Law Schools

Harvard Law Student Is Rude But Not Anti-Semitic, Say His Defenders

Oh joy, there is an update in the case of the incredibly rude Harvard Law student.

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Harvard Law SchoolOh joy, there is an update in the case of the incredibly rude Harvard Law student who felt the need to ask Tzipi Livni, a former Israeli Foreign Minister and current Israeli Knesset Member, why she was so smelly during an event. Yes, that is something that actually happened; here is the exact quote of his comment to Livni:

How is it that you are so smelly? Oh, it’s a question about the odor of Ms. Tzipi Livni, very smelly, and I was just wondering.

Rudy the Jackhole (yes, we know the student’s real name is available other places on the internet, but in keeping with Above the Law’s general policy of not naming idiot law students, we will not name him) was roundly criticized for his comments, because wow, that was rude, but also because many felt his comments traded on the anti-Semitic stereotype of Jewish people as “smelly” or “dirty.” Now Rudy the Jackhole’s supporters are coming to his defense:

Over the years, we’ve seen [Rudy the Jackhole] experiment with many forms of engagement on this issue [of Palestinian-Israeli relations], from handing out informational fliers to asking pointed substantive questions at events. Earlier this semester he tried a different tactic, calling a male Palestinian speaker a “smelly liar.” He did the same with Livni, asking her during a Q&A how it could be that she was “so smelly.”

So he’s been rude before? That’s not an excuse, it’s a pattern.

We understand those who criticize [Rudy the Jackhole]’s words as disrespectful, reckless, or inappropriate, and we know that he would probably agree with all of those critiques. But based on our own personal experiences with [Rudy the Jackhole], we reject the charge that our friend is an anti-Semite. Knowing [Rudy the Jackhole], we could all see that his aim was more mischief than malice.

With friends like these, who needs enemies? I mean they call his sh*t “disrespectful, reckless, or inappropriate.” But they are taking a hard line that Rudy the Jackhole’s not an anti-Semite. And I am sure they know him to be a “good guy,” but the letter goes on to note Rudy is a political activist for the Palestinian cause. Seems that someone who spends so much time enmeshed in issues regarding Israel must be pretty well-versed in anti-Semitic tropes. Or they should be, less they inadvertently fall into them.

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[Rudy the Jackhole] is now the target of a vicious smear campaign. His name and face have been posted all over the Internet, where hundreds of hateful commenters pile on racist slurs, malign Muslim students at HLS who had nothing to do with [Rudy the Jackhole]’s protest, and threaten various forms of violence against [Rudy the Jackhole]. These tactics are part of a sadly well-worn playbook aimed at discrediting and defaming those who dare challenge Israel’s abuses against Palestinians.

A lot of the dustup surrounding the issue is directly related to being rude and disrespectful to an invited guest. Even if you assume, arguendo, that he didn’t intend to also be anti-Semitic, he was still rude and disrespectful. It is unfortunate that one person’s action may taint a well-thought-out and earnest criticism of Israeli policy, but that is only a justification to distance yourselves from the bad actor.

And let’s take a second to discuss the tactic of trying to obscure Rudy the Jackhole’s actions in the rhetorical cloak of a protest. Calling someone “smelly” is a far cry from a “protest.” Let’s be clear, this “protest” is not designed to actually question Israeli policy or call attention to the material conditions of people in Palestine, it is just intended to embarrass a speaker. And just a few graphs ago they were calling it “mischief.” Which is it?

Plus, to the extent he tried to weaponize his words as a “protest,” then he must accept the full weight of his chosen words, which in this case clearly have anti-Semitic overtones.

A Letter in Support [Harvard Law Record]

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Earlier: Harvard Law Student Is Rude, Insufferable, And Anti-Semitic

Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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