Chode compares UW university instructor to navelgazing queer...
Posted on 10/11/2006 4:02:05 PM PDT by llevrok
MILWAUKEE - A university instructor who came under scrutiny for arguing that the U.S. government orchestrated the Sept. 11 attacks likens President Bush to Adolf Hitler in an essay his students are being required to buy for his course.
The essay by Kevin Barrett, "Interpreting the Unspeakable: The Myth of 9/11," is part of a $20 book of essays by 15 authors, according to an unedited copy first obtained by WKOW-TV in Madison and later by The Associated Press.
The book's title is "9/11 and American Empire: Muslims, Jews, and Christians Speak Out." It is on the syllabus for Barrett's course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, "Islam: Religion and Culture," but only three of the essays are required reading, not including Barrett's essay.
Barrett, a part-time instructor who holds a doctorate in African languages and literature and folklore from UW-Madison, is active in a group called Scholars for 9/11 Truth. The group's members say U.S. officials, not al-Qaida terrorists, were behind the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
"Like Bush and the neocons, Hitler and the Nazis inaugurated their new era by destroying an architectural monument and blaming its destruction on their designated enemies," he wrote.
Barrett said Tuesday he was comparing the attacks to the burning of the German parliament building, the Reichstag, in 1933, a key event in the establishment of the Nazi dictatorship.
"That's not comparing them as people, that's comparing the Reichstag fire to the demolition of the World Trade Center, and that's an accurate comparison that I would stand by," he said.
He added: "Hitler had a good 20 to 30 IQ points on Bush, so comparing Bush to Hitler would in many ways be an insult to Hitler."
Moira Megargee, publicity director for the Northampton, Mass., publisher Interlink, said the book is due out at the end of November and the editing isn't finished.
"It is not final and for all we know that essay may not be in the book or may be edited," she said.
The university's decision to allow Barrett to teach the course touched off a controversy over the summer once his views became widely known.
Sixty-one state legislators denounced the move. One county board cut its funding for the UW-Extension by $8,247 — the amount Barrett will earn for teaching the course — in a symbolic protest, even though the course is unrelated to that branch of the UW System.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and his Republican challenger, Mark Green, have both said they believe Barrett should be fired.
One essay Barrett is requiring students to read is entitled: "A Clash Between Justice and Greed," and argues that conflicts between Islam and the western world were made up after the "collapse of the Soviet Union to justify U.S. 'defense' spending, and to provide a pretext of controlling the world's resources."
The author of another essay, "Interpreting Terrorism: Muslim Problem or Covert Operations Nightmare?," contends some western intelligence agencies are commiting acts of terrorism to make them look like the work of radical Islamics.
The university's chief academic officer, Provost Patrick Farrell, decided to retain Barrett for the course after reviewing his plans and qualifications. He said Barrett could present his ideas during one week of the course as long as students were allowed to challenge them.
He later warned Barrett to stop seeking publicity for his personal political views.
Farrell said he has not seen the essay, but faculty can assign readings that may not be popular to everyone.
"I think part of the role of any challenging course here is going to encourage students to think of things from a variety of perspectives," he said.
Lib Code for: Think ONLY like me.
Kevin Barrett reminds me a lot of Ernst Roehm to start with.
No wonder Madison, WI is a liberal cess pool. If my child was attending school there it wouldn't be pretty. I have no tolerance for teacher's spewing their political opinions in the classroom.
tenure is so--o-o-o-o-o sweet.
Nothing like putting your own crap on the must read list.
The article doesn't make it sound like he has it. Tenured profs don't get $8000 a course and the aren't refered to as "instructor."
Why do our children have to be exposed to this garbage in order to be considered educated? The unfortunate people of Wisconsin are paying for this nonsense. This man's bizarre assertions could not survive intellectual scrutiny. I'm glad that many students are enrolled in programs that are more rigorous.
George W. Bush doesn't have a mustache.
Where do these people come up with these things. Hitler was a MUCH better orator. And he had an almost monastic lifestyle, including vegetarian diet and for many years, total abstention form all forms of temptation and carnal pleasures.
Can this professor do that?
Chode compares UW university instructor to navelgazing queer...
if that was true I/m sure he would get the number 1 spot at the ovens (no disrespect to the poor souls who were exterminated by Hitler) this proffessore is lower then bird DO DO
O'Reilly unloaded on this issue tonight. It doesn't make a lot of difference. The professor has tenure in a very left wing University. Nothing will happen to him.
The article says he is a "Part-time Instructor". I doubt he is tenured.
Parents have to be careful what they are paying their tuition for these days.
You are right. This is worse, there is no reason to keep him and he is still there.
Come to Madisonstan for the annual Halloween riots!
I dont get it either.
I am betting there aren't any part-time instructors anywhere teaching Holocaust denial.
He looks just like what you'd expect -- a crunchy granola white guy with a crazed look. What kind of idiot, and a white guy at that, would get a Ph.D. in African languages, literature, and folklore, and expect to teach anywhere outside of Africa?
I wonder what is his DUmmie screen name ?
When will these people grow up?
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.