Cornell professor apologizes after saying Hamas' attack left him 'exhilarated' — but only after university condemns him

Cornell University professor Russell Rickford is apologizing after admitting he was "exhilarated" when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel to torture, kidnap, and murder innocent Israelis.

What is the background?

At a pro-Palestine rally in in downtown Ithaca, New York, on Sunday, Rickford appeared to celebrate Hamas' barbaric attack.

"Hamas has challenged the monopoly of violence," Rickford said. "[Palestinians] were able to breathe for the first time in years. It was exhilarating. It was energizing. And if they weren't exhilarated by this challenge to the monopoly of violence, by this shifting of the balance of power, then they would not be human. I was exhilarated."

Cornell Prof. Russell Rickford Speaks at Pro-Palestine Rallywww.youtube.com

The comments immediately generated controversy, and thousands of students demanded Cornell administrators fire Rickford. But he unapologetically doubled down in an interview with Cornell Daily Sun.

What is he saying now?

Amid increasing pressure on Cornell to act, Rickford issued a statement apologizing for his comments at the rally.

"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," Rickford said. "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."

The history professor acknowledged that "some of the language" he used "was reprehensible," and he claimed it "did not reflect my values."

It's not clear, then, why Rickford used such "reprehensible" language if it did not reflect his values. Communication is, after all, a means through which we transmit to others what we think and how we feel.

The apology came one day after Cornell University president Martha Pollack and Board of Trustees chairman Kraig Kayser released a statement addressing Rickford, condemning his comments as "reprehensible."

"The university is taking this incident seriously and is currently reviewing it consistent with our procedures," they said.

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