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.
Apparently, he doesn't "work" for anybody..I checked the CU website, and I couldn't find any course he's teaching this semester, and he only taught one class in the fall..is this normal?
Perhaps you recall the Fairchild semiconductor plant scheduled to open in a week 10 days way back when on the Navajo reservation near Shiprock.
Russel Worthless AIM raised such a fuss, Fairchild closed the doors and walked off. Russel flushed 100's of much needed jobs right down the toilet by his idiot noises.
Who are those guys with "arms" all around him?
True, true!
Where is Charles Whitman when you need him?
"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."
At least, he also believes that Iraq has WMDs.
That is like, sooo 40 years ago.
**********************************************
Well, see this about that:
After the the 30 day review I think that statement will be:
"I do not work for the state now."
"Barf for sure"
The real barfer was seeing the clip on the news last night. Chief stuck-in-the-60's is the one who doesn't get it.
Churchill does not have the qualifications (PhD.)to be a tenured professor. The only reason he was hired was because of his Indian heritage, which it turns out he has none. A professor from New Mexico accuses Churchill of plagiarism. Also, there are rumors that Churchill invented the story about US soldiers giving blankets infested with smallpox to Indians to kill them off.
Not just you...I was thinking this morning (with his mug splashed on the front page of my paper) that the media should put him on ignore.
I smell a book deal for this pathetic loser.
LOL! I guess I better start binge drinking again.
One of the blogs had a note about the School from which Churchill recived his education in Illinois. It has essentially been closed down as it lacked any standards, no grades, etc and was one of those that sprung up after the 60's
turmoil. Wonder if I can find that again.
It was him? OMG........I'd love to see that exposed!
Reminds me of my college days when Jane Fonda came to speak at Penn State. Financed by the Student Union and my tuition payments of course. We never got to vote whether we wanted her there or not, just like students today can't vote on whether to bring in Ward Churchill or not.
He may get a book deal, but his writings are incoherent and I don't think it will sell very well. Maybe amongst the ivory tower crowd and college kids with there heads still stuck in their nether regions. He's an old hippie, pretend Indian has-been. I think he'll be looking for work elsewhere in a few weeks.
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.