Posted on 02/09/2005 8:17:44 AM PST by AdamSelene235
BOULDER - A defiant Ward Churchill told an overflow audience of more than a thousand at the University of Colorado on Tuesday night that he will not back down or be silenced.
Most of the crowd that packed CU's Glenn Miller Ballroom for Churchill's speech appeared to be pulling for him in the fight of his professional life. It was his first public talk since becoming embroiled in controversy for his 3-year-old essay on the Sept. 11 attacks.
"I'm not backing off an inch. I owe no one an apology," he said, during his highly anticipated speech, which was advertised to be one hour but ran just about 35 minutes.
That was just one of many lines to win a standing ovation from many in the crowd.
Churchill, 57, has been the focus of heated debate since late last month when his scheduled appearance on a panel discussion at Hamilton College, at Clinton, N.Y., triggered renewed scrutiny of his essay, "Some People Push Back: On the Justice of Roosting Chickens."
In that piece, he likened "technocrats" working in the World Trade Center to Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi charged by Adolf Hitler with implementing plans for extermination of European Jews.
In a rapid succession of events last week, Churchill resigned his post as chairman of CU's ethnic studies department - while keeping his $94,000 teaching post; heard Gov. Bill Owens and members of Congress call for his outright resignation; saw the Board of Regents vote to launch an investigation into his record, which could lead to a call for his firing; and lost his date with Hamilton College, after the school canceled his appearance, because of threats against Churchill and others.
Eastern Washington University and Wheaton College also canceled planned appearances by Churchill, and the University of Wisconsin is debating whether to permit him to speak March 1.
CU, too, had called off Tuesday night's appearance by Churchill. But several parties, including an ad hoc organization called CU Students, Faculty and Staff in Support of Ward Churchill, filed a motion for a temporary restraining order Tuesday morning in U.S. District Court, challenging the school's decision as an unconstitutional restraint of Churchill's free speech.
Before the matter could be heard, however, student organizers met with CU officials during the day and reached an accord, permitting the event to go forward.
"They have completely capitulated," attorney Darold Killmer said, after the court hearing was averted. "They knew they were constitutionally wrong and I'm sure they knew they couldn't possibly win."
CU officials said they decided to proceed with the event after student organizers admitted they had overstated the nature of security threats in conversations with officials on Monday.
Churchill, in a black leather jacket and jeans, was engulfed in a phalanx of supporters, fellow leaders of Colorado's American Indian Movement members and security personnel. He arrived 20 minutes late for his appearance.
But when Churchill stepped to the podium following ceremonial American Indian drumming and singing, plus a fiery introduction by AIM activist Russell Means, it was clear the crowd wasn't going to punish him for the delay.
"Bill Owens, do you get it now?" he asked, following the 40-second standing ovation with which he was greeted. That cued another strong wave of applause.
"I do not work for the taxpayers of the state of Colorado. I do not work for Bill Owens. I work for you. . . . The Board of Regents should do its job, and let me do mine."
The battle lines were drawn and underscored repeatedly, in overtly political colors.
Churchill, his voice strained at times and keyed to a fighting pitch for most of his talk, said "there is not an inch of give" in his stance, and that "This institution needs to be protected from the ravages of the rabid right wing" elements that he perceives to be behind the attacks on his credibility and his scholarship.
A primary reason for Tuesday's speech was so Churchill could explain the reasoning behind his essay. He insisted he never advocated or endorsed the nearly 3,000 deaths occurring Sept. 11, but only meant to explain that America's foreign policies - such as the support for U.N. sanctions against Iraq, which many have blamed for deaths through starvation and disease of 500,000 Iraqi children after the first Gulf War - can yield disastrous payback.
"What you are putting out will blow back on you, and that's what happened," he said.
"We're worried about weapons of mass destruction, in a country that has the largest inventory (of nuclear arms) in the world, the only country that has used them on civilian targets, and intentionally used them on civilian targets."
Churchill and Means both spoke bitterly about renewed attacks in the media over recent days on the issue of Churchill's American Indian heritage. He has, in the past, claimed both one-sixteenth and three-sixteenths Cherokee heritage, but others who have studied his genealogy have questioned those assertions.
"The issue (of challenging Churchill's political arguments) was not sustainable, so I was to become the issue," said Churchill. "Well, later, for that."
Means, whose introduction was often even more impassioned than Churchill's delivery, was also disgusted with those taking issue with Churchill's heritage.
"I don't know what Clear Channel (the media giant) says about his one-sixteenth or three-sixteenths. Here's where it counts," Means said, tapping his heart.
Alluding to the regents' order last week for a probe of his written and spoken records, which Churchill puts at more than 24 books and 70 chapter contributions to other publications, Means said, "I know the regents aren't going to get through them all.
"Those cowards," he added, "who could not stand up for women, and could not stand up for their own professors," apparently referring to female students who have alleged they were raped in recent years by CU football players or recruits.
Churchill was clearly buoyed by the predominantly positive reception on his home turf.
"You give me hope. You all give me hope," he concluded.
He raised one fist above his head, saying, "Power to the people" but his voice was largely drowned by the applause.
this will come back to haunt CU. They are clearly feeding into this guy's psychosis.
Where does this sub-creep think his paycheck comes from?
Barf for sure.
I good way to "silence" him would be not to listen to anymore of his treasonous crap. You know the old saying about "if a tree falls in the forest and there's no one there to hear it........"
I hope they drop him from faculty like a hot potatoe. He should be sent to Cuba on a slow leaky boat.
And that is????
100% Communist, through-and-through.
No one's asking for an apology, Church--they just don't want you teaching at their school. Get a clue, douchebag.
So if I tap my chest at my heart, I can be an indian as well? These freakos need to get the hell out of the US.
"He insisted he never advocated or endorsed the nearly 3,000 deaths occurring Sept. 11..."
By referring to those killed as "little Eichmanns", or Nazis, he absolutely endorsed their deaths. Which he has a right to do.
But if there were a constitutional requirement that a person not be a jagoff, he'd be in big big trouble.
There are many ways to make a pompous little professor miserable--and our side should know well how to go about it. You marginalize his position, you take away choice perks, you give him freshmen to teach, you cut his budgets, discourage grad students ...on and on.
<<<<<"I owe no one an apology">>>>>
Tod Beamer, "Let's Roll" hero of Fly 193, you deserved to die because you were a little Eichmann. Lisa Beamer and children- I owe you no apology for saying this.
In Your Face,
Ward Churchill
Evil. Period.
Hey, good idea.
I think I'll go down to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun tomorrow and tap my chest until I get some of those casino royalties.
Cuz THAT's where it counts.
As everyone knows, you can't let a DDD go unanswered.
LOL, thanks for the tip!
"the nearly 3,000 deaths occurring Sept. 11, but only meant to explain that America's foreign policies - such as the support for U.N. sanctions against Iraq"
Sounds like he sees a link between Saddam and 9/11.
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