And by The Boss we mean Bwog-fave Bruce Robbins, whose ruminations on Columbia's dearth of academic freedom made it into this week's edition of The Nation. Esther Kaplan's penetrating investigation of Fair Alma revealed a brewing crisis in contemporary academia: fringe right-wing groups holding controversial events on campuses. And dear God does the future look bleak.

Elsewhere, David Horowitz wrapped up this week's anti-Islamofascist carnival by offering America's complacent masses one final, terrifying anecdote:

"The Vice President of the Muslim Students Association at Columbia protested my use of the word 'jihad' during my speech, which she said meant spiritual 'struggle' rather than 'holy war' The only problem was that I hadn't used the word 'jihad' in my speech at all. It was just one of the talking points she had been given in advance of the event. When I asked her whether she would denounce the terrorist group Hamas, which along with the Muslim Brotherhood created her organization, she evaded the question."

UPDATE, 2:06 AM: Amreen Vora, Vice President of Columbia MSA, wrote to Bwog to say that she never made such a comment, and in fact was not present at the Horowitz event at all.

Also in unholy league with the Islamists is the Columbia Coalition Against the War, a group so dangerous that Horowitz surrounds its name with quotation marks, as if to suggest that they only kinda-sorta exist, but not really, because if they actually existed they wouldn't have quotation marks around their name, right?

Next controversy, please.

Bwog just got a copy of this blast email that went out to GS students.

From: Mary McGee
Date: Oct 11, 2007 4:29 PM
Subject: **Vandalism in Lewisohn Hall

To all GS students:

It is very distressing to report that anti-semitic graffiti was found
in a bathroom stall in Lewisohn Hall. These kinds of hateful crimes
directed against the Jewish community or any other individuals or groups will not be tolerated. I have been a member of the Columbia faculty for thirty years and know that we as a community stand for values that are completely antithetical to such vile and hate-filled images. Let us seize this occasion to renew our commitment to the values of inclusiveness, respect, and toleration that we all cherish. And let us make clear to one another that we will not allow such cowardly hate-mongering to divide our community. I can assure you that the Office of Public Safety and the New York Police Department are conducting a full investigation of this incident .

Peter J. Awn

Dean"

And, after the jump, PrezBo's cumulative response to what we shall heretofore dub (the Great) Racism Rash.

This being the sixth anniversary of the Al-Aqsa intifada, a bunch of Palestinian sympathizers have gathered on the sundial, wearing kaffiyehs and angrily puffing on cigarettes.

Socialists, Palestinian nationals, and Mealac majors/TA's are all in full force.

Also, overhead, the sweet sounds of political/cultural hatred:

"Your prime minister is a war criminal!"

"You're a fucking racist!"

After the jump, some blurry photos.