CUNY Rescinds Request For Tony Kushner's Honorary Degree

Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Tony Kushner will not be receiving an honorary degree from the City University of New York this year due to his views on Israel, The Jewish Week reports.

The Week called the move "rare" and reported that Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld, a member of CUNY's board of trustees, led the charge against John Jay College's request to bestow the degree upon the playwright, which would guarantee him a speaking slot at commencement.

The New York Observer has more on Kushner's Israel views:

Kushner has criticized Israel's treatment of the Palestinians, but has also said that "I want the state of Israel to continue to exist. I've always said that. I've never said anything else. My positions have been lied about and misrepresented in so many ways. People claim that I'm for a one-state solution, which is not true."

What do you think? Should Kushner get the degree or not? Weigh in below.

Comments

[DiAtlanta]

11:33 AM on 05/05/2011

Kushner is one of America's best Playwrights and best minds...but still castrated for trying to have a dialogue...which is what we need to be doing to end this carnage!!!

[Anybodyseenthepopos]

01:11 PM on 05/05/2011

Support of the "boycott" is NOT having a dialogue. It is possible that Mr. Kushner is uninformed. That, in no way means he he should be lauded for spreading ignorance and misinformation.

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifZLk6Ei9-U

[silverstreet]

02:11 PM on 05/05/2011

Your opinion -- not mine. But of course we all know -- or should know -- that criticism of I.s.r.a.e.l. is not. al.l.owed.

[boscobear]

10:30 AM on 05/05/2011

It's their's to either give or not give.

[silverstreet]

02:13 PM on 05/05/2011

The problem is the Wisenfeld did not speak the truth -- and that noone was there to defend Kushner and to point out the "misstatements of fact."

[Joseph Schmoe]

09:02 AM on 05/05/2011

Wiesenfeld and CUNY show their true colors.
Kushner should be--and evidently is--honored to refuse a meaningless scrap of paper over his First Amendment rights.
Truth is truth and sunlight is still the best disinfectant.

[Anybodyseenthepopos]

01:17 PM on 05/05/2011

"First amendment rights"????????

Who told him he has to shut up?
They're under no obligation to honor him for an opinion with which they disagree!!

[silverstreet]

02:15 PM on 05/05/2011

Yes, but you see the truth -- about Israel -- is not permitted in the USA.

[ABACADABRA RABBIT]

01:04 AM on 05/05/2011

doh!

[Vlady]

05:58 PM on 05/04/2011

>>Tony Kushner will not be receiving an honorary degree from the City University of New York

He will be welcome to receive honorary degree from the City University of Damask

[Nelson Penaherrera]

12:03 PM on 05/05/2011

yeah and?

[Vlady]

12:23 PM on 05/05/2011

...5 boxes of chocolate.