We're gonna be in the news again

[George64]

April 23, 2025

Dear Cornellians,

Slope Day is a cherished tradition at Cornell — a time for our community to come together to celebrate the end of classes. For decades, student leaders have taken the helm in organizing this event, hiring performers they hope will appeal to the student body.

Unfortunately, although it was not the intention, the selection of Kehlani as this year's headliner has injected division and discord into Slope Day. For that reason, I am rescinding Kehlani's invitation and expect a new lineup for a great 2025 Slope Day to be announced shortly.

In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt, and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media. While any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views, Slope Day is about uniting our community, not dividing it.

I have spent the last few days talking privately with many students about Slope Day, and I appreciate the candor they shared. I also spoke with the student Slope Day Programming Board, who agree that this selection has compromised what is meant to be an inclusive event. Going forward, we will work together to revise the process for researching and selecting performers for this important annual event.

I understand that my decision will be celebrated by some and criticized by others. I believe it is the right thing to do and the decision I must make to ensure community and safety at this high-profile event that reaches the entire campus. Cornell is an institution where "any person can find instruction in any study," and where every person should feel included at the signature social event of the year.

I look forward to celebrating Slope Day together with all of you.

Sincerely,

Michael I. Kotlikoff
President

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Damned if ya do...damned if ya don't.

[LGR14]

You people are all ridiculous. This is someone who wrote "DISMANTLE ISRAEL. ERADICATE ZIONISM" in the aftermath of October 7th.  She called zionists the "scum of the earth." The vast majority of Jews are zionists.  

There's a big difference between a group bringing a speaker to campus (in which case students who disagree or don't want to see someone calling for their destruction can simply stay home), and putting this person on the stage for Slope Day (where students can do the same thing, except that completely undermines the nature of the event itself, unlike in the former scenario).

If I were on campus, I would have left Slope Day before she came on, and that would have been a shame.  There are countless other performers. The blame is on the committee for not doing basic vetting (or for completely ignoring the issue, which is worse) and the administration for rubber-stamping.

[ugarte]

The vast majority of Jews are zionists.  

citation fucking needed

[CAS]

Start with about 45% of the world's Jews live in Israel

[underskill]

The vast majority of Jews are zionists.  

citation fucking needed

We'd all be dead otherwise by now.

[BearLover]

Before this goes any further, you are all going to need to specify what you mean by "Zionism"

[LGR14]

Before this goes any further, you are all going to need to specify what you mean by "Zionism"

The belief in the right of Jews to have self-determination in Israel.

[George64]

Well, it was just a matter of time! According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Kotlikoff folds. "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money," channeling Everitt Dirksen.

[Trotsky]

Both sides have sociopathic leaders who long ago decided the only way out is genocide.  Now it's a race.  If you accept that axiom, all following actions by both make sense.

All well and good. Just don't pretend either side's leaders are any different.  The way to peace, short of mass death, is each side's population of humans rises up and takes out the ghouls at the top of their own ticket, with alacrity.

[stereax]

Well, it was just a matter of time! According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Kotlikoff folds. "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money," channeling Everitt Dirksen.

Please tell me you guys understand what satire is.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Well, it was just a matter of time! According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Kotlikoff folds. "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money," channeling Everitt Dirksen.

Please tell me you guys understand what satire is.

So they switched the joke issue to 4/20.  That works.

[George64]

Well, it was just a matter of time! According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Kotlikoff folds. "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money," channeling Everitt Dirksen.

Please tell me you guys understand what satire is.

I was a math major, but I still understand satire.  But for those who don't, The Sun offered a disclaimer — "Editor's Note: 4/20 content is a part of The Sun's joke issue and contains exaggerated and factually inaccurate information."

I shared this story with a young friend and he replied — "Back in our years, the parody came out on the Friday of Fall Weekend.  I remember my freshman year's issue well because none of us on the floor knew it was coming and that year, November 1965, the banner headline was that all student draft deferments were being cancelled, for the obvious reason.  That morning, starting at about 7:00, people were lined up in the hallways to use the telephone to call home."  There was no disclaimer, so it was genuinely scary. For those of you who never knew life without mobile phones, in mercifully-gone University Halls, there was only one wall-mounted phone in each corridor!
.

[stereax]

Well, it was just a matter of time! According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Kotlikoff folds. "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money," channeling Everitt Dirksen.

Please tell me you guys understand what satire is.

I was a math major, but I still understand satire.  But for those who don't, The Sun offered a disclaimer — "Editor's Note: 4/20 content is a part of The Sun's joke issue and contains exaggerated and factually inaccurate information."

I shared this story with a young friend and he replied — "Back in our years, the parody came out on the Friday of Fall Weekend.  I remember my freshman year's issue well because none of us on the floor knew it was coming and that year, November 1965, the banner headline was that all student draft deferments were being cancelled, for the obvious reason.  That morning, starting at about 7:00, people were lined up in the hallways to use the telephone to call home."  There was no disclaimer, so it was genuinely scary. For those of you who never knew life without mobile phones, in mercifully-gone University Halls, there was only one wall-mounted phone in each corridor!
.

War of the Worlds-esque. Wow.

[George64]

November 1965, the banner headline was that all student draft deferments were being cancelled, for the obvious reason.  That morning, starting at about 7:00, people were lined up in the hallways to use the telephone to call home."

War of the Worlds-esque. Wow.

Took me awhile to get this.  I first thought of the Wells novel, not the radio broadcast.