By Brian Carnell

Friday, August 4, 2000

    Several months ago there was a controversy and bickering back and forth on both sides over claims that Palestinian activist and Columbia professor Edward Said lied about his background. That didn't really get much play outside of the usual small circulation right and left magazines and web sites. Now Said has done something that might get broader notice -- a photograph was recently published of Said throwing a rock at Israeli police during a visit to Lebanon.

    James Sneider has an article on the topic at IntellectualCapital.Com, The Curious Saga of Edward Said. In a very odd turn, Said at first acted surprised that a picture even existed of him throwing the rock, initially saying he didn't think any "media people" were there. But Columbia professors Awi Federgruen and Robert Pollack contacted Agence France Presse, which ran the photograph, only to get a surprising answer on its origins -- the news agency told Federgruen and Presse that Said himself sent them the picture.

    Now, of course, Said's decided to stop talking to the media about the issue.

    Columbia University is taking the same attitude they always take when a new controversy over Said comes up -- it didn't happen on campus, so they don't care. The PR hack assigned to respond on behalf of Columbia said "Columbia commenting on Said's outside activities would be equivalent to commenting on the upcoming presidential race." That may be the case, but as a reader at IntellectualCapital.Com suggested, one wonders if Columbia would adhere to this position if the ideologies were reversed. Would Columbia stick to "no comment" if one of its students were arrested for throwing rocks at an abortion clinic? If one of its professors was caught on videotape participating in a neo-Nazi demonstration in Germany and throwing rocks at police? Or is it just that Columbia generally agrees with Said's anti-Israeli views (as well as the prestige he brings the university) and gives him a free pass to commit acts of violence?

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