The University of Southern California (USC) has barred economics professor John Strauss from campus after he made controversial remarks about Hamas at a pro-Palestinian rally.
Strauss, who is Jewish and supports Israel, was filmed calling Hamas members “murderers” who “should be killed” during the protest.
The university faced backlash over his comments, prompting the administration to restrict him to teaching and interacting with students strictly online for the rest of the semester. (Trending: SNL Legend Unleashes On Democrats)
A circulating petition said, “His racist, xenophobic behavior, including stepping on names during a memorial service at USC for over 10k innocent civilians that lost their lives in Palestine, is unacceptable. His remarks – ‘everyone should be killed, and I hope they all are’ – are not only offensive but also promote and incite violence.”
“People are ignorant. Really ignorant,” said Strauss in a viral video.
“Hamas are murderers. That’s all they are. Everyone should be killed, and I hope they all are,” added the educator.
“I don’t mind if they want to memorialize people who were killed,” said Strauss to reporters.
“That’s fine, just as Jewish students are memorializing Israelis who were killed,” said Strauss.
“But this started as a result of Hamas terrorist attacks,” he concluded.
The Orange County Register editorial board challeneged the decision to remove the professor.
“America’s campuses have become places where it’s somehow actually harder than elsewhere in the marketplace of ideas for a person to express an opinion some students don’t like,” wrote the Orange County Register editorial board.
“Such is the higher-education reality that caught up with USC economics professor John Strauss this week when he found himself booted off his own campus, forced to teach his courses both at the doctoral and undergraduate level online from home, for the supposed sin of speaking out forcefully against the murderous terrorist group Hamas,” charged the group.
“This is an outrage,” protested the board.
Adding, “And to have the university support it is even worse — adults should know better.”
This decision has sparked a counter-backlash, with some criticizing the university’s action as an infringement on free speech.
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