The assistant dean at Cornell University is filmed with a hidden camera, seemingly encouraging the presence of ISIS on campus.
This video has drawn a great deal of scrutiny and criticism. Cornell’s assistant dean Joseph Scaffido appears to be set up, providing answers to questions about ISIS without realizing exactly what he’s talking about. That in itself is very unfortunate.
Project Veritas’ investigative journalist presents himself comes in as a potential student from Morocco and inquires about starting a pro-ISIS club on campus, sending care packages to ISIS and Hamas, and running a ‘training camp’. People have come away from this video in shock, believing that Cornell would support ISIS on campus.
The video shows Scaffido’s extreme ignorance regarding the situation in the Middle East. He appears to have no idea what he’s agreeing to. Using the terms “humanitarian” and “freedom fighters” to describe ISIS and Hamas seem to have won over his heart. Referring to ISIS as “the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria” may be misleading, but does not justify the ignorance that exists among people with influence, particularly on college campuses.
“Cornell fully supports the free exchange of ideas and does not review or control the political ideology of our students. We do not, of course, tolerate unlawful advocacy of violence, and the comment about training by ISIS freedom fighters does not reflect university policy,” said Joel Malina, Cornell’s vice president for university relations.
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