In Evelyn Beatrice Hall's 1906 'Friends of Voltaire,' the French philosopher reacts to news of the burning of a book with which he disagrees by formulating the paradigm of free expression in a democratic society.
A gate opens to the Harvard University campus Dec. 13, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. More than 30 Harvard University student organizations released a joint statement saying that the “Israeli regime entirely responsible” for the surprise attack from Hamas that …
Fast forward 117 years and we find ourselves struggling to reconcile this famous defense of free speech with the news that more than 30 Harvard University student organizations co-signed a letter blaming Israel for the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
The truth is that free speech isn’t consequence-free speech. These student groups, their members and faculty supporters have the right to argue for and to justify mass murder and abductions. They don’t have the right to do so without incurring a cost. A Harvard degree opens many doors in business, academia and other industries. Recently, responsible employers have scrutinized prospective employees’ online behavior. Given the reputational damage an institution could suffer as the result of an employee’s private actions, this scrutiny seems like a reasonable step.
Finally, Harvard, as an institution, deserves some close scrutiny. The federal government has an obligation to ensure that organizations that benefit from taxpayer largesse hew to some minimum standards. Institutional rejection of excuses for mass murder, rape and kidnappings represents such a minimum.
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