Free Republic

Last week’s column was about Peter Kirstein, a professor of history at Chicago’s St. Xavier University. Dr. Kirstein had emailed an Air Force Academy cadet, calling the student a disgrace to his country and condemning him for his baby killing tactics, among other things. The email generated a great deal of controversy. Both the professor and SXU’s president heard from many people who don’t share Kirstein’s views. As I wrote last week, the professor should have been fired. Last Sunday, the university’s president announced his decision to suspend Kirstein from teaching and to assign him to other duties for the...

During recent weeks Saint Xavier University has attracted national attention because a tenured professor of history sent a young Air Force Academy cadet some e-mail containing inflammatory, anti-military comments. Professor Peter N. Kirstein, an avowed pacifist, quickly apologized to the cadet and to the Air Force Academy for his e-mail message, but in the meantime thousands of other interested parties have taken offense. From the beginning of this incident, Saint Xavier University has worked to achieve four objectives: (1) to make things right with the cadet and the Air Force Academy; (2) to respond compassionately to the anger and anguish...