Harvard: Honoring racists who have money
I don’t believe that Harvard would ever honor a racist of middling means, but once wealth has bestowed the Shield of Immunity™, racists will find many institutions willing to honor them, and Harvard seems to have taken a strong position in favor of wealthy racists.
In fairness to Harvard, this man is not only an alumn but a former faculty member for 40 years at Harvard in the department where they are naming a chair after him (he already has one named after him there in Yiddish Studies). I am not agreeing with their decision, but imply that money is the sufficient (albeit perhaps a necessary) cause for this honor is deceptive.
TYD
26 September 2010 at 10:12 am
Good point. The money involved seems to come from former students. Still, money is very much a part of the reason for the honor (and the tactful ignoring of his racist character)—but, as you say, it’s not Peretz’s money that’s involved. Nonetheless, money is the key motivator for Harvard.
LeisureGuy
26 September 2010 at 10:16 am
And Let’s not forget that Harvard is welcoming back with open arms exiting Obama Admin economist Larry Summers, one of the chief engineers of our fiscal disaster. He’s going to offer his pearls of wisdom to future economic leaders.
Jeff
26 September 2010 at 10:46 am
I wouldn’t say “the key motivator” — I suspect the 40+ year relationship is a big part of the key. Money, for any naming thing, is of course a key, but not necessarily the key.
And Harvard may have little choice about Summers. I don’t know about his situation specifically, but many officers of colleges and universities, when they are hired, are simultaneously granted tenured positions in the department of their specialty. Thus, if they do step down, they have the right to step into such a post, even if they take a leave of absence between their office and their faculty assignments.
TYD
26 September 2010 at 12:04 pm
Stanford faced the latter problem with Condi Rice, but apparently it’s been resolved somehow.
I meant that the money was a key motivator for Harvard to overlook Peretz’s racism. Without the money attached, I doubt that the honor would have been given since the racism would then be unameliorated.
LeisureGuy
26 September 2010 at 12:15 pm
Condi Rice is currently a professor at Stanford, so I would guess the resolution was the detractors had to suck it up.
But I think, again, it is hard to attribute the motivate for Harvard and Peretz in that way. Without supporters willing to offer money, of course there would be no naming even if the man had been a saint. OTOH, had he been unaffiliated with the university and held these views, I doubt very much that even double the money would have bought him the naming rights. Money is a necessary component but, I still contend, not sufficient.
TYD
26 September 2010 at 12:34 pm