A group of faculty members at Columbia and Barnard have issued a statement opposing ROTC’s return to campus. The statement isn’t terribly noteworthy in itself—except that one of the signatories taking issue with the potential “militarization” of the university is Rashid Khalidi, activist Middle Eastern studies professor and notorious pro-Palestinian cheerleader. Apparently, the “use of force” is “antithetical” to the ethos of the university—but only if America or our allies are involved.
The professors also try playing the “discrimination” card but, perhaps fearing a reprise of the current debate, they argue that any deviation from Columbia’s non-discrimination policy (which includes physical disability and age) should be considered grounds for continuing the ban against ROTC. This position suggests less a high-minded concern with discrimination than lockstep opposition to ROTC.
