Campus protests visit by CU prof; 9/11 views stir dissent in N.Y.

Denver Post ^ | Thursday, January 27, 2005 | Denver Post staff and wire reports

[.cnI redruM]

Clinton, N.Y. - A University of Colorado professor who suggested the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were justified and those who died in the World Trade Center were not innocent victims has ignited protests on an upstate New York college campus where he's been invited to speak.

Ward Churchill, an expert on indigenous issues and chairman of the ethnic studies program at CU-Boulder, will take part in a panel discussion Feb. 3 at Hamilton College.

Administrators defended Churchill's appearance but admitted his views are considered "repugnant and disparaging" by many people.

"Hamilton, like any institution committed to the free exchange of ideas, invites to its campus people of diverse opinions, often controversial," the school said in a statement from college spokesman Michael DeBraggio.

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In a treatise titled "Some People Push Back," written after the bombings, Churchill asserted the nearly 3,000 people killed at the World Trade Center worked for "the mighty engine of profit" but chose to ignore their role.

"True enough, they were civilians of a sort," he wrote. "But innocent? Gimme a break."

Churchill went on to describe the World Trade Center victims as "little Eichmanns," a reference to Adolph Eichmann, who carried out Hitler's plan to exterminate Europe's Jews during World War II.

"I think the professor's words are repugnant and plain looney," said Colorado state Sen. Shawn Mitchell. Last year Mitchell, a Broomfield Republican, pushed legislation to protect the political views of conservative college students.

"It's unfortunate any group anywhere is interested in what he has to say," Mitchell said. "But I hope their response is to defeat his message with a better message of their own. I hope people have the good sense to stay away from this hatemonger, but if they feel compelled to respond, they should answer with speech and not obstruction and physical interference."

Churchill was also at the center of controversy in Denver when he and others were arrested after protesting the city's Columbus Day Parade because they believed it was degrading to American Indians.

He was acquitted last week of failing to listen to police officers who had asked the protesters to get out of the way of the parade.

The invitation to Churchill has split the campus of 1,700 Hamilton students, as well as the faculty.

Art history professor Steven Goldberg said it was "morally outrageous" to bring Churchill to campus. History professor Robert Paquette called it "an act of utter irresponsibility."

Jessica Miraglia, 19, a sophomore from Reading, Pa., created a poster that read: "You don't have to agree with them in order to learn from them."

[.cnI redruM]

Do all Ethnic Studies Professors show enough insensitivity to call White Europeans "Little Eichman's." I'm sure The Daily Kos thinks he's a jewel of humanity.

[hubbubhubbub]

This is what happens when college create departments that have no relation to academic pursuits (ethnic studies!!) Of course the departments are then staffed with left wing nuts and it's all paid for by the taxpayers.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Glad he doesn't work for me.

[AdamSelene235]

Ward Churchill

Chair and Professor Ethnic Studies,University of Colorado

[.cnI redruM]

Pass it to the left, Ward. Pass it to the left.

[watchdog_writer]

I say let the man speak. And when he says something ridiculous then everyone should just break out on laughter. I mean that's what people do when they hear asinine statements from late night television comedians?

[Darkwolf377]

I wonder how open these folks are to conservative speakers. They find those views repugnant, I'm sure, but THIS guy's views are repugnant in another way, I guess.

[.cnI redruM]

That would be amusing. Or just randomly yell out "Hey A$$-Hat, where do you get your grant money? Capitalists?"

[.cnI redruM]

They wouldn't let Byron York, Tom Tancredo or even Rudy Guliani within three counties of there frikking dope farm of a campus.

[mewzilla]

Click here for the transcript of an interview with Churchill. It makes interesting reading.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

New York voted in favor of the terrorist supporter in the last Presidential election, what's their beef?

Unfortunately, so did my state.

[Alouette]

What's with the shades? Junkie's dilated eyes can't endure daylight?

[mewzilla]

I just went back and reread that link and came to the same conclusion. That guy is a loon. And Hamilton needs its collective head examined.

[.cnI redruM]

"...Never talking about disarming the police. All social violence, it's all a matter of the disempowered having access to weaponry, never the state. But I think some of these little fucks advocating it, who are also the cadres for the other social repression things, like with the cigarettes and stuff, have this holier-than-thou, sanctimonious, absolutely vacuous health agenda on their hands."

Lithium Carbonate would help this man.

[Darkwolf377]

"there frikking dope farm of a campus"

LOL Not surprised. I imagine this guy will get a great reception because his comments make him unique. Not that his thoughts are, just that he expressed them.

[mewzilla]

Actually, I don't think there's any help for him. And just out of curiosity, anyone know when the last time was that Hamilton hosted a conservative speaker on campus?

[AmericanChef]

-"True enough, they were civilians of a sort," he wrote. "But innocent? Gimme a break"...Churchill was also at the center of controversy in Denver when he and others were arrested after protesting the city's Columbus Day Parade because they believed it was degrading to American Indians."-

Self-loathing is soooooo attractive.

[yer gonna put yer eye out]

Somebody needs to tell this sucker the 60's are over!

[yer gonna put yer eye out]

I'll bet this guy actually believes himself to be smart.

Self delusion assisted by high quality drugs and low quality collegiate hiring practices...:0)

[deadhead]

Ward Churchill = Looney