University of Florida President Ben Sasse claimed the Harvard student letter that blamed Israel for the surprise attacks from Hamas fell under the right to be an 'abject idiot.'
The former Nebraska Republican senator appeared on Fox News Sunday to issue a complete response to a letter signed by dozens of student groups at Harvard University that said they “hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence” after Hamas fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israel almost a week ago on Simchat Torah, a Jewish holiday celebrating the annual cycle of the Torah scroll reading. Harvard is Sasse's alma mater, but he strongly disagreed with how the administration handled the letter.
ISRAEL WAR: US TO EVACUATE STRANDED AMERICANS BY SEA AS CONFLICT ESCALATES
WATCH: University Of Florida President @BenSasse on his statement criticizing Higher Education’s response to the Israel-Hamas war. pic.twitter.com/iEHW9c8nR7
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) October 15, 2023
"I’ll say this in general — there’s just way too little education happening on a lot of elite campuses in America right now," Sasse said. "Why don’t universities get back to actually educating and help students that are so confused."
At the University of Florida, which touts the most Jewish students of any university, a statement was issued vowing to protect these students and the issue of free speech.
"I mean, I am a zealous defender of free speech, and the Constitution protects the right of people to make an abject idiot themselves," Sasse said. "So obviously, a lot of 18- and 19-year-olds make a lot of dumb choices. And there are definitely students that are part of groups that didn’t know what leadership of their organizations [they] were signing up for."
Harvard University President Claudine Gay issued a statement in response to the letter days after it was published.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“People have asked me where we stand. So, let me be clear. Our university rejects terrorism — that includes the barbaric atrocities perpetrated by Hamas,” Gay said.
Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer and his wife Batia criticized the school's leadership for not taking a strong enough stand against the letter and have subsequently stepped down from Harvard University's executive board.