Cornell prof who lauded Hamas attack as ‘exhilarating’ is back at school after dodging punishment
The radical Cornell University prof who lauded the Hamas terror attack on Israel as “exhilarating” and “energizing” dodged any punishment and is now back teaching at the upstate Ivy League school.
Shamed history Professor Russell Rickford was out for the past year on “voluntary leave” after widespread public outcry when he was recorded at an off-campus anti-Israel rally cheering Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, invasion that slaughtered 1,200 Israelis.
““It was exhilarating, it was energizing ….I was exhilarated,” Rickford said at the time — before apologizing for applauding the mass murder of innocent civilians.
Rickford is now teaching at least two courses at Cornell this semester — African Americans Vision of America and Socialism in America — and a seminar.
Cornell confirmed in a statement to The Post on Sunday that the university did not discipline Rickord for his hateful remarks.
It would not say whether Rickford was paid while on leave.
Rickford’s comments were condemned by the administration at the time as “reprehensible” for showing a “complete disregard for humanity” — but they are still protected by his free-speech rights, said Cornell VP of University Relations Joel Malina.
“Given that Professor Rickford’s comments were made as a private citizen in his free time, the university’s academic leadership has concluded that Professor Rickford’s conduct in relation to this incident did not meet that high bar” to warrant otherwise, Malina said in his e-mail.
Outrage was swift.
“It’s ridiculous,” said Amanda Silberstein, a 21-year-old junior who is vice president of Chabad and Cornellians for Israel.
“Letting his actions go unpunished will allow other professors to follow suit without repercussions. It allows [Rickford] and other professors to indoctrinate students in the classroom,” she said.
“Cornell’s policies are laughable at best.”
Cornell, though a private university, receives $127 million in state funding to help fund the four State University of New York schools it operates, according to a previous Post analysis.
Antisemitism has been so widespread on New York’s college campuses since the Mideast war began that Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered the state’s former chief judge, Jonathan Lippman, to conduct an independent review of the situation. His report is expected to be released within weeks.
As for Rickford, upstate Rep. Claudia Tenney said she is sending a letter to Cornell interim President Michael Kotlikoff to protest his return.
“I am deeply disgusted by Cornell’s decision to continue employing Mr. Rickford after his horrific statements that celebrated the murder of innocent people and incited violence,” Tenney said in the letter provided to The Post.
“Regardless of one’s views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the loss of human life, especially the lives of women, children, and the elderly, including Holocaust survivors, should never be referred to as `energizing’ or `exhilarating,’ ” the pol said.
“Professor Rickford holds a position within the university that allows him to mold and influence young minds. This position demands a higher standard of behavior, one that is free from anti-Semitic rhetoric and vocal support of terrorism. By perpetuating these abhorrent views, Professor Rickford has not only violated his ethical responsibility as an educator, but has also jeopardized the safety of the Jewish community and tarnished Cornell.”
Benjamin Malaken, president of the student Center for Jewish Life at Cornell, said, “I don’t think someone who makes those comments should be educating students.
“It’s not appropriate that he’s teaching.”
Mark Treyger, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, said allowing Rickford to return “is crazy!
“Educators have a legal and moral obligation to ensure all of their students are safe and supported in their classes. This professor failed on both fronts when he proudly and openly glorified the worst massacre against Jews since the Holocaust, which included the slaughter and abduction of college-aged young people,” said Treyger, a former history teacher and Brooklyn city councilman who chaired the Education Committee.
“He has no business working in a classroom with students ever again. Period,” he said of Rickford.
Hochul, who is considered part of Cornell’s board of trustees through her position as governor, was asked by The Post through a rep whether she thought it was appropriate for Rickford to return to Cornell.
The representative responded in an e-mail, “Governor Hochul has repeatedly condemned the brutal Hamas terror attacks of October 7th and believes any glorification of that brutality is outrageous and unacceptable.
“The Governor has directed public colleges and universities to protect students from vile antisemitic harassment and violence, and recently convened leaders from public and private institutions to urge them to keep all students safe.”
In Cornell’s statement to The Post, the school veep, Malina, noted that Rickford apologized for his comments and took a voluntary leave of absence for the remainder of the academic year.
But the university determined that Rickford’s hateful comments ultimately did not warrant disciplinary action, given, “Consistent with well-established principles of academic freedom, Cornell has a process for considering whether public statements such as those expressed off campus by Professor Rickford at a political rally fall under the category of protected speech, or rather demonstrate prohibited bias, discrimination, or harassment,” Malina wrote.
Rickford declined a Post email request for comment.
Cornell was plagued by antisemitism and fiery anti-Israel protests and encampments at its leafy Ithaca campus last school year, along with other campuses. One student, Patrick Dai, pleaded guilty to posting antisemitic threats on the university’s website.
The protests aren’t going away. Anti-Israel vandals defaced a campus building on the first day of classes last month.
