As the far-left radicalization of the City University of New York advances, Kathy Hochul, on brand, is nowhere to be found.
Leadership as New York’s governor is about passionately speaking out in moments like these, harnessing all your voice and power to condemn the cancer of antisemitism being unleashed throughout taxpayer-funded CUNY, and taking action to crush this hate that has left too many Jewish students and faculty feeling unwelcome and searching for the exits.
Fatima Mohammed’s vile, hate-filled speech at CUNY Law’s May 12 commencement ceremony was cheered on by students and faculty as she attacked Jews and other Zionists, proudly flung around antisemitic tropes, accused Israel of carrying out “lynch mobs,” pushed the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement and labeled the NYPD “fascist.”
A commencement ceremony that should be a day of celebration for all attendees was ruined.
The day should have instead been about the culmination of years of hard work to fulfill the dream of earning a college degree.
All students who have poured their heart and soul into this long effort of successfully completing higher education should be able to enjoy this moment free of disgusting bigotry and evilness.
This isn’t unchartered territory for CUNY.
In fact, this is the second year in a row CUNY Law has allowed a commencement speaker to terrorize the audience with rabid hate, lies and demagoguery, leaving Jewish attendees and others infuriated with good reason.
Nerdeen Kiswani used her commencement address last year to attack CUNY administrators for participating in a Jewish-led trip to Israel, claiming it was normalizing “the murder of the Palestinian people.”
Kiswani had previously co-sponsored a CUNY student senate resolution to oppose the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism.
Kiswani’s commencement speech was apparently just the start of darker days and moments to come at CUNY.
Where’s Kathy Hochul on any of this, ever?
In 2021, Professor Mohammed Abassi was caught on video promising to erase the “filth of Israel” off the map.
Later that year, the Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY) passed a resolution advancing the BDS movement.
Last year, Professor Jeffrey Lax at Kingsborough Community College called for a member of a CUNY diversity, equity and inclusion search committee to be removed due to strong support for BDS.
Instead, Lax was hit with a retaliatory investigation condemning his actions.
When the New York City Council recently scheduled a hearing to address antisemitism at CUNY, Chancellor Felix Rodriguez was a no-show even though the hearing was set around his schedule so that he could be there and face the music.
Kathy Hochul’s cowardice and silence all along the way has been duly noted.
This is a time for action, not shrinking.
When Hochul’s play call is to look the other way, it further signals that it’s open season on Jews at CUNY.
The bottom line is this: The administration and culture at CUNY need to be overhauled.
Until that happens, taxpayer funding must be immediately suspended.
This requires the governor to step up and not cower away.
Kathy Hochul has become more terrified of her own shadow than she is motivated to tackle the greatest challenges facing our state.
As usual and on command, she is demonstrating zero passion, zero outrage and zero vision.
Antisemitism is raging at the City University of New York. It’s being promoted, empowered and celebrated. Raw hate is taking hold with toxicity that couldn’t be more dangerous.
There are many Jewish students and faculty at CUNY desperate for the governor to enthusiastically take the reins and lead.
Silence is consent, and inaction is an existential threat to this taxpayer-funded university.
Lee Zeldin was the 2022 Republican nominee for governor.
