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Professor Mirecki blasts KU, sheriff’s investigation: Alleged beating by "Christians" a hoax?
Lawrence Journal - World ^ | Saturday, December 10, 2005 | Sophia Maines

Posted on 12/10/2005 9:13:23 AM PST by rface

Kansas University professor Paul Mirecki said he’s hired an attorney and is ready to go to the mat with KU and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

“If I have to sue, I will,” he said.

[ see following FR posts for some history ]
Professor Mirecki now mum on alleged beating: Alleged beating by "Christians" a hoax?

WHAT HAPPENED TO PAUL MIRECKI? (Phony Hate Crime Alert) by Michelle Malkin ^

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Mirecki said he’s angry because KU didn’t back him after religious conservatives attacked him for his plan to teach a course dealing with intelligent design.

Mirecki became a political lightning rod after his new course was announced and his derisive comments on an Internet message board about conservative Christians and Catholics were later widely distributed.

His planned spring course was canceled. Still, some legislators said they would call Mirecki and KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway on the carpet for a public hearing.

On Wednesday the university announced Mirecki had resigned as chairman of the religious studies department. But Friday, Mirecki told the Journal-World he was forced to step down. Kansas University religious studies professor Paul Mirecki displays on Friday the bruises that he says came from a beating two men gave him early Monday. He says the university has not been supportive of him through his ordeal.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Kansas University religious studies professor Paul Mirecki displays on Friday the bruises that he says came from a beating two men gave him early Monday. He says the university has not been supportive of him through his ordeal.

“The University penalized me and denied me my Constitutionally protected right to speak and express my mind,” he wrote in a statement prepared for the newspaper. “I’ve become radioactive and the University’s administrators won’t support me.”

Mirecki said his career was ruined and that “speaking engagements that I had lined up now have been canceled.”

On Friday, he displayed two black eyes and a bruise on his arm that he said came from a beating administered early Monday by two unknown men who had followed him in a pickup truck as he drove to breakfast. He said his attackers mentioned the controversy.

He said he was not pleased with the sheriff’s investigation because he had been “treated more like a criminal than a victim.”

He said he was interviewed by officers several times, “once for five hours straight. They keep asking me the same things over and over. They seized my car; they entered my office and seized my computer. They said they need them for their investigation but it didn’t make any sense to me.”

Lt. Kari Wempe, a spokeswoman for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, released a statement Friday night that said the sheriff’s office had not seen a copy of Mirecki’s prepared statement to the media.

Click here to access the link to the following:

Evolution in Kansas: Recent coverage

* 6News video: Mirecki hires lawyer to look into resignation (12-09-05) * Mirecki press release (.pdf) * Professor blasts KU, sheriff’s investigation (12-10-05) * Embattled KU professor has long history with religion (12-10-05) * Conservative made postings public (12-10-05) * KU provost says ID course needed (12-09-05) * Pastors condemn attack (12-08-05) * 6News video: Mirecki resigns from KU department post (11-30-05) * Mirecki resigns leadership position (12-08-05) * Kansas ranks last in science (12-08-05) * Police report (.pdf) * 6News video: More information released in alleged Mirecki attack (12-06-05) * Mirecki mum on details of beating (12-07-05) * 6News video: Mirecki hospitalized after beating (12-05-05) * Mirecki treated after roadside beating (12-06-05) * K-State, others tackling intelligent design in classroom (12-04-05) * KU could face heat in Topeka (12-03-05) * Conservative critic known for inflammatory speech (12-03-05) * 6News video: KU professors make statement about academic freedom (12-02-05) * Intelligent design course canceled (12-02-05) * 6News video: Intelligent design class at KU canceled (12-01-05) * Several of Mirecki's Yahoo! group posts (3.3 MB PDF) * More coverage * RSS LJWorld.com's Evolution in Kansas coverage

“Until we are provided with a document from Mr. Mirecki, we are not able to comment on it. Our agency continues to thoroughly investigate this crime against Mr. Mirecki,” Wempe said.

Mirecki said he has hired Lawrence attorney David Brown to represent him.

Hemenway said he had been told by other administrators that Mirecki stepped down from his chairman’s post. He said KU has supported Mirecki.

“Professor Mirecki still has a job at the University of Kansas,” Hemenway said. “That would appear to be support for his rights to his tenured position and his rights to free speech ... The university deplores the fact that he was apparently attacked. We’ve said so.”

Hemenway also said he had been told that KU police called Mirecki to see how they might help him.

But Mirecki said the university had done little to back him and that he was fired as department chairman because he had the “temerity to challenge the power of the religious right in Kansas and the university capitulated to demands of the conservative minority.”

He said he felt let down by the administration and colleagues who sought his resignation Tuesday.

He said he had no choice but to sign the resignation letter, which was typed on stationery from the office of Barbara Romzek, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Mirecki said he lived under threat of another attack.

“If the University doesn’t support me, I could be in more physical danger because the University is not standing up to the religious extremists,” he said.

He said the number of threatening letters and e-mails has increased since the chancellor called Mirecki’s online comments “repugnant and vile” in a public statement.

He said he also had received more than 2,500 e-mails and letters from academics around the world supporting him.

“The University has a duty, as a protector of intellectual honesty and debate, to support its teaching staff when controversial issues are raised,” Mirecki said. “Now those on the right are emboldened and feel they can take this a step higher.

“At this point, I just want this to be over.” Comments


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Kansas
KEYWORDS: assault; ku; mirecki
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following are comments posted at the papers website:

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Note: LJWorld.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy.

Posted by RayanaSandy (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 4:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with Mirecki. KU hasn't done enough to support him at all.

Posted by even_money (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 4:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with Mirecki that I, too, just want this to be over!

Posted by Sandman (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 4:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Take the polygraph! Prove everyone wrong...

Posted by truthlawrence (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 5:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

hide behind the lawyer,boy does that say guilty

Posted by audvisartist (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 5:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Is it just me, or is anyone else REALLY tired of seeing this guy make the front page on an all too regular basis? And what's up with the black eyes? They're the most symmetrical I've ever seen!

Posted by macon47 (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 5:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

“At this point, I just want this to be over.” ok, just move to boulder or southerh calif. this guy is a legend in his own mind. another educated liberal twit, that thinks KU owes him a living due to his tenure. He is so in love with himself we should clone him and let them get married.

Posted by jwmound (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 5some comments at the end of this story:

:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

yeah, don't look like any black eye ever had, but it isn't a surprise to me when the university asked for a resignation. If you believe in a high power, it will prevail reguardless of this political bullshiste!

Posted by enochville (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 5:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Those bruises look like they could come from the bottom of his glasses being smashed against his face.

Posted by audvisartist (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 6:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

hmmmm good point, enochville! But like the old cartoons say, "You'd never hit a guy with glasses!"

Posted by ksmattfish (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 6:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Is it just me, or is anyone else REALLY tired of seeing this guy make the front page on an all too regular basis?"

Not as tired as I am of ignorant, superstitious, fundamentalist BS making the headlines.

Posted by malachi (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 6:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Unbelievable, this could have all been avoided had we left intelligent design where it belonged. In a book of fairy tales.

Posted by ksmattfish (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 6:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"hide behind the lawyer,boy does that say guilty"

I'll keep this in mind as half the Republican party lines up for court.

Posted by LawrenceMommy (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 6:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Just an interesting point. One of the methods they use in Emergency Departments to determine child abuse is by "staging" the bruising. Bruises of different ages appear different colors due to the process of breaking down the components of blood. The "bruises" on his face are definitely not from the same time as the one on his arm...the arm one is older. The face bruises are still a deep purple color, which indicates they are about 2-5 days old. The arm bruise is green and yellowing toward the edges. That is indicative of a bruse that is 7-10 days old. The alleged beating happened on the 5th and the picture was taken on the 9th. My math must not add up.

Posted by truthlawrence (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 6:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

now were talking,,thats why the cops had him for five hours and he now has a lawyer,the math is two plus two isnt nine,he needs to shut up and go hide at this point and wait for the cops to come get him

Posted by nschmi04 (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh, you right wingers are going to have a field day on this board this morning.

Posted by even_money (anonymous) on December 10, 2005 at 7:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It will be interesting to compare the comments here with those under the Altevogt article.

1 posted on 12/10/2005 9:13:23 AM PST by rface
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To: rface

These ass***** believe their "right to free speech" includes lying and unsulting people. Someone needs to "take HIM to the mat...".


2 posted on 12/10/2005 9:17:01 AM PST by nmh ( Intelligent people believe in Intelligent Design (God))
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To: rface

America has bigot shortage. They are so scarce, liberals have to create their own hate crimes.


3 posted on 12/10/2005 9:19:32 AM PST by Dan Evans
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To: rface

Well, if it is a hoax, they'll unravel it [like they did Tawana Browley's one]. Till that time it would be more proper to refer to "allegations".


4 posted on 12/10/2005 9:20:30 AM PST by GSlob
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To: rface
“The University penalized me and denied me my Constitutionally protected right to speak and express my mind,”

Seems like he's been perfectly free to speak his mind. He doesn't understand that there are consequences and responsibilities that go along with that.

5 posted on 12/10/2005 9:21:21 AM PST by atomicpossum (Replies should be as pedantic as possible. I love that so much.)
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To: rface
This guy is typical gard left liberal.

Probably this "beating" was not how he says it was if it occurred at all.

He is still a hero to a significant subset of hardcore anti-Christians here at FR who pretend to be interested in evolution.

6 posted on 12/10/2005 9:21:47 AM PST by tallhappy (Juntos Podemos!)
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To: rface

Is it just me or does this guy look just like Ward Churchill?


7 posted on 12/10/2005 9:24:03 AM PST by bkepley
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To: rface

Google images of black eyes and compare. His look nothing like black eyes from an assault. Why isn't his face scarred, swollen, and bruised?


8 posted on 12/10/2005 9:25:39 AM PST by Kirkwood
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: rface

:^D The picture is funny, pointing his bruised arm at the camera. Aw, Wook at my widdow boo-boo! Jim Carey did a better job. (What was the name of that movie? Seems to me it rhymed with, "pants on fire...")

I'll take issue with the poster who's amazed at the symmetry of the black eyes... I've seen that kind of symmetry, before. On people with NOSE JOBS!


10 posted on 12/10/2005 9:26:31 AM PST by dangus
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To: Kirkwood

Probably paid for some sodomite rough trade.


11 posted on 12/10/2005 9:27:48 AM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: rface

If a couple of nutballs beat the heck out of him, there should've been some trace evidence left behind. Like red wool fibers. Anyone heard if the cops found any?


12 posted on 12/10/2005 9:28:32 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: rface
Professor, despite what you might think, tenure does NOT give you the right to deny & denigrate the beliefs of others.

I predict that your little "hate crime" will be revealed as a hoax & that you are about to disappear into the dustbin.

13 posted on 12/10/2005 9:28:49 AM PST by Volunteer (Just so you know, I am ashamed the Dixie Chicks make records in Nashville.)
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To: dangus

If it is discovered he lied........can he be fired?


14 posted on 12/10/2005 9:31:19 AM PST by caffe (Hey, dems, you finally have an opportunity to vote!!!)
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To: GSlob
Till that time it would be more proper to refer to "allegations".

I strongly agree with you

15 posted on 12/10/2005 9:35:11 AM PST by rface ("...the most schizoid freeper I've ever seen" - New Bloomfield, Missouri)
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To: dangus
I'll take issue with the poster who's amazed at the symmetry of the black eyes... I've seen that kind of symmetry, before. On people with NOSE JOBS!

I was going to post the same thing, except I have seen similar bruises on people who have had their nose broken. Funny, his nose looks fine to me.

16 posted on 12/10/2005 9:35:11 AM PST by sharkhawk (Bear Down Chicago Bears)
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To: rface

The words "alleged beating by "Christians" a hoax?" do not appear in the title of the original article.


17 posted on 12/10/2005 9:38:23 AM PST by GSlob
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To: rface

So when did this guy take off his glasses during the "fight"?

18 posted on 12/10/2005 9:42:13 AM PST by bahblahbah
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To: bahblahbah

And look at those eyes. I have a hard time to believe both eyes would be like that in a one minute fight, especially if his nose didn't end up being broken. There was premeditated intelligent design in his injuries.


19 posted on 12/10/2005 9:45:30 AM PST by bahblahbah
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To: rface

I have to say I'm sorta disappointed with the link the paper provided to Mirecki's email. It includes none of the more outrageous stuff; it's more trying to exculpiate him then show why people are so outraged.

Also, Note there's some good-cop/bad-cop going on with Mirecki and Hemenway. Hemenway was originally all "Tee-hee-hee, that Mirecki, he's a pisser!" Now he's closer to, "I'm outraged, outraged, I tell ya! Round up the ususal suspects!"

Don't let Hemenway get a pass on this! He's every bit the bit the screwball Mirecki is, and only changed his tune once people started wondering who on Earth would pick a raving, raging, anti-Christian bigot to lead a Religious Studies department.

In a sense, Hemenway is worse than Mirecki. Mirecki is just a stupid ball of hate handed power. (Would YOU turn down a departmental chair?) True evil is the one who would give a man like Mirecki power.


20 posted on 12/10/2005 9:50:39 AM PST by dangus
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