‘RECKLESS REMARKS’

Cornell Prof. Apologizes After Calling Hamas Attack ‘Exhilarating’

Russell Rickford faced intense backlash after a speech at a pro-Palestine rally.

Cornell University Associate Professor Russell Rickford issued an apology on Wednesday following widespread criticism 0f a speech he gave at an Oct. 15 pro-Palestine rally in Ithaca. Rickford at the time called Hamas’ attack on Israel “exhilarating” and “energizing,” and said it “challenged the monopoly of violence” in the region. Rickford penned an apology in The Cornell Daily Sun on Wednesday, expressing regret for his language amid calls for his resignation. “I recognize that some of the language I used was reprehensible and did not reflect my values,” he wrote. “I am sorry for the pain that my reckless remarks have caused my family, my students, my colleagues and many others in this time of suffering. As a scholar, a teacher, an activist and a father, I strive to uphold the values of human dignity, peace and justice.”