Tennessee: VU professor's essay sparks 'Confederate' backlash

The Tennessean ^ | 12/1/02 | Holly Edwards

[GailA]

Anger that has been brewing for months over Vanderbilt University's deletion of the word ''Confederate'' from Confederate Memorial Hall has boiled over in recent weeks in the wake of a professor's comments about slavery and racism in the South.

Outraged Southern heritage groups have launched Web sites, posted counter-opinions on the Internet, flooded their organizations' offices with more than 1,000 phone calls and e-mails and demanded that professor Jonathan Farley be fired in the weeks since Farley's essay appeared in The Tennessean.

[GailA]

FYI

[HennepinPrisoner]

"For Rosario, the most troubling aspect of the story has been the death threats Farley has described and the attacks on his career."

Oh, isn't that rich. He calls for executions and now he is receiving death threats.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Can anyone provide a link to Farley's original column?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Actually, I was able to find Farley's original column myself. Here it is:

http://www.tennessean.com/opinion/nashville-eye/archives/02/11/25478205.shtml?Element_ID=25478205

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I'd encourage people to read Farley's original column (see link above).

I was surprised by the superficial scholarship and adolescent argument.

[leadpenny]

Farley also called the Confederates ''cowards masquerading as civilized men'' . .

Farley is a racist masquerading as an educator.

[GailA]

DITTO, from looking at his photo, he looks about 20, and as you know 20 year olds think they KNOW every thing. When in fact they know very little. This was/is typical PC GARBAGE.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

For a professor who is a former Fulbright Distinguished Scholar to the United Kingdom, it is surprising that he begins his essay by talking about "giving the finger" to a statue of a Confederate general.

[FreePaul]

I was surprised by the superficial scholarship and adolescent argument.

Why would you be surprised. What else would you expect form an "equal opportunity" professor. If colleges used the same criteria of acceptance for all candidates these type of people wouldn't be where they are. There are plenty of true scholars of all races who can fill these jobs.

[FreePaul]

From instead of form, of course.

[RWG]

people were upset because they were not used to an African-American man ''looking them directly in the eye''...cyclops?

[leadpenny]

I have felt like I wanted to render the one-finger salute whenever I pass (I'll not stop) the FDR Memorial, but never have I thought he should've been hanged.

If VU doesn't bite the bullet and rid themselves of this scumbag, they'll see the quality of their faculty and students decline.

[philman_36]

He must be ticked that more and more people are coming to realize that the Civil War was more about taxes than slavery and that the "illusion" of the Great Emancipator is being uncloaked.
In fact, that suckas nekked!

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Very foolish to have said such and worse to have put it in writing. And, I've lost a job teaching school in Tennessee for criticizing Clinton for his immorality and this fellow KEEPS his after writing that? This nation is lost. That's a promise. No one lifts a finger to help me and all of HIS companions rush to help him. We don't help our own...we criticize each other...so perhaps we deserve to end up subjugated. I simply don't understand.

[Budge]

''If I had written this essay in 1952, I'd be dead right now,'' Farley said, adding that he did not abide by Martin Luther King Jr.'s doctrine of passive resistance.

This isn't race-baiting, oh no, uh-uh, not at all.

And people wonder why there is growing annimosity between blacks and whites.

[rebelyell]

Indeed. Funny that he quotes CSA Vice Pres. and not war criminal lincoln on the inferiority of negros...both were outspoken on the issue. I wonder if he feels the same hatred for, say, the tyrant's memorial?

More ignorant ranting from the bigoted left. I say the hell with 'em all....Deo vindice!

[leadpenny]

I've lost a job teaching school in Tennessee for criticizing Clinton for his immorality . .

I for one would be interested in hearing the details of that. I'd also understand if you choose not to share the details here.

[Non-Sequitur]

He must be ticked that more and more people are coming to realize that the Civil War was more about taxes than slavery and that the "illusion" of the Great Emancipator is being uncloaked.

Crap. The southern states initiated their rebellion to defend what they saw as a threat to their institution of slavery.

Having said that I think the Professor Farley's comments are ridiculous, but he has a right to his opinions.

[philman_36]

Crap. The southern states initiated their rebellion to defend what they saw as a threat to their institution of slavery.
I agree, that is crap.