(Are you perhaps related to Don Marquis, seein' as how you are apparently a newspaper guy?)
(Did I ask you this question before? I seem to have a dim memory of seeing you jumping off the typewriter keys on some earlier occasion . . . :-D )
Posted on 11/06/2002 6:17:31 AM PST by Apple Pan Dowdy
THE HATE-FILLED LEFTIST PROFESSOR
OK .. in response to nearly 100 very demanding e-mail messages, here is what I have been able to find out about that incredible letter from the history professor at Saint Xavier University in Chicago to that cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
The Air Force Academy has a program called The Academy Assembly. You will read a description of The Academy Assembly below. An Air Force Academy cadet named Robert Kurpiel sent an e-mail to which ended up in the hands of Peter Kirstein at Saint Xavier. Here is the text of that e-mail:
Dear Sir or Ma’am
The Air Force Academy is going to be having our annual Academy Assembly. This is a forum for mainly but not only Political Science majors, discussing very important issues dealing with politics.
Right now we are in the planning stage for advertising and we would appreciate your help in the follow (sic) areas. Do you know of or have methods or ways for interschool advertising and or communications? What would be the best way for us to advertise at your school whether it is sending you the fliers and you making copies or by perhaps putting an advertisement in your local publication? We would appreciate your input and the cost of what your recommend. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Very Respectfully,
Cadet Robert Kurpiel
Now … here is the response from Professor Kirstein. Be sitting down when you read it.
From: Peter Kirstein
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 1:46 PM
To: Kurpiel Robert C4C CS26
Subject: Re: Academy Assembly
You are a disgrace to this country and I am furious you would even think I would support you and your aggressive baby killing tactics of collateral damage. Help you recruit. Who, top guns to reign death and destruction upon nonwhite peoples throughout the world? Are you serious sir? Resign your commission and serve your country with honour. No war, no air force cowards who bomb countries with AAA, without possibility of retaliation. You are worse than the snipers. You are imperialists who are turning the whole damn world against us. September 11 can be blamed in part for what you and your cohorts have done to Palestinians, the VC, the Serbs, a retreating army at Basra. You are unworthy of my support.
Peter N. Kirstein
Professor of History
Saint Xavier University.
So … there you go. Through the instantaneous magic of the Internet these two messages were soon flowing through e-mail accounts and message boards, and before you could say “tenure” Professor Kirstein was up to neck in academic horse squeeze.
Kirstein is an odd bird. If you cruise through his Saint Xavier website you will see one page devoted to the gravesite of Karl Marx in England! http://www.sxu.edu/academ/artsci/history/pkirstein/pictures.html Now, does that give you any insight into this man’s politics?
I also perused some of the writings of this extreme left-wing (dare I say communist?) history professor. Here’s an excerpt from a letter he wrote in October letter to Arab News:
It is my hope that large segments of our armed forces would refuse to engage in aggressive military action that would disgrace their families, their nation and all those who have worn proudly the uniform of the United States. Air National Guard units should refuse activation in preparation for airstrikes. Aircraft carrier battle groups stationed in the Persian Gulf should refuse to refuel or preposition aircraft that could attack Iraq. Special forces such as navy Seals and army Rangers should refuse invading Iraq in a preemptive war against a non-threatening adversary. If additional ground troops are deployed, hopefully they would not obey orders to murder civilians or destroy wantonly the delicate infrastructure of Baghdad, Basra and other Iraqi cities.
Now that’s nice, isn’t it? Our history professor is asking American servicemen and women to disobey orders … to defect? Obviously Peter N. Kirstein would get along very well with Hanoi Jane Fonda. Maybe we should start calling him Baghdad Peter.
Moving right along. If you happened to uncover Baghdad Peter’s e-mail address, and if you sent him a blue-steam e-mail about his letter to the Air Force cadet, this is the response you would have received today:
Due to considerable off-campus interest in a private correspondence with a military person, I am posting this. The situation has been resolved with humility, mutual respect and considerable friendliness. Both of us consider this matter to be resolved. May nations also learn differences can be overcome, disagreements bridged and that peace and harmony are possible I will respond, as needed, to other e-mail.
Uh oh. It looks like the professor got taken for a quick visit to the woodshed, especially when you consider this short, terse e-mail response many got from the president of Saint Xavier University today.
Thank you for your expression of concern about the intemperate, angry words issued by Prof. Kirstein. He has apologized to the cadet, the Academy, and the University and all have accepted. His harsh words certainly do not represent Saint Xavier University!
- Dr. Richard Yanikoski, president
Yikes! It doesn’t sound like Professor Kirstein is on the presidents Christmas Card list this year, does it?
Up next ... an attempt by the Air Force Academy as they step in and try to calm the situation down a bit. Here is a letter from the Director of the Academy Assembly.
Subject: An Open Letter from the Academy Assembly
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There has been considerable attention given to an e-mail received by a Fourth Class Cadet here at the United States Air Force Academy from Professor Peter N. Kirstein of Saint Xavier University. Dr Kirstein's e-mail was a response to an e-mail he had received concerning the Academy Assembly.
The Academy Assembly is a forum to promote academic discussion of important issues of our day and to allow the student delegates from all over the North America to draft a report that is widely disseminated. This year our theme is America's Challenges in an Unstable World: Balancing Security with Liberty. I am pleased to say that a "cyber-episode" which started poorly has evolved into a more professional and academic discussion.
Please find below a letter of apology from Dr Kirstein which I received this morning, accompanied by a phone call. I have drafted this message in response to his correspondence and with an advance copy to Dr. Kirstein.
On behalf of the Academy Assembly I accept this apology in the same sincere manner in which it was given. Furthermore, I offer my own apology to Dr Kirstein for the way his original message, which was intended as private communication, was spread throughout the Air Force Academy and beyond. Since that e-mail was forwarded with such great vigor to many individuals both within and outside the Air Force Academy I would ask that you, the reader of this letter, please forward this e-mail to anyone to whom you sent the original message.
Two results of this are obvious and I want to share them with you. The first is that through well considered words and messages a situation that was initially highly inflammatory has become one in which diverse ideas can be compared and discussed; this is the essence of the Academy Assembly. Second, though emotions have run understandably high throughout the USAFA Cadet Wing in response to this e-mail, replies to this e-mail from our cadets have been, almost without exception, marked by great maturity and professionalism. I was presented nearly forty proposed responses to the original e-mail from cadets, but the one that best encapsulates the opinion of the cadet wing is a quote from their book, Contrails, which serves as not only a statement for others, but an admonition for themselves
"It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag." ~Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, Sergeant, USMC
I would dare to add one thought to the above quote; that we in the military, as servants of the public, must carefully guard and cherish our relationship with the civilian community. We must always remain open and responsive to legitimate criticism that is presented in a spirit of willingness to improve the forces that guard our country and make them an institution that all Americans can take pride in. I am pleased to say that this discussion, of which many of you only saw the first portion, has moved towards that high plain.
Respectfully yours,
Captain Jim Borders, USAFA
Director, Academy Assembly
Instructor, Political Science
And here, as promised in Captain Borders’ letter, is the apology written by the Professor.
Dear Captain Borders,
I have expressed to Cadet Kurpiel my regrets over what I communicated to him in my e-mail. I did not mean to impugn his character. I am sure he is of the highest character. I should have written him in a more thoughtful and contemplative manner. As one who believes in non-violence and the avoidance of conflict, I could have been more circumspect and creative in my communication with him.
Cadet Kurpiel has sent me several generous, thoughtful and impressive e-mails. He has also expressed "apologies" for the unwarranted national distribution of a private e-mail correspondence which has caused me and others to receive 100s of e-mail messages. I hope this update on my response and the cadet's kind communication will serve to inform the public that this issue has been resolved with dignity and honour between myself and Cadet Kurpiel.
I remain respectfully yours,
Peter N. Kirstein
Professor of History
Saint Xavier University
Do you think Professor Kirstein is truly sorry he wrote that letter to the cadet? Get serious! He’s sorry the letter became so widely disseminated … nothing else. He was made to look like a fool. He embarrassed his university, and he had to eat crow. But tomorrow he’ll be right back at work poisoning the minds of those wide-eyed kids entrusted to his care.
I am a part-time historian, just occasionally writing articles and submitting them to university reviews for publication -- and I have published TWO articles and co-edited one BOOK in the past 20 years. That's while working a full time job in another field, as well as serving as an adjunct professor at my alma mater.
(I know the difference between "reign" and "rain", too. Maybe he WISHES he could reign.) :-D
(Are you perhaps related to Don Marquis, seein' as how you are apparently a newspaper guy?)
(Did I ask you this question before? I seem to have a dim memory of seeing you jumping off the typewriter keys on some earlier occasion . . . :-D )
If their website is correct, Robert Kurpiel's email address is:
C00robert.hurpiel@usafa.af.mil
The poor kid's probably in a little trouble for "leaking" the prof's email, so don't get him too charged up with your email. But a nice note would be good.
AAUP (American Association of University Professors) is the guardian organization for tenure, founded by John Dewey himself.
Were you able to find where he got his degrees? It's not listed on his CV.
MA St. Louis
PhD. St. Louis
See http://www.ypac.8m.com/custom2.html
The prof based a fellow Democrat. The kid's a Democrat!
Great quote which is a new addition to Contrails since my '84 edition. USAFA bump.
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