CRIMSON JIHAD
The World's Greatest University has selected the former head of the Harvard Islamic Society (HIS), Zayed Yasin '02, as one of the student speakers at this graduation. His speech will be entitled "American Jihad," and will presumably will be an effort to link the term in its less militant "personal struggle" conception of the term with the challenges of graduation. While I respect the efforts of moderate Muslims to regain ownership over Islamic terms that have been abused by militants, as Matthew Yglesias '03 notes, Yasin has quite a dubious claim to "moderate" status. He is a supporter of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), Hamas' number one American fundraiser, and even planned an HIS event for the HLF (the recipient was eventually changed to the Palestinian Red Crescent society, which has its own history of aiding terror attacks).
How did Harvard stumble into this mistake? By its continued warped policy on intercultural relations. When the major wave of multicultural activism came in the 1970s, most universities responded by giving in to the demands - establishing distinct academic majors, living facilities and activity centers for minority groups. Harvard responded differently. While it created an Afro-Am department, it made sure it was one of first-rate scholarship, not simply a platform for activism (which was at the heart of the Cornell West dispute - William Julius Wilson, Henry Louis Gates and Orlando Patterson aren't going anywhere); it however rejected a multi-culural center, fearing self-segregation. Instead, Harvard created the Foundation for Race and Intercultural Relations, which was supposed to supply minority groups with funding and promote intercultural understanding.
From its inception, therefore, the Foundation represented less a vision of intercultural relations at Harvard, than an attempt to deflect minority activism on campus. Thus the Foundation effectly degenerated into a ethnic cheerleader organization, focusing almost entirely on the mission to promote minority cultural groups and activities, without spending significant efforts to promote intergroup cooperation and understanding. (The major exception was its magnificent Cultural Rhythyms festival, which brought together performances and cuisine from all of the university's cultural groups). It became a source of party-line political correctness as well, vigorously opposing the admission of Hillel as a member, since Jews were not "people of color." Its awards process also reflected its priorities - presidents of cultural groups were almost guarenteed a Foundation award, regardless of what they actually accomplished in leading their groups. Thus, Zaheer Ali '94, who as President of the BSA converted it into a campus branch of the Nation of Islam and single-handedly did more to damage race relations on campus than any student in recent memory, was given a Foundation award.
In only the rarest on instances, however, did the Foundation recognize the efforts of students "not of color" that worked to improve race relations (which is why despite who I share the honor with, I am extremely proud of my award). True, my expertise visa vi race relations at Harvard dates from the mid-90s, but I haven't heard anyone tell me that its changed radically since then.
The lesson of the Foundation ties into Zayed Yasin. From the perspective of Harvard's diversity administrators, minority student leaders can do no wrong. Zayed Yasin is held in high regard because he was the leader of the Harvard Islamic Society. It does not matter if he led HIS to support radical Islamist causes, or led a breakthrough in interreligious dialogue - he is important for what he represents than who he is and what he has accomplished. It's long past time for this double-standard to end. Leaders of Harvard minority groups are talented, bright individuals who can either work for or against cultural understanding and tolerance. Zayed Yasin has aligned himself with the worst sectarian elements of his culture; he has not shown the courage and insight that the American Muslim community desperately needs - the last thing that Harvard should be doing is holding him up as the exemplar of its special community of graduates.
The World's Greatest University has selected the former head of the Harvard Islamic Society (HIS), Zayed Yasin '02, as one of the student speakers at this graduation. His speech will be entitled "American Jihad," and will presumably will be an effort to link the term in its less militant "personal struggle" conception of the term with the challenges of graduation. While I respect the efforts of moderate Muslims to regain ownership over Islamic terms that have been abused by militants, as Matthew Yglesias '03 notes, Yasin has quite a dubious claim to "moderate" status. He is a supporter of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), Hamas' number one American fundraiser, and even planned an HIS event for the HLF (the recipient was eventually changed to the Palestinian Red Crescent society, which has its own history of aiding terror attacks).
How did Harvard stumble into this mistake? By its continued warped policy on intercultural relations. When the major wave of multicultural activism came in the 1970s, most universities responded by giving in to the demands - establishing distinct academic majors, living facilities and activity centers for minority groups. Harvard responded differently. While it created an Afro-Am department, it made sure it was one of first-rate scholarship, not simply a platform for activism (which was at the heart of the Cornell West dispute - William Julius Wilson, Henry Louis Gates and Orlando Patterson aren't going anywhere); it however rejected a multi-culural center, fearing self-segregation. Instead, Harvard created the Foundation for Race and Intercultural Relations, which was supposed to supply minority groups with funding and promote intercultural understanding.
From its inception, therefore, the Foundation represented less a vision of intercultural relations at Harvard, than an attempt to deflect minority activism on campus. Thus the Foundation effectly degenerated into a ethnic cheerleader organization, focusing almost entirely on the mission to promote minority cultural groups and activities, without spending significant efforts to promote intergroup cooperation and understanding. (The major exception was its magnificent Cultural Rhythyms festival, which brought together performances and cuisine from all of the university's cultural groups). It became a source of party-line political correctness as well, vigorously opposing the admission of Hillel as a member, since Jews were not "people of color." Its awards process also reflected its priorities - presidents of cultural groups were almost guarenteed a Foundation award, regardless of what they actually accomplished in leading their groups. Thus, Zaheer Ali '94, who as President of the BSA converted it into a campus branch of the Nation of Islam and single-handedly did more to damage race relations on campus than any student in recent memory, was given a Foundation award.
In only the rarest on instances, however, did the Foundation recognize the efforts of students "not of color" that worked to improve race relations (which is why despite who I share the honor with, I am extremely proud of my award). True, my expertise visa vi race relations at Harvard dates from the mid-90s, but I haven't heard anyone tell me that its changed radically since then.
The lesson of the Foundation ties into Zayed Yasin. From the perspective of Harvard's diversity administrators, minority student leaders can do no wrong. Zayed Yasin is held in high regard because he was the leader of the Harvard Islamic Society. It does not matter if he led HIS to support radical Islamist causes, or led a breakthrough in interreligious dialogue - he is important for what he represents than who he is and what he has accomplished. It's long past time for this double-standard to end. Leaders of Harvard minority groups are talented, bright individuals who can either work for or against cultural understanding and tolerance. Zayed Yasin has aligned himself with the worst sectarian elements of his culture; he has not shown the courage and insight that the American Muslim community desperately needs - the last thing that Harvard should be doing is holding him up as the exemplar of its special community of graduates.
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