For the first time in 41 years, I am ashamed to be an alumna of Connecticut College (Class of 1974). 

Professor Andrew Pessin embodies one of the values for which Connecticut College prides itself, free expression of ideas. Furthermore, to allow one student, Lamiya Khandaker, to interpret a Facebook post as “racist” because it suits her anti-Israel agenda, and then condemn Pessin for expressing his point of view, is unconscionable. Second, Pessin apologized for it and clarified that he was referring to Hamas in his post and not the Palestinians, the rationale for Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Kudos, to Professor Pessin for speaking up for the only democracy in the Middle East. 

All Pessin did was criticize a terrorist organization, Hamas that has been labeled as such by the U.S. government and the European Union. He criticized an organization that uses children as human shields, blows up school buses, reigns missiles on Israeli towns, murders gay people, persecutes Christians, and murders its own people for suspected business transactions with Israelis. Khandaker speaks for a radical anti-Israel organization, yet she offers no criticism of Hamas.

Sherry Alpert

Canton, Mass.