Calling the hoaxers to account

The American Thinker ^ | 01/10/06 | Clarice Feldman

[bulldozer]

Apparently, I’m not the only reader who thinks the explanations of the professors who spread the fake story of Homeland Security investigating a student for checking out Mao’s “masterpiece” doesn’t pass the laugh test.

The head of policy studies at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (Clyde Barrow) wants the university to suspend a student who made up a story about being grilled by federal antiterrorism agents over a library book and to reprimand faculty members who spread the tale.

UMass should punish the student and faculty members, in particular two history professors who repeated the unsubstantiated assertion of the history student to a New Bedford Standard-Times reporter.

The story spurred a flurry of concerned e-mails among UMass faculty, and appeared in a Globe op-ed piece written by Senator Kennedy.

In a Saturday Globe story reporting the hoax confession, UMass spokesman John Hoey said the university had no plans to discipline the unidentified student

‘It’s unbelievable that this student is not being suspended for a semester. It’s even more unbelievable that the faculty who jumped the gun on this story and actively promoted it on campus, the Internet, and blogs will walk away from their misconduct without any consequences.”

Barrow said further in an e-mail to the Globe that the professors’ are a “dogmatic and zealous group of politically correct but chic anti-Americans.”

Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, the two history professors who relayed the student’s assertion to the Standard-Times and other reporters, denied that their political views colored their teaching or any action they took in the episode.

Another professor in the policy studies department, Philip H. Melanson, said he left the political science department, housed in the same building as the history department, because of the ‘’oppressiveness of what I would call the reigning ideology.”

‘’It’s left, it’s PC, and it’s got a vision of world peace stuck somewhere in there,” said Melanson, who has taught at UMass for 33 years and specializes in research on political assassination and intelligence agencies

I’d add delusionary to Professor Melanson’s description of Professors Pontbriand and Williams. And I bet it would be interesting to view what scholarly research landed them their perches at the University.

[sgtbono2002]

It was a hoax that Senator Kennedy easily bit on,because he wanted to believe it. Another spitball he could throw at the administration. What a POS this(I was going to say man but it just doesnt fit) creature is.

[yoe]

‘’It’s left, it’s PC, and it’s got a vision of world peace stuck somewhere in there,”

Gen. Honore had it right with his "stuck on stupid" remark. Actually the Balkanization of America started in this state with “your betters” shroud of Politically Correct superiority.

[Common Tator]

Clyde Barrow Where is Bonny????

[GeronL]

Meanwhile the Sacramento Bee cited the story 3 days after it was admitted as a hoax in an indictment of Bush.

[libertylover]

I hadn't thought of it until this story came out but if it had been a conservative student doing a hoax he'd already be a former student and the professors would be out of jobs.

[HighWheeler]

"...and appeared in a Globe op-ed piece written by Senator Kennedy."



That insufferable ACLU clown Molly Ivins also fell for it because she oh-so wanted to believe it. Any retraction? Haven't seen one.

[sirchtruth]

Is this really what the left has become? Are they really turning into a fullfledged enemy of America? Even the most ardent honest leftist should at the very least want this student reprimanded!

Is there any facts missing in this at all?

[GeronL]

Because of the lack of real hate crimes the left has to invent them. These hoaxes are becoming common

[martin_fierro]

Ah, but there should be no consequences.

They were just being passionate, y'see...

[skinkinthegrass]

...It’s even more unbelievable that the faculty who jumped the gun on this story and actively promoted it on campus, the Internet, and blogs will walk away from their misconduct without any consequences.”...Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, the two history professors who relayed the student’s assertion to the Standard-Times and other reporters, denied that their political views colored their teaching or any action they took in the episode. Barrow said further in an e-mail to the Globe that the professors’ are a “dogmatic and zealous group of politically correct but chic anti-Americans.”

Amazing...of course, the UMass faculty and staff are so proud, of being "lumped" in with the terrorists' acts (the murders, be-headings and other forms of wanton destruction), too....all to show "Solidarity" with America's (foreign and domestic) enemies...ITS' SO CHIC...SO FASHIONABLE.

[Thombo2]

"Its unbelievable this student is not being suspended for the semester."They'll probably offer him a teaching position.He's certainly earned his bona-fides as a lib.

[Mark was here]

Perhaps there should be a separation between the Church of Political Correctness and the State.

Massive cutting of the subsidies are in order.

1. Such PC foolishness will be cut down.
2. Higher education will be more affordable. Nothing costs less than the amount it is subsidized for.
3. Higher education is an elective pursuit. The taxpayers do not subsldlze everyone else elective pursuits. This is a simple matter of all being equal under the law, unless you believe some are more equal.
4. The taxpayers need a break.

[Mark was here]

Should of said:

The taxpayers do not subsldlze everyone else's elective pursuits.

[AmericanChef]

Their only crime is that they feeeeel too much (barf!).

[DWPittelli]

I don't think we can fire or formally punish the professors (beyond their existing public embarassment), because it's impossible to separate bias on their part from a more generalized stupidity. However, the student should be suspended. Barring that, it's unconscionable that the student isn't even being "outed" for his dishonesty; the professors, the school and even the journalists to whom he lied are "honoring his privacy." That's the real bias displayed; they aren't even outraged.

[Right Wing Assault]

Hoax? Wow, where have I been? Why didn't I see this on the front page of the paper? Oh, silly me!

Where's Al Sharpton when you need him.

[dbehsman]

I've been wondering for some time if the "student" really exists at all. I wonder if the "student" is a figment of the professors imaginations (notice how the media and the university and the professors will NOT release the "students" name), or if the "student" is in reality a relation of one of the professors, or even the relation of a close family friend of one of the professors. I strongly believe that there is a much more personal and closer connection between the victim student and the professors.

The main point of this whole story is that the professors WANTED this story to be true!

I do think that the paper is more on the innocent side than at first glance. Normally I would have lumped them in the same group. But in their defense, they did a front page story about how this story was a fake and how they got duped.

Liberal professors just LOVE the idea of being persecuted by the big bad right wing conspiracy. It just feeds their egos and martyr complex. I think there is still more to this story that has not yet come out.

I don't know if it will much matter in any event, because we're all veterans of this game. We've all seen this before and I suspect that we will see it again. NOTHING will happen as a negative consequence to the university, the professors, and/or the "student". The liberals will try to forget this as quickly as possible.

I do hope that there are some dirtball liberal professors out there that are reading this. One of these days, you morons are going to go too far and push peoples buttons too much. Then you can look forward to seeing your funding drying up for a long time. And it will serve you right! Open minded searchers for the truth my butt!

[skinkinthegrass]

I do hope that there are some dirtball liberal professors out there that are reading this. One of these days, you morons are going to go too far and push peoples buttons too much. Then you can look forward to seeing your funding drying up for a long time. And it will serve you right!

I think; post #14, has the right idea.

Yes, You have free speech. That doesn't mean; the taxpayer's, must support your Fashionable Chic behavior.