Ward Churchill, academic freedom, and mainstream news covera

[lescaret]

Has anyone been following the Ward Churchill saga? Have you read the mainstream media about it?

I heard about it via the NYTimes, and read these terrible things about how Churchill, in his post-9/11 essay, compared the victims in the world trade centers to Nazis and made other reprehensible comments. Or so the Times said (I can only imagine what FOX news had to say about him).

Typically, there is more behind the story than the various news outlets reported. Hmmm, like context for starters.

Here's a link to a rebuttal by Churchill himself:

http://www.counterpunch.org/churchill02032005.html

There is lots of discussion about this whole bouhaha at

http://www.counterpunch.org/

Now the University of Colorado is trying to fire him (he's a tenured professor) and the Colorado Governor is calling for his dismissal.

Academic Freedom? Freedom of Speech? Concerns? Does anyone have a link to the essay in question?

[Lightning Rod]

my last column was about this

http://www.studioeight.tv/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2249

[lescaret]

I just read your Poet's Eye piece, thanks for pointing it out.

[Dave The Dov]

Here's what's happening with him in my state.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/feb05/300742.asp
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[Zlatko Waterman]

"Target Selection", a phase used by Churchill in his rebuttal to the accusations raised against him, is a salient phrase.

We justify "target selection" in the name of "American interests", whatever they happen to be at the moment: hegemonic control of MidEast oil; new bases in Iraq to dominate the area militarily; bombing suspected hideouts of "insurgency" operatives, attacks which often kill many innocent civilians-- or my favorites: "bringing freedom" and "spreading liberty", among a population which evidently prefers the civil advice of religious leaders.

All this is broadcast as justified under the aegis of "American interests."

The only deliberate use of nuclear weapons against a civilian population occurred in August, 1945, and the cities targeted and their vaporized populations were, I suppose by the Pentagon's definition, "opposing American interests" also.

The problem with converting any attack into a patriotic crusade to "subdue evil-doers" ( Con "Exxon"Rice on her recent tour . . .), or the humans the US general staff routinely refer to as "the bad guys" is that, without considering the intricacies of action and reaction in warfare, without trying to imagine what it might be like to be on the receiving end of US 500-pound bombs in your neighborhood, decision-making becomes simple.

It goes something like this:

The bad guys hit us, without any provocation . Now kooks like Churchill are trying to sort out possible motives and counter-motives. And the guy is actually taking history and law into consideration. Those things are irrelevant in any discussion of "these barbarians."

I say nuke him and the towelheads both!

While we're at it, let's bomb North Korea back into the stone age.

Yesterday I actually heard some gossip on a ( leftist) radio station that a North Korean diplomat had whispered at a recent meeting:

"Perhaps we'll be forced into making a regime change in Washington. We already know they have Weapons of Mass Destruction."


Zlatko

[lescaret]

Interesting follow-up editorial on Ward Churchill:

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0215-20.htm

[Lightning Rod]

lescaret,

It was my joy to spend a week with Alan Watts when I was about eighteen. He was the embodiment of the Joker. We talked about this concept. Yes, thieves and rogues. We need them.

Watts was a jolly fellow. He served me Zen tea. He also showed me how to drink in an intemperate manner and chase the skirts of every woman in the room.

Great teacher.