A dozen CEOs have thrown their support behind evil billionaire investor and virtual day-trader, Bill Ackman’s call to boycott the hiring of Harvard students who blamed Israel for a recent Hamas attack. The attack claimed the lives of over 1,200 people, including 22 Americans. Ackman’s call has ignited a firestorm of debate, with business executives endorsing his stance and urging others to follow suit.
In 2021, Bill Ackman referred to Kyle Rittenhouse as a “civic-minded patriot” following an incident in which the 17-year-old shot and killed two unarmed protesters using an illegally obtained AR-15 style rifle. Rittenhouse, travelled to Kenosha, Wisconsin, impersonated a paramedic, then (unnecessarily) tried to safeguard businesses during the protests, riots, and civil unrest that erupted after the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Among the CEOs who have backed Ackman is Jonathan Newman, the CEO of popular salad chain Sweetgreen. Newman expressed his desire to never hire individuals associated with the student groups that signed a letter holding the Israeli regime solely responsible for the violence. David Duel, the CEO of health care services firm EasyHealth, echoed Newman’s sentiment, indicating a growing number of reactionary CEOs hellbent on learning what the Streisand Effect really will be like.
The backlash against the Harvard student groups has been swift, with some organizations backtracking on their initial support for the letter. In an attempt to distance themselves, board members of some groups signing the letter have even resigned. However, the controversy has not died down, as 17 other Harvard groups, along with faculty, staff, and thousands of others, have signed a counter-statement denouncing the original letter as “completely wrong and deeply offensive.”
Former Harvard president, and man who wants 40% unemployment, Larry Summers, while expressing his revulsion at the statement, cautioned against vilifying the students, many of whom may have been unaware of the full implications of the letter. Summers urged everyone to take a step back, emphasizing the need for constructive dialogue rather than personal attacks.
Ackman, the driving force behind the movement, has demanded that Harvard release the names of the student group members who signed the controversial letter, to ensure that businesses do not inadvertently hire them. Ackman’s call has garnered support from Ale Resnik, CEO of the exploitative rental housing startup, Belong, who expressed a desire to stay away from hiring these students in the future. Perhaps people might like to stay away from renting properties from Belong?
It might be hard in 2023 to find a better of example of the run-amok power imbalance of extreme wealth. Despite your personal belief on the Israel-Hamas conflict, doxxing students for a PR bump is not a good look. I think a good rule of thumb is to avoid things that become Wikipedia entries.
