My Open Letter to Harvard Asking Them to Fire the Plagiarist and Bigot Dr. Claudine Gay

Dear Harvard,

Greetings. My name is Bryan Mark Rigg, and I have been in contact with several members of your institution over the past week expressing my concerns about Dr. Gay's performance during her recent appearance on the Hill. Unfortunately, I have not received any response, and the gravity of the situation compels me to reiterate my apprehensions.

As an author of multiple books on the Holocaust and World War II, a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Yale University, and Cambridge University, and a veteran of the IDF as well as a retired Marine Corps Officer, I present these credentials to underscore the seriousness of my concerns. Also, I am a former member on the board of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and the American Jewish Committee.

The recent revelations regarding Dr. Gay's subpar academic performance over the years and allegations of source theft have intensified my dismay. Beyond her being a plagiarist, her failure to condemn genocide during the Capitol Hill Hearing last week, particularly when directed at Jews in the context of the Nazi Holocaust, is deeply troubling. Moreover, my background as a professor at Southern Methodist University informs my understanding of the gravity of plagiarism she has committed, and I find it alarming that such accusations are now surfacing in connection to Dr. Gay's articles and Ph.D.

Her leadership during the recent events, marked by bigotry, anti-Semitism, and an apparent lack of support for defending Jewish students, is concerning. The discovery of multiple cases of plagiarism within her work adds another layer to the growing list of serious allegations showing she has serious integrity issues. If she were a Marine Corps officer at this point, she would have been relieved of her command. For the record, I want to go over how I understood her testimony from last week and give some analysis and historical context to it.

During her testimony, when asked about the appropriateness of calling for the genocide of Jews at Harvard, Dr. Gay's response was shockingly dismissive, stating that it "depends on the context." This response raises questions about her moral compass and consistency in addressing hate speech. It prompts contemplation about whether she would respond similarly if such statements were directed at other groups like Blacks or sexual minorities? Had someone yelled at the university, “Kill all the Blacks,” one knows how Dr. Gay would have responded and what would have happened to those students!

The concern extends to the apparent sensitivity shown by Dr. Gay and other university leaders in avoiding offense, even when it comes at the expense of condemning anti-Semitic sentiments strongly. The failure to take a clear stance against hate speech that could incite violence against Jewish students is deeply troubling.

Dr. Gay's perceived inconsistency in defending various groups, particularly in comparison to her vocal support for other causes, has sparked criticism. Her defense of Harvard University's admissions policies, despite the institution being found guilty of discrimination against Asians and Whites (also Jews, since they are often lumped into this category) by the Justice Department, adds another layer of complexity to the situation. She shows where she wants to lend her voice.

While Dr. Gay has issued an apology under political pressure, its timing and tone raise doubts about its sincerity. The repercussions are already evident, with prestigious individuals such as Rabbi David Wolpe resigning from a Harvard Board and donors withdrawing their support due to concerns about Dr. Gay's leadership.

As a fellow academic and Holocaust historian, I find Dr. Gay's behavior appalling. The echoes of past atrocities, such as the Holocaust, become louder when leaders fail to unequivocally denounce language that could lead to genocide and persecution. Hitler gave voice to what he wanted to do years before actually doing it at Auschwitz, and allowing people like Hitler, Harvard students of all people, to yell for the murder of Jews, is doing the same thing. It is disheartening to witness a person in Dr. Gay's position endorsing such language on university campuses. It is disgusting that Dr. Gay has not expelled those students.

In conclusion, I strongly urge you to address these concerns promptly and take appropriate action. Dr. Gay's conduct not only reflects poorly on her but also on the institution she represents. It is my sincere hope that Harvard University upholds its commitment to academic integrity, diversity, and the well-being of its students and fires Dr. Gay immediately. She has shown herself to be both morally bankrupt and an academic fraud.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely, Bryan Mark Rigg, PhD