aberman (@samaberman) October 17, 2023
Rickford told the Sun that he was referring to Hamas breaking “through the apartheid wall,” calling it “a symbol of resistance.” “It really signaled that the Palestinian will to resist had not been broken,” he said. “In subsequent days, we learned of some of the horrifying realities. I want to make it clear that Hamas is a fundamentalist organization. It’s important to note that in some ways, the fundamentalism of Hamas mirrors that of Israeli leadership.” Rickford added that he abhors “the killing of civilians.”
University President Martha Pollack and Board of Trustees Chair Kraig Keyser said in a statement to the Journal, “We learned yesterday of comments that Professor Russell Rickford made over the weekend at an off-campus rally where he described the Hamas terrorist attacks as ‘exhilarating.’ This is a reprehensible comment that demonstrates no regard whatsoever for humanity. As we said in yesterday’s statement, endorsed by senior leadership of the Board of Trustees, any members of our community who have made such statements do not speak for Cornell; in fact, they speak in direct opposition to all we stand for at Cornell. The university is taking this incident seriously and is currently reviewing it consistent with our procedures.”
Pollack’s initial statement from Monday said that that the Hamas terror attack “shattered countless innocent lives, caused unimaginable pain and challenged our very understanding of humanity. The intentional targeting and killing of innocent civilians is the very definition of terrorism. I am sickened by statements glorifying the evilness of Hamas terrorism. Any members of our community who have made such statements do not speak for Cornell; in fact, they speak in direct opposition to all we stand for at Cornell. There is no justification for or moral equivalent to these violent and abhorrent acts. I am outraged by them and, along with senior leadership of the Cornell Board of Trustees, I again condemn them in the strongest possible terms.”
She later added: “Our community must, as it always has, stand against hatred of all forms. I am inspired by our Jewish, Palestinian and Muslim students who were joined by others in holding peaceful vigils last week and who were generous in their expression of shared loss for all in the region. I hope that the Cornell community is able to find grace, care and empathy for one another, and to support one another in the very difficult days ahead.”
Rickford did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment.
Rickford’s comments have received widespread condemnation on social media.
“We are appalled to see a @Cornell Professor not only condoning the brutal murder and kidnapping committed by Hamas against Israelis last week but openly celebrating it,” Anti-Defamation League (ADL) New York / New Jersey posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “This type of language is reprehensible and makes Jewish students feel unsafe.” The Jewish group also lauded Pollack’s Monday statement. “Thank you, President Pollack, for calling out this grotesque language,” they wrote on X. “You reminded everyone that @Cornell is no place for hate and that Jewish students and students of all backgrounds must be made to feel safe on @Cornell’s campus.”
"We are appalled to see a @Cornell Professor not only condoning the brutal murder and kidnapping committed by Hamas against Israelis last week but openly celebrating it. This type of language is reprehensible and makes Jewish students feel unsafe. https://t.co/3cgVY49N1r.
— ADL New York / New Jersey (@ADL_NYNJ) October 17, 2023
"Thank you, President Pollack, for calling out this grotesque language. You reminded everyone that @Cornell is no place for hate and that Jewish students and students of all backgrounds must be made to feel safe on @Cornell's campus. https://t.co/3cgVY49N1r."
— ADL New York / New Jersey (@ADL_NYNJ) October 17, 2023
The Simon Wiesenthal Center also posted on X that Rickford’s remarks were evidence of “moral rot at universities.”
More moral rot at elite universities, this time @Cornell,who describes mass murder, rape and kidnapping as exhilarating!https://t.co/bu9VguAoRS via @nypost
— Simon Wiesenthal Center (@simonwiesenthal) October 17, 2023
Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) posted on X, “Most of us—who have common sense rather than Ivy League degrees—consider Hamas’ terrorism to be terrible and terrifying. A Cornell Professor found it ‘exhilarating’ and ‘energizing.’ Imagine being an Israeli or a Jew on a college campus and being taught by a scholarly sociopath shamelessly celebrating and cheering the cold-blooded murder of your people. Hate in higher ed has been exposed as a central cause of antisemitism in America. We ignore it at our own peril.”
Most of us—who have common sense rather than Ivy League degrees—consider Hamas’ terrorism to be terrible and terrifying.
A Cornell Professor found it “exhilarating” and “energizing.”
Imagine being an Israeli or a Jew on a college campus and being taught by a scholarly…
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) October 17, 2023
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) replied to Torres on X by saying: “The Hamas attacks on Israel were not ‘exciting’ or ‘energizing.’ They were inhumane. We welcome @Cornell Pres. Pollack’s latest statement making clear she is ‘sickened’ by Prof. Rickford’s comments, emphasizing that they are fundamentally contradictory to Cornell University’s values.”
The Hamas attacks on Israel were not "exciting" or "energizing." They were inhumane.
We welcome @Cornell Pres. Pollack's latest statement making clear she is "sickened" by Prof. Rickford's comments, emphasizing that they are fundamentally contradictory to Cornell University's… https://t.co/K19Y0UXUcS
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) October 17, 2023
A couple of petitions have been launched calling for Rickford to be fired, both of which have garnered more than 1,000 signatures.
UPDATE: Rickford apologized for his remarks, stating in a letter to the Sun published on Wednesday: “I apologize for the horrible choice of words that I used in a portion of a speech that was intended to stress grassroots African American, Jewish and Palestinian traditions of resistance to oppression. I recognize that some of the language I used was reprehensible and did not reflect my values. As I said in the speech, I abhor violence and the violent targeting of civilians. I am sorry for the pain that my reckless remarks have caused my family, my students, my colleagues and many others in this time of suffering.”
He added: “As a scholar, a teacher, an activist and a father, I strive to uphold the values of human dignity, peace and justice. I want to make it clear that I unequivocally oppose and denounce racism, anti-semitism, Islamophobia, militarism, fundamentalism and all systems that dehumanize, divide and oppress people.”
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