Marc Lamont Hill is in trouble. In light of his speech before the U.N. — where he apparently called for the destruction of Israel (here) — he was removed as a commentator for CNN. He’s been lambasted by social media and scorned by anti-discrimination groups. But for at least one organization, if loving Marc is wrong, they don’t wanna be right. Temple University is standing by their man.
On Wednesday, Hill was given the opportunity to appear before the United Nations in commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and he was so much in solidarity that he endorsed violence and said Israel needed to get outta town, by way of calling for “a free Palestine, from the river to the sea” — meaning, according to the Washington Examiner (and the Anti-Defamation League), the country would be “wiped off the map.”
In addition to being an unemployed network pundit, Marc’s also a professor of Media Studies and Urban Education at Temple in Philadelphia. Speaking to Fox News, the school didn’t endorse his comments, but it said he has the right to say what he wants:
“Marc Lamont Hill has been quoted extensively over the last 24 hours. Marc Lamont Hill does not represent Temple University and his views are his own. However, we acknowledge that he has a constitutionally protected right to express his opinion as a private citizen.”
“We must prioritize peace,” he said, “but we must not romanticize or fetishize it.”
Fetishize??
On Thursday, Marc seemed to back up a smidge via Twitter:
“In my speech, I talked about the need to return to the pre-1967 borders, to give full rights to Palestinian citizens of Israel, and to allow right of return. No part of this is a call to destroy Israel. It’s absurd on its face.”
A spokesperson for that organization confirmed the absurdity:
“Marc Lamont Hill is no longer under contract with CNN.”