Defeat Troops, Professor Says(Freep Alert)

Newsday ^ | 3/28/03 | Ron Howell

[Sparky760]

Defeat Troops, Professor Says Wants 'a million Mogadishus' By Ron Howell STAFF WRITER March 28, 2003 At an anti-war "teach-in" this week, a Columbia University professor called for the defeat of American forces in Iraq and said he would like to see "a million Mogadishus" - a reference to the Somali city where American soldiers were ambushed, with 18 killed, in 1993. "The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military," Nicholas De Genova, an assistant professor of anthropology and Latino studies at Columbia University, told the audience at Low Library Wednesday night. "I personally would like to see a million Mogadishus." De Genova was referring to the Mogadishu ambush and firefight, known for its graphic image of a slain American soldier being dragged through the streets. The battle was portrayed in the film "Black Hawk Down." The crowd was largely silent at De Genova's remark. They loudly applauded him later when he said, "If we really [believe] that this war is criminal ... then we have to believe in the victory of the Iraqi people and the defeat of the U.S. war machine." At least two of the speakers who followed De Genova distanced themselves from his comments. One of them was teach-in organizer Eric Foner, a history professor, who disagreed with De Genova's assertion that Americans who called themselves "patriots" also were white supremacists. In a telephone interview yesterday, Foner went further in his criticism, calling De Genova's statements "idiotic." "I thought that was completely uncalled for," Foner said. "We do not desire the deaths of American soldiers." Foner said that because of the university's tradition of freedom of speech, it was unlikely De Genova would suffer professionally in any way because of what he said. "A person's politics have no impact on their employment status here, whether they are promoted, whether they are fired or whether they get tenure," Foner said. De Genova did not want to discuss yesterday whether he had tenure. Acknowledging his beliefs are more radical than those of many others at Wednesday's forum, he said his remarks reflect his concern for oppressed people. While he did not retract his statements, he said he hoped they do not lead to "death threats," like those he received after a controversial speech at a pro-Palestinian rally last spring. Regarding Wednesday's reference to Mogadishu, the professor, who is 35 and from Chicago, said the U.S. Army is composed largely of men and women who have a "treacherous lack of prospects for a decent life," but even so, they "have a choice" in whether to oppress people like the Iraqis. He said the Iraqis must liberate themselves from domestic oppressors as well as from foreign invaders like the United States. More than 3,000 students and faculty attended the Wednesday teach-in, which lasted from 6 p.m. until about midnight and featured more than two dozen professors and other scholars. The applause at De Genova's call for the defeat of U.S.-led forces in Iraq reflected widespread frustration at the inability to reverse President George W. Bush's Middle East policies, Foner said. "A kind of flamboyant statement like that will get an applause in the heat of the moment," the history professor said. By turns, the speakers Wednesday night said the Bush administration's actions in Iraq were bullying, illegal, deceitful, corrupt and murderous. History professor Barbara J. Fields said like-minded Americans should vigorously oppose Bush. "The 'good Germans' of the Nazi era were the few who said, 'No,'" Fields declared. Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.

[Munch]

I love FreeRepublic. Comments like that one make soda come out of my nose.

Also, here is my e-mail to five member of the press office:

Ms. Murphy,
I am rather alarmed at Professor De Genova's comments recently about wanting Iraq to be turn into one million Mogadishus.
As an institution that molds the minds of our children, I shutter to think that every student coming out of Columbia will grow up to be a bunch of America-haters.
I know our country's higher levels of education are pretty much left of center, but I didn't realize how extreme the views really are.

Additionally, the more I read about this professor, the more I am convinced that he is a communist sympathizer.

Is there anything being done to reign these extremists in?

[AAABEST]

Except I'm an idiot and gave out the wrong email addy. Instead of jrcs@columiba.edu, it should be jrc5@columbia.edu.

Hope I didn't screw you up.

[Mr. Mojo]

Excellent letter. Mine, addressed to De Genova himself, was much shorter and nastier.

[Sparky760]

I am so hoping that O'Reilly grabs hold of this one. Maybe we can have another FBI arrest of an obvious enemy of America. O'Reillly has a personal interest when it comes to teachers and education. Once he gets hold of something like this he won't let up till the issue is addressed. ** Fingers Crossed**

[CaptainJustice]

Freeped. He better pray to God I never see him.

[Sparky760]

I have the picture that is in Newsday. Let me see if I can figure out how to post the picture here. Scanning it now and hoping for help.

[Mr. Mojo]

Did you email O'Reilly? I'm going to do so in a few minutes.

[Mr. Mojo]

While he did not retract his statements, he said he hoped they do not lead to "death threats," like those he received after a controversial speech at a pro-Palestinian rally last spring.

Geez, what a surprise. He's pro-Palestinian terrorist.

[AAABEST]

Sorry folks but that email for the provost in post #91 should be jrs5@columbia.edu, not jrcs@columbia.edu.

Hope I didn't screw anyone up.

[Fury]

I sent it, and got a message that said he is away on vacation.

Hmmm....

[Conspiracy Guy]

Parallel universes are scary. I won't go to any more of them after waht I've seen.

[f.Christian]

the university's tradition of freedom of speech ...

... freedom of maturity -- sanity ...

full of anarchy -- hate ...

these nuts are void of reality --- devilcRats // liberals --- thugs --- communists !

[Conspiracy Guy]

People who don't make mistakes usually aren't doing very much.. I sent my brief little statement and I feel much better. I would still like to kick their azzes, I'd feel great then. Thanks.

[Cordova Belle]

Rush is talking about it now!!!
God be praised!

[rundy]

I say that if Professor Scumbag wants to see a million Mogadishu's I say we send him a million e-mails with the following graphic as an attachment.

The URL is http://www.historychannel.com/blackhawkdown/images/body.jpg

Let's take it to him. And if his e-mail is down, let's send it to the President, and other faculty members of this third rate junior college. (It has to be third rate, and even less than a junior college. Consider their hiring practices.)

SHHEEEEESH!

[Sparky760]

Rush is talking about it now!!! God be praised!

Glad to hear it!!

[Eastbound]

"A kind of flamboyant statement like that will get an applause in the heat of the moment," . . . "

Not an off-the-cuff, flamboyant statement. Deliberately spoken to incite violence and terror against our troops and our country. I believe that is punishable...somehow.

[tracer]

Assistant professor = working towards tenure. Do the math...... 8~)

[AAABEST]

Updated Contact List:

Jonathan Cole (Provost)	email: jrc5@columbia.edu phone: 212-854-2404
Nicholas Dirks (Anthropology Dept Head)	email: nbd7@columbia.edu phone: 212-854-4552
Columbia Public Affairs Dept	phone: 212-854-5573

[Jen]

My email to the Public Affairs Office:

---

"The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military."

"I personally would like to see a million Mogadishus."

Americans who call themselves "patriots" are white supremacists.

-- Assistant Prof. Nicholas DeGenova at anti-war teach-in

How can Columbia University stand behind a professor who makes such outrageous, biased public statements?

These comments advocate the deaths of men and women in uniform who are fighting to provide Iraqis freedom from a sadistic dictator. Saddam Hussein cuts out the tongue of anyone who says anything at all that he doesn't like, he executes dissenters, orders children to take up a rifle or their families will be killed. Does the professor support THAT?

By his comments, yes he does. And he calls the US military the evil ones deserving of death.

"Patriots" are white supremacists? Really? Is that why our multi-racial military voluntarily goes into hell holes around the world and risk THEIR lives to save the lives of others who are from a different race and nationality?

This professor does not deserve to "teach" (or rather indoctrinate impressionable young people with leftist ideology) at your university.

Free speech is one thing. Advocating the deaths of millions of American military members because you disagree with elected leaders is sedition bordering on treason.

He deserves to be fired and have his ass kicked by a veteran as he's on his way to move to a country more to his liking, such as Iraq.