Paulin heckled by student
Hertford tutor and acclaimed poet Tom Paulin came under further criticism this week. At the launch of his new book in Borders last Thursday, Oriel student and self-proclaimed Zionist, Jamie Simpson, demanded an apology for Paulin's recent alleged anti-Semitic remarks.
Following the reading of extracts from the book, which includes poems about the suffering of Jews in Nazi Germany, Simpson demanded a response from the English tutor regarding the allegations before being ushered away.
Paulin was quoted recently in an Egyptian newspaper saying that certain Jews should be "shot dead. I think they are Nazis, racists, I feel nothing but hatred for them".
The controversy came just over a week after the conclusion of the Nadeem Ahmed case, in which Paulin acted as moral tutor to the Asian student. After a long-running court battle, the judge deemed Paulin "mischievous" and "counter-productive".
Paulin defended the allegations last Sunday, claiming to be "a lifelong opponent of anti-Semitism" and saying his comments were "distorted".
Dan Cowen, president of the Oxford University Jewish Society, said he was "very unhappy" about Paulin. However, he stated that the society was directing criticism towards "more constructive areas".
Hertford JCR have agreed to support their SCR in its decision to disassociate themselves from any 'racist' remarks made by Paulin.
9th May 2002