Time marches forward. In 2011, Croton-Harmon High School in New York decided to honor John Mearsheimer with its Distinguished Graduate Award. Josh Blumberg, then a senior at the school, was vexed by this. He had learned about Mearsheimer’s work when he was a member of “Write On For Israel,” The Jewish Week newspaper’s advocacy program for high school students. He complained in emails to the school superintendent, principal, vice principal and school board.
The school postponed the award indefinitely.
Then last November, Blumberg, now a student at University of Michigan, was home for Thanksgiving when he got upsetting news: Mearsheimer was granted the award after all!
Blumberg looked into the matter; and he has penned an article for the Jewish Week, “My effort to prevent John Mearsheimer from being honored,” that relates his post-award investigation:
Why was the award granted despite the concerns expressed by the Croton community that the superintendent, and presumably other school officials, had previously thought to be prohibitive? Had the new committee that was to be formed actually materialized, and did it decide that Dr. Mearsheimer was worthy of the award? Why were objections from school board members, which I learned were raised again in 2012, also deemed to be insignificant?
On January 4, [2013] I sent an email to the superintendent, principal, vice-principal, and school board asking these questions, as well as expressing my disappointment in this decision. I told them that Croton-Harmon High School officials owe the community an explanation as to why they felt that Dr. Mearsheimer is to be regarded as a role model for the students of the Croton-Harmon School District….
In a response from the superintendent on January 7, he stated to me that additional research had been done in a newly formed committee that included “a board of education representative and a former board member, and a full representation was achieved including members of the faculty, administration, and student body (which was lacking on the original process). After extensive research and discussion, the group did not find Mr. Mearsheimer to be anti-Semitic. While there were some in the community who might not agree, the committee believed it needed to make an informed decision based on their research and is comfortable with that decision.”
Ha! Who among us has a certificated, official finding of non-anti-semitism? Congratulations to Prof. Mearsheimer.
Josh Blumberg will probably never understand why people don’t like him.
Aww, poor little Joshie. Perhaps his friends at Mich. Hillel can lick his wounds.
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So sick of these brats. Israel creates a entire new sets of spoiled american children, whining about nothing. They are like little parrots that haven’t been fed.
Focus on the country you live in and how you can improve it. Stop the sniveling about pet projects. Loyalty earns respect. It’s a class of whiners, that are often encouraged by their parents, shuls and inward-looking communities.
I have a feeling the Hagel confirmation hearing was the new McCarthyism’s “Have you no sense of decency, sir?” moment.
What is amazing is that Blumberg concludes his report with.
I am disappointed that they would grant this award to someone who has so greatly and vehemently attacked a minority group for exercising its rights.
This is dripping with nonsensical Hasbara, lies and defamation. Blumberg makes an accusation that Mearsheimer has vehemently attacked a minority group, but does not (cannot) back up his lie thrown out in print.
Blumberg’s display of self preoccupation and narcissism is also striking.