Cornell Professor Russell Rickford, who said the attacks on Israel were “exhilarating” and “energizing,” has taken a leave of absence according to The New York Post.
Rickford, an associate professor of history, went viral for his reaction to the slaughter of innocents.
“It was exhilarating. It was exhilarating, it was energizing,” he was seen telling a crowd of students after Hamas’ attack on Israelis on October 7th.
“I was exhilarated!” he said to a smattering of applause.
Watch the clip below:
“I was exhilarated!” Professor Russell Rickford of @Cornell calls Hamas terrorist attacks “exhilarating” and “energizing” pic.twitter.com/kv2CbZuHEY
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 16, 2023
“Professor Russell Rickford has requested and received approval to take a leave of absence from the university,” the Ivy League school confirmed to the campus newspaper, the Cornell Review.
From The New York Post:
His students first became aware Friday in an email from Professor Tamika Nunley saying she would be taking over his course on post-Civil War African-American history.
“Professor Rickford will be taking a leave of absence and I will assume teaching responsibilities for this course for the remainder of the semester,” she wrote the students in an email obtained by the Review.
A petition demanding Rickford’s termination has gained almost 11,000 signatures on change.org, the outlet reported, noting that among those who called for his resignation are Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY).
More over at The New York Post:
Cornell professor who found Hamas attack ‘exhilarating’ and ‘energizing’ now on leave of absence https://t.co/vlXGuvlZ4Q pic.twitter.com/jjUd2EURQ6
— New York Post (@nypost) October 25, 2023