Syracuse University College Campus Racism Story Exposed as a Hoax
Reports that a white supremacist manifesto were circulating at Syracuse University in upstate New York State have been debunked, but not before the manifesto was used by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as part of his claim that Syracuse needed a new chancellor.
Troubles at the 23,000-student college began in mid-November after racist graffiti was found in a freshman residence hall, according to The New York Times.
Students protested the college’s response and issued a series of demands, including the expulsion of anyone involved in the incidents.
Then came reports that a white supremacist manifesto was sent to some students’ cellphones.
College authorities were told that the document was posted in an online forum and that attempts were made to share it with students using a file-sharing service at the college.
One problem.
Although everyone seemed to know someone who knew about the manifesto, college officials never found anyone who actually got it themselves, Chancellor Kent Syverud told the University Senate on Nov. 20, CBS reported.
“It was apparent that this rumor was probably a hoax,” he said, “but that reality was not communicated clearly and rapidly enough to get ahead of escalating anxiety.”
The manifesto was being called a copy of one written by a New Zealand man before a March shooting spree.
Syverud said social media spread alarm about the manifesto faster than the college could respond to the reports, leading to a situation in which law enforcement members were talking to the media about the case while college officials were lagging behind.
That led to campus protesters demanding that Syverud either resign or sign every student demand as written. Syverud later said that a meeting with students took place and that he hoped all could reach agreement.
In mid-November, Syverud suspended a fraternity that was the subject of a complaint by a black student who claimed she had been harassed after leaving a party at the fraternity.
The college also banned all fraternity social events.
As the events churned, Cuomo, a noted liberal, threw shade at Syverud and ordered the state police to investigate the manifesto, which, as The Daily Wire reported, has been debunked.
“The hateful activities at Syracuse University are most disturbing, not only to the Syracuse University community, but to the greater community of New York. They have not been handled in a manner that reflects this state’s aggressive opposition to such odious, reckless, reprehensible behavior. That these actions should happen on the campus of a leading New York university makes this situation even worse.
“Despite his efforts, I do not believe Chancellor Syverud has handled this matter in a way that instills confidence,” Cuomo said in his statement according to a Syracuse.com report from Nov. 19.
“I believe the Board of Trustees of Syracuse University should immediately bring in an experienced monitor with the relevant expertise to effectively investigate these incidents, clearly communicate the facts with the Board and to the State Police Hate Crimes Task Force and recommend a decisive strategy to address both the specific incidents and behavior.
“In the meantime, I am directing the Task Force to expand their previous investigations to include the recent reports of a white supremacist ‘manifesto’ being digitally disseminated to Syracuse University students in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies.”
For the student protesters, the events were a chance to get publicity for their complaints. For Cuomo, they were a chance to make a political point.
But for critics throughout the country, they were another example of shaky claims of “racism” on campus.
The conservative website The Daily Wire headlined its coverage of the case, “Surprise, Surprise, The Latest College Racism Claim Turns Out To Be A Hoax.”
Other criticism was less caustic, but still didn’t reflect well on Syracuse, or college protests in general.
Social justice is a movement with an agenda and little time for the facts. The protests at Syracuse University are the latest example of that. https://t.co/yPhrJdnd2a
— azcentral opinions (@azcopinions) December 1, 2019
“The hate-crime hoax has become agitprop in campus social-justice protests,” Arizona Republic editorial page editor Phil Boas wrote in a column published Sunday.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
