Univ. of Delaware Asks Panel Member to Step Down

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 10-26-2007, 02:13 AM

You're gonna love the reason...have a barf-bag handy...

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Univ. of Delaware Asks Panel Member to Step Down

Quote:

Yesterday, the University of Delaware asked Asaf Romirowsky to step down from an academic panel at the University of Delaware because another panelist, University of Delaware political scientist Muqtedar Khan, didn't want to share the podium with anyone who served in the Israeli Defense Forces. Romirowsky, who holds joint American/Israeli citizenship and lives in Philadelphia, had been invited to join Khan, his colleague in political science, Stuart Kaufman, a staff member of the National Security Council during the Clinton administration, and a graduate student to discuss anti-Americanism in the Middle East. The program was organized by the College Republicans, the College Democrats, and the Students of Western Civilization Club. The Leadership Institute provided the funds for the panel, which met on the University of Delaware campus on Wednesday evening. The students offered Romirowsky the opportunity to come to campus next week and speak alone, with no other panel members who might object to his presence.

If Khan was just an academic, that would be one thing. But he also straddles the policy world: Khan is a a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and a Pentagon consultant. According to an e-mail he sent to the University, he gave a workshop at the Pentagon yesterday afternoon.

Academics should embrace intellectual challenge; not flee from it.

Just trying to shut up other people by getting them off the panel...

Good job UD!...

dabateman · #2 (**permalink**) 10-26-2007, 02:26 AM

I would say that this is clear cut, but after reading the email, I'm beginning to wonder. Generally you are going to know the panel weeks in advance. This means that if you object to anyone else on the panel, YOU can drop out. I don't know that Khan was given this chance. It seems to me that he was in conversation with another person and this person made the decision to boot Romirowsky instead of Khan. Khan cannot be held accountable for that.

Considering the bad blood between the IDF and Islamic Activists, I cannot blame him for not wanting to share a stage with the guy. Personal feelings are personal feelings and the man has the right to feel the way he feels. I also didn't see in the email where he asked for Romirowsky to be removed from the panel. Lets not read anything into his email and give him the benefit of the doubt.

The fault here is with the University of Delaware and their inability to properly run an event. The real tragedy is the mistreatment of Romirowsky who at the behest of the UD event planners was booted.

saltwn · #3 (**permalink**) 10-26-2007, 04:03 AM

A bunch of children who keep an old hate always close to their hearts.

kit · #4 (**permalink**) 10-26-2007, 05:56 AM

And Khan, the "offended" party, is a consultant to the Pentagon?

Why does that not suprise me?

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