“The universities are the most liberal institutions in this country, with the possible exception of the mainline churches,” Pipes said. “Of course, the more elite the university, the more left-wing.”
In response to another question, Pipes said he believed the campaign calling for universities, including Harvard, to divest from Israel was losing steam.
Though there were a couple of pointed questions from the audience, no one protested Pipes’ speech, despite the anger sparked by his website earlier this fall.
Wasim Quadir ’03, president of the Harvard Islamic Society, wrote in September that the website appeared to be part of a program to “intimidate” critics of Israel on campus by suggesting they are anti-Semitic.
Pipes said the site aims merely to critique Middle Eastern studies programs that exhibit “intolerance and extremism” and that he is not trying to suppress anyone’s free speech.
“We’re simply saying ‘badly done,’” he said.
Pipes’ speech was co-sponsored by Jews for Conservative Politics, Harvard Students for Israel and the Harvard Republican Club.