Pro-Hamas, delusional professors infect young people with hate

It’s hard to know whether to commend New York University(NYU) for suspending a hateful professor for his vile social media clip concerning Israeli hostages or to castigate them for not properly vetting him in the first place.

Polish-born, adjunct professor Tomasz Skiba, who has worked at the university, for a period of three years, was forced to face the consequences of his ill-advised video which aired on Instagram, confidently stating that, “Israeli hostages being held in Gaza ‘were okay’ and that ‘some of them actually liked their time.’”

In another IG post, Tomasz Skiba films himself walking, claiming hostages kidnapped by Hamas were
treated nicely and ate good food.

👉🏼 One hostage has foot surgery in Gaza. Hamas purposefully had her foot reattached upside down.

👉🏼 Her brother had hip surgery with zero… pic.twitter.com/wm4GuMfk58

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 8, 2023

What makes this comment all the more grievous is that this professor teaches applied psychology, the study of focusing on the real world as it implements practical psychological solutions to better serve humanity. Apparently, in Skiba’s estimation, spending time in captivity is one of those “better solutions,” since he is convinced that some of the hostages saw it as a positive.

From a cursory view, Skiba has rationalized that since most of the hostages were okay, and that one girl was able to keep her dog with her, it couldn’t have been such a terrible experience. Yet, ironically, he completely contradicts his personal viewpoint which he claims stems from having been born in a country that lost its own sovereignty, on many occasions, to such nations as Russia and Germany. Consequently, he claims that “he is against taking hostages,” especially when recalling that “his own grandfather was held captive in Siberia.”

Furthermore, he says that he supports the idea that “all people have the right to be free and have a peaceful life.” So, it boggles the mind why a psychology professor, whose ancestral background traces its own suffering at the hands of captors, would feel it necessary to weigh in on a subject that, given his shared family experience, should remain sensitive and supportive to those in similar situations.

Professor Skiba, who is particularly trained in the area of “trauma” must be well aware of the fact that for anyone to be forcibly taken from the comfort of their home, their family and all that is familiar and safe, could only result in that individual experiencing severe trauma and great mental anguish. Since October 7, we have learned that the hostages received very little food, were not permitted to take bathroom breaks when needed or shower, were in constant fear for their lives, and suffered psychological manipulation and abuse as well as physical beatings.

What part of that experience is “not so bad,” to the point where Skiba was willing to say that, perhaps, he might also enjoy being taken hostage in order to “enjoy good food and meet some people?”

As delusional and scary as that statement sounds, what is even scarier is the fact that any respectable university would somehow not have any inkling that this professor had seriously bizarre and frightening positions that would disqualify him from teaching young, impressionable minds who would automatically rely upon this man’s educational expertise as authoritative, ethical and morally correct?

Yet, the sad fact is that many of today’s universities are filled with professors who share such hateful sentiments and are also foolish enough to post their beliefs and political leanings on social media for all to see.

But while these well-heeled learning institutions are hemorrhaging needed financial support, as a result of disgusted donors, it is in the interest of these universities to bite the bullet and distance themselves from these highly controversial hate positions by letting such professors go.

And that is what happened when, yet, a second professor, at the same school, was filmed “denying verified reports that Hamas sexually assaulted women on Oct. 7th, as he, simultaneously, mocked pro-Israel advocates whose reactions were incredulous that this man would be willing to support rapists and murderers who beheaded babies. Referring to a petition which successfully gathered 6600 names, in an attempt to have him removed from the campus, he responded by saying that he considers it an honor to be called antisemitic.

These two professors, whose job it is to impart the wisdom that comes from an educated mind, have no place in the respected halls of learning which, by definition, are supposed to act as a deterrent and a safety net in order to reject the narrowmindedness and bigotry that emanate from the uneducated whose ignorant beliefs advance hate and non-acceptance of others. 

It is actually through the tools of proper guidance and instruction that we, as a collective species, have any chance of surviving the base impulses and human proclivities that we all possess, as fallen and sinful individuals who, left on our own, would not be fit for much. That is why we rely upon the words of scripture and the example of a loving God who shows us how to put aside our evil inclinations and rise above them in order to embrace one another, even despite our differences.

Yet, we are seeing thousands of demonstrators spewing hatred throughout campuses, attesting to the reality that these venues are no longer places that promote tolerance, coexistence and acceptance of all – if they ever were at all.

Just this past Friday, thousands protested at Columbia University in solidarity against the treatment of pro-Palestinian activist groups who endorsed the October 7 massacre and supported the terror group Hamas which perpetrated the attack. The school was under lockdown during the protest, and pro-Palestinian chants could be heard blaring, “Columbia you will see, Palestine will be free, Columbia, you can’t hide, you support genocide.”

Organized by student clubs, these protests are meant to intimidate and send a message to the campus leadership, that even though the group, Students for Justice in Palestine was ousted for violating the school’s policies, there are still enough students who share these views of Jew-hatred and anti-Israel positions, all of which continue to create a very frightening atmosphere in a place where political activism should not be the focus of what is happening.

As we have witnessed for ourselves if a strong and decisive voice of rejection is not heard from the top, how can students be expected to curb their own hatred? If anything, these campuses are in desperate need of skilled professors who can instill the principles of peace, tolerance and the ability to differentiate between good and evil, especially when it’s so obvious for all to see. 

But in the absence of such instructors, there is, inside of each one of us, a God-given conscience, which, when utilized, will serve each individual in knowing how to find truth. It starts with rejecting hate and turning to the author of love.