New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft took out a full-page ad in several newspapers on Thursday, condemning the anti-Israel protests and the hate being spewed on campuses in the U.S.
Kraft released the ad through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. He pulled his support for Columbia University, his alma mater, last month when the mob violence kick-started.
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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft before the AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Jan. 15, 2022. (Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports)
In the ad, Kraft said he was “saddened” to see what was taking place at Columbia and “appalled” at what was going on across other campuses in the U.S. He said he believed hot political topics should be debated but “hate speech” and “physical intimidation” is “completely unacceptable.”
“The leadership and faculty of so many of our leading educational institutions have failed their students,” Kraft said in the ad. “They have not only given up their positions of authority, but also their moral compasses in upholding the core missions of these colleges and universities – to protect their students and the principles of critical thinking and free speech – to teach how to think, not what to think.
A protester holds a sign during a march on Columbia University campus in support of a protest encampment supporting Palestinians. (REUTERS/David Dee Delgado)
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“Shouting vile, hate filled labels at students while hiding behind masks is not free speech—it is cowardice. Instead of colleges and universities teaching the core principles of free speech and debate our country was founded on, they are emboldening hate that is tearing their campuses, and our youth apart.”
Kraft said that students should not be pardoned for their actions.
“They need to be held accountable in order to send a message to future generations of students – that it is necessary to adhere to the rules of civil society and the codes of conduct of academic communities, and that free speech means standing behind your words and accepting the consequences of your actions,” he said.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 9, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Kraft echoed some of those sentiments on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” on Wednesday night.
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