Teacher's radical 9/11 views raise red flags

Christian Science Monitor ^ | August 18, 2006 | Amanda Paulson

[Graybeard58]

According to Kevin Barrett, the US government planned and carried out the 9/11 attacks, the World Trade Center imploded due to explosives set up ahead of time in the buildings, Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone's plane crash was no accident, and Osama bin Laden has probably been dead since 2001.

Mr. Barrett is not a radical anarchist or a teenager peddling conspiracy theories; he's a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison - a fact that has outraged some state politicians.

The case has drawn national attention and provided grist for conservative talk-show hosts, while the university has been deluged with e-mails against Barrett. Yet it has stuck by the decision to have him teach a planned course on Islam this fall.

Beyond the emotional reactions, the case raises questions about academic freedom: Are there limits to what can be taught, and if so, who decides them? Are certain views indicative of incompetence, as some Wisconsin legislators have said, or does such criticism lead to censorship?

"There should be no limits at all as to what subjects can be subjected to academic analysis," says Stanley Fish, a law professor at Florida International University in Miami. "But you should be performing as an academic and not as a partisan or preacher or moral judge."

That's the view the administration took as well, when they investigated. They found that however outlandish his personal opinions, Barrett - who was given an $8,427 contract to teach this course - was given good reviews for his past teaching. He plans to look at 9/11, including his own views, during one week of the course, but through a range of lenses.

"He does a good job teaching that course, no matter what his views are," says John Wiley, the university's chancellor. Interference from legislators or the public

[butternut_squash_bisque]

Kevin Barrett = turd-polishing, conspiracy theorist. Hey Kev: drop dead, punk!

[nmh]

More taxpayer waste.

Imagine how many minds he will soil forcing his hatred of his country onto others.

[shankbear]

He is a bona fide feckless crapweasel. The three eared puke face crapweasel I am sure.

[thoughtomator]

On one of those points I agree. Wellstone's death was probably not an accident. He was the most formidable long-term competitor to someone who has very conveniently had a lot of inconvenient people in her life die in small plane accidents.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Are certain views indicative of incompetence, as some Wisconsin legislators have said, or does such criticism lead to censorship?

Just posing this question is evidence of incompetence. Tenure and broad, formless definitions of academic freedom are killing the University system. Real freedom entails the possibilty of consequences. We need to deliver a 55 gallon drum of consequences to treasonous brainwashers like this bolshevik.

[coconutt2000]

"He does a good job teaching that course, no matter what his views are," says John Wiley, the university's chancellor.

Then he won't mind allowing students to record every session of the units dealing with 9/11 and posting the video/audio and transcripts on the internet.

[dsc]

Madison has been a hotbed of commmie moonbats for decades.

[WorkingClassFilth]

As much as I am inclined to attribute the worst to the krintons, Wellstone died from the usual combination of circumstances - nothing more. His pilot was incompetent and lied on his resume; he was untrained on the aircraft he was piloting; and he was flying under conditions that we highly dangerous for this kind of aircraft. It was too bad for Wellstone and the others, but them's the brakes. I wouldn't wish that death on anyone, I'm glad he's gone.

The Red Star has sifted this quite finely and if they can't make a go of a conspiracy, then there isn't much to be found. As an aside, I was a the University of Minnesota the day of Wellstone's death. People were crying and somber and the place was like morgue. On MPR - that day - the conspiracy angle was tossed out for the first time that I've heard. In contrast, on 911, my College held a picnic with laughter, merriment and all the brats or soy burgers you could want.

[Wolverine]

Excellent point!

[nmh]

Does he have tenure yet?

I didn't read the entire article. I'm trying to eat my dinner and prefer it stay down.

[Bubba_Leroy]

Mr. Barrett is not a radical anarchist or a teenager peddling conspiracy theories

He's a mainstream DemocRat.

[lesser_satan]

Michael Medved had him on his show the other day. He's a koolaid drinking tinfoil-hat crackpot. Medved pretty much took him apart.

[the invisib1e hand]

ahh yes. people seem to think that while a few well-placed charges will take down nearly any building, a jetliner flyting at top speed nearly fully loaded with fuel can't.

[Capt. Tom]

What's next? Math teachers who teach 7x5=42.

You have your opinion, they have theirs; and they are entitled to teach it in a classroom by today's standards. - tom

[lesser_satan]

I don't think he was a viable competitor to anyone. He was at least as far left as Dennis Kucinich. Had he lived, he probably would have been beaten by Coleman anyway. Coleman was hugely popular at the time, and people were tired of Wellstone's broken promises (with regard to limiting himself to one term and not taking PAC money).

[PhillyRepublican]

That's it. I'm investing all of my money into the Reynolds wrap company. With all thes tin foil hat wearing retards out there I'll make a fortune!!

[ChinaThreat]

I'm sure an astronomy professor wouldn't face criticism if he taught that the Earth was the center of the universe and gravity was a government conspiracy to keep us all on earth.

Sheesh. You would like to think the parents would hesitate to spend tuition money at institutions like this.

[Integrityrocks]

"Sheesh. You would like to think the parents would hesitate to spend tuition money at institutions like this."

That is something I often ponder. Parents do the incredibly noble and difficult job of getting a kid through school and desiring a college education. Then they just allow all that hard work to be undone by these brain suckers? and pay them to do it!!!! Go figure

[TexanToTheCore]

This is why acedemic's opinions no longer carry the weight they once did.


No one cares what they think. And no ne will pay them for their opinions.