USC Law School hiring controversial professor

WIS 10 News ^ | Feb. 14th, 2007 | Jack Kuenzie

[Rodney Kings Brain]

(Columbia) February 13, 2007 - When students start classes at the USC law school this fall, they could find a new and controversial figure on the faculty.

He is Wadie Said, son of author and literary critic Edward Said. Before his death in 2003, Edward Said was considered a leading advocate for Palestinian issues. Some pro-Israeli groups called him an extremist - even a racist.

Wadie Said has already generated headlines of his own, most recently as a candidate for a job at the law school at Wayne State University in Detroit, where his critics called him unqualified and a supporter of terrorism.

It's not clear whether Wayne State offered Said the job. But USC did, and law school dean Jack Pratt says Said has accepted, "Our view was that he was a careful young scholar, that he has the opportunity to become a distinguished, mature scholar. We enjoyed what we saw of his visit here and the presentation that he made. And we didn't find him to be extreme in any of his positions."

[Rodney Kings Brain]

South Carolina Freepers - Let the University know how you feel about this. Do we really need pro terror professors teaching Islamic Law? If any of you want to draft an open letter - let me know.

[Carl LaFong]

"a leading advocate for Palestinian issues"
In other words , a terrorist.

[snarks_when_bored]

Bowing to the enemy is a good way to get screwed in the end...

[Long Island Pete]

In other words , a terrorist.

But advocate for Palestinian issues sounds so much nicer and we dont want to offend. What exactly are Palestinian issues other than mass murder?

[em2vn]

Look on the bright side. His brother will be racing in the Daytona 500 this week end.

[veronica]

The rock thrower busted. Commentary - Sept, 1999 - "My Beautiful Old House" and Other Fabrications by Edward Said.(Palestinian Arab rights advocate has fabricated his earlier life)

[Rodney Kings Brain]

Look on the bright side. His brother will be racing in the Daytona 500 this week end.

Please tell me more - I have never heard this

[em2vn]

I believe that Boris Said is his brother. He raced the NASCAR road races for several years but this season he is trying for the full schedule.

[quadrant]

Look on the really bright side: the law school at USC is one of the worst in the country. The man couldn't be in a better position to be ignored.

[UpAllNight]

He apparently was no lover of the Arab kingdoms.

---

The principle of equality that he championed also applies uniformly in the rest of the Arab world, where autocracy, stagnation, and corruption disempower and disenfranchise its people day after day.
....
It therefore struck me as odd, even somewhat improper, that so many members of Palestinian and Arab officialdom came to pay their respects to our family upon my father’s passing. Perhaps they did not hear what he had to say about them, or just refused to listen and merely celebrated the fact that he was a "great figure."

[Between the Lines]

I believe that Boris Said is his brother.

Boris Said's father is Boris (Bob) Said was an Formula 1 racer and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. Watie and Boris are not brothers.

[em2vn]

Not according to the NASCAR announcers when Boris ran the last road race of last season. I apologize for not remembering the name of the course.

[em2vn]

Thank you for the correction. Just a little digging on my part disclosed my error. Thanks once again.

[Between the Lines]

I was trying to find out if they were related in any way, but with Said being very common name and an English word, I think that it is impossible.

[TheEditor]

I don't know; going from Wayne State to USC can't be all bad. WSU ain't exactly Harvard, you know. And I went to Wayne.

[quadrant]

You don't understand the venomous politics of SC, which is similar to that of crabs in a barrel: every region/college tries to keep anyone else from getting something he doesn't have, even if he doesn't want it or can't use it.
Since the law school is at USC, no one who isn't a supporter of USC will vote any money for it or donate to it. It doesn't matter that until last year the law school was the only one in the state. The point is to keep the law school in its place and to derive great pleasure from doing it.