Posted on 02/02/2005 11:04:57 AM PST by NorCoGOP
State lawmakers on Wednesday denounced comments by a University of Colorado professor who compared victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks to Nazis, saying his remarks were "evil and inflammatory."
The House unanimously approved a resolution saying remarks by professor Ward Churchill in a three-year-old essay had struck "an evil and inflammatory blow against America's healing process."
The resolution, introduced by Rep. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, also proclaimed support for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"I want to make sure this body stands firm in support of the victims of 9-11," Harvey said.
Churchill's essay and follow-up book, "On the Justice of Roosting Chickens: Reflections on the Consequences of U.S. Imperial Arrogance and Criminality," attracted little attention until his planned appearance Thursday at Hamilton College in New York state triggered protests.
The college canceled the appearance this week, citing death threats against Churchill and school officials. Churchill resigned Monday as chairman of CU's Ethnic Studies Department but retained his job as a professor.
He did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment Wednesday.
In a statement released Tuesday, Churchill said was not defending the Sept. 11 attacks, "but simply pointing out that if U.S. foreign policy results in massive death and destruction abroad, we cannot feign innocence when some of that destruction is returned."
Some lawmakers on Wednesday called for the Legislature to cut funding for the Ethnic Studies Department, saying Churchill has a right to free speech but taxpayers do not have to subsidize his views.
"Maybe if his funding goes away, he will as well," said Rep. Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs.
The university's Board of Regents plans to meet Thursday to discuss Churchill's status.
The Colorado chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is not involved in the case because no official action has been taken against Churchill, legal director Mark Silverstein said.
"Certainly the First Amendment protects his ability to write freely and speak freely, especially when the writing in question occurred outside his classroom duty," Silverstein said.
.....No one wants to infringe on Mr. Churchill's right to express himself. But we are not compelled to accept his pro-terrorist views at state taxpayer subsidy nor under the banner of the University of Colorado. Ward Churchill besmirches the University and the excellent teaching, writing and research of its faculty.Ideas have consequences, and words have meaning. If there is one lesson that we hope that all Coloradans take from this sad case - and especially our students - it is that civility and appropriate conduct are important. Mr. Churchill's views are not simply anti-American. They are at odds with simple decency, and antagonistic to the beliefs and conduct of civilized people around the world. His views are far outside the mainstream of civil discourse and useful academic work.
His resignation as chairman of the Ethnic Studies Department was a good first step. We hope that he will follow this step by resigning his position on the faculty of the University of Colorado.
Apparently you missed today's edition of DUmmie FUnnies. The professor has a lot of backing.
He has the right to say what he wishes, no doubt. But there has never been the right to a job. Deal.
Good afternoon.
I think it's frightening that there are people just like him at every university in the country. They dug in the late 60's and early 70's and they think they are secure behind the walls of academia.
The Internet has taken them by surprise and we may beat them yet.
Michael Frazier
When you take an oath to "guard and protect the Constutution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic," I understand how you guard against foreign enemies.
Exactly how are you supposed to guard against domestic enemies, other than with lawsuits and free speech?
Did the founding fathers have another remedy in mind, other than the occasional revolution?
This is the anti that I have been hearing about on the
Colorado radio station.
If Gunny Bob and the next program with Caldera are on tonight, there is little doubt that they will cover these latest news reports.
KOA 850.com I think, Bob will be on at 7 pm, Caldera at
10 pm, they have said you can listen on the computer.
If this is a sports night, they could be bumped.
Worse than Churchill's words, is on the sound tracks that Bob played last night, the crowd that was there, agreed with him.
It is ugly and I hope that it does shine the light on these so called teachers.
I say let Churchill keep flapping his lips. How many young people do you imagine became more conservative after hearing about Churchill's statements. When an ass is proving himself an ass, it's best to get out of his way and let him finish the job.
Actually the real question is not freedom of speech, but what kind of education is he giving the kids in his class?
It sounds to me as if he is not only teaching them hatred and subversion, but that he is an incompetent.
There's a real question whether there is any place in college for departments of ethnic studies. This is not the kind of department that does real research or teaching, it's the kind of department that plays politics and fans racial hatred.
Black history can be taught in history departments. Black literature can be taught in literature departments. The same goes for Indian history, literature, myths, art, and so forth.
What,was Peter Singer busy?
bttt
And Boulder is just full of them. They run around preaching 'save the environment' in their smelly dreadlocks and baggy clothes.
Thank God for Fort Collins!! hehehe (that is not to say we don't have liberals here too, but at least my college isn't overrun by liberal, hate-America professors!!)
Below is a verbatim copy of an e mail letter I composed and sent to every member of the board of regents at the university. Hmmm, all of their e mail addresses are there too - well, now - how about that? Careful folks - wouldn't want to FREEP THOSE REGENTS! - now, would we?
To: Jerryrutledge@adelphia.net, Tommyjclay@aol.com, Peter.Steinhauer@colorado.edu, Regent.Carlisle@colorado.edu, Regent.Hayes@colorado.edu, Carrigan@colorado.edu, Regent.Bosley@colorado.edu, Regent.Schauer@colorado.edu, Gail.Schwartz@colorado.edu
Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen
I do not wish to waste your valuable time, so I will be pointed and (I hope) courteous in expressing my opinion. It is my understanding that your board of regents is seeking public input regarding the continued employment of Professor Ward Churchill at your University, where he is presently working as a tenured instructor.
I made a point of reading not just one, but several articles and interviews attributed to, and conducted with Mr. Churchill in order to gain for myself a reliable picture of his methodology, his reasoning process, and the views he espouses. Unless he is simply a deliberate sort of "agent provocateur" whose underlying practices are to illustrate absurdity by being absurd, and to stimulate attention and thinking by saying things which, in principle, stray far beyond the boundaries of good taste, compassion, and human decency, Mr Churchill is an enemy of clear thinking and of mainstream Americans like me.
I am not the world's most sensitive individual, still I found his words as written and quoted to be outrageously offensive, disrespectful to the memory of fellow Americans and others lost on 11 September 2001, reflective of a disturbed mentality, and very possibly befitting the classic definition of sedition.
Mr. Churchill's continued tenure at your university is, and would be a needlessly negative representation of what is likely a very fine institution of higher learning. Were I a student, I would avoid participation in any classes in his department. As a parent, if my college-aged daughter were interested in attending, I would counsel her otherwise, pending Mr. Churchill's departure.
Many professors across the U.S. hold points-of-view to which I am opposed. Few of them, however, express themselves with such forceful virulence and malicious loathing as Ward Churchill. I think he ought to have some measure of gratitude for the learning and the freedoms to live, earn, and be a part of society in this country. Instead, the only thing he consistently displays is a large chip on his shoulder.
His continued tenure at CU would be grievously unfortunate and inappropriate. I urge you, collectively as a board of regents, to sever the university's relationship with him immediately.
I hope I have made my point rationally, civilly, and yet in a forceful manner.
Thank you for your attention in this matter,
The House of Commons eventually grew to love him, though.
Independent of his political outlook, the notion that people can reorder their thinking and change government is true. Fortunately, its already happened and displaced people with his ideological outlook (hehehehehe).
The real question ought to be, "Who hired this lunatic, and why?" Was he hired for diversity because he claims to be an Indian? It's time we ask the university administrators to justify their hiring decisions when it becomes obvious that anti-Americans are brain-washing our youth in their institutions. Texas needs to fire the person who hired Dr. Jensen, a flaming communist at tu.
"Did the founding fathers have another remedy in mind, other than the occasional revolution?"
I dont know, but kicking them in the a$$ when possible sure sounds like a good fill-in till someone can decide.
Satisfying, anyway.
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.