Posted on 04/11/2012 12:23:06 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
An American historian is “not happy” to have been quoted prominently on TheRealGeorgeZimmerman.com, a Web site set up by the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed the unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida.
As The Lede reported on Tuesday, the bare-bones Web site apparently controlled by the gunman, George Zimmerman, features a link to a PayPal account for donations, an American flag and quotes from writers — including Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine, Henrik Ibsen and James W. Loewen, an American sociologist and historian.
The quote from Mr. Loewen is an observation made in his book, “Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong,” on the need for critical thinking by students: “People have a right to their own opinions, but not to their own facts. Evidence must be located, not created, and opinions not backed by evidence cannot be given much weight.”
Mr. Loewen expressed his alarm at this development on Wednesday in a post on his blog for George Mason University’s History News Network. After noting, “I’m happy to be in the company of Burke, Ibsen, and Paine,” the historian wrote:
Still, it was jarring to see my name and quotation behind the talking heads Tuesday as they told the story of Zimmerman’s lawyers’ resignations on the evening news. I’m not happy with being used as a resource by George Zimmerman, and I disclaim any relationship with him and his cause....
(Excerpt) Read more at thelede.blogs.nytimes.com ...
If I were Zimmerman, I'd stay away from using any Springsteen and Heart music too.
In other words, He is entitled to his own facts and His opinions not backed by evidence can be given much weight.
The good historian is simply seeking publicity. Move on.
. “Such skills might have induced Mr. Zimmerman,” he wrote, “not to profile young African American males, which — this much seems factual — he seems to have done.”
I don’t think Mr. Loewen would know a fact if it hit him in the head.
Boo friggin’ hoo.
I love this summary:
Brown democrat shoots black democrat, white republicans blamed
David Horowitz has also been snarled at by James Loewen. Here is Horowitz’s response:
http://www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org/news/2452/reply-to-loewen
Personally, I think that Mr. Zimmerman should instead post exact quotations by M.L. King, Jr. about racism, hate and persecution, all of which Mr. Zimmerman has been subjected to.
Fairly quickly, I figured out it was crap, and I gave it back a few days later. I probably only read a chapter. It was awful.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.