The biggest story in today’s news seems to be the defacing of a protest display against the violence in Gaza that currently stands on the Arts Quad. The Cornell Daily Sun put the story above the fold and got react quotes from members of Jewish and Islamic groups on campus.

But the bigger story regarding campus discourse appears near the back of the Sun’s story. The student head of the Islamic Alliance for Justice told the paper that the group received approval and funds from the university for the exhibit. Dean of Students Kent Hubbell ’67 confirmed the IAJ’s claim, saying:

“We [financially] support activities that promote constructive debate regarding contemporary issues of all sorts…We hope that the result will be a constructive one. Sometimes these things are controversial.”

Wait. A Cornell-sanctioned and funded protest? Doesn’t that sort of defeat the purpose of student dialogue? The university’s direct involvement in the supposed debate over the Gaza Strip calls into question the authenticity of the existence of a heart-felt dialogue about the subject. Cornell appears to be stoking a flame that had been extinguishing itself last week.

Even worse is the brazen hypocrisy on behalf of Dean Hubbell. When a student and an S.A. member attempted to strip the Cornell Review of its name last semester, Hubbell stood idly by. He said:

“The Review’s journalism, if one dignifies it with that term, creates a climate of intimidation and alienation among the groups that it targets. Must we tolerate this behavior in order to uphold our commitment to free speech and freedom of expression? I would hope not.”

Hubbell has appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to freedom of speech at Cornell. Since he and the university’s decision-makers deemed appropriate a display equating dead Hamas terrorists with murdered citizens, they threw money at it. “Controversial” indeed.

But when Dean Hubbell (supposedly) read the Review’s admittedly controversial articles on program housing and Islamic terrorism, he derided the paper for creating “a climate of intimidation.”

In our humble opinion, the university’s decision makers should butt out and let students debate the issues themselves. Lest they want to continue embarrassing themselves with eye-popping double standards such as this.

Foreign correspondent Claudia Rosett visited campus today, giving a talk at Rockefeller Hall on the dangers of Iran’s nuclear program.

Ms. Rosett spoke before only a few audience members, but made a compelling case for the use of force against Iranian nuclear targets. The main point, she said, was that the U.S. has let Iran operate unfettered for far too long and must take action against their aggressive behavior before they acquire nuclear capabilities.

Rosett previously worked as a foreign correspondent at the Wall Street Journal for over 25 years. Now, she serves as the journalist-in-residence at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Also noteworthy is that Rosett’s talk was one of the first events sponsored by the nascent Program on Freedom and Free Socieites. The program, backed by the Manhattan Institute is administered by history and classics Prof. Barry Strauss ’74.