Although we are busy discussing Bush's ursupation of power and what this means for freedom and democracy and what can be done about it, it's worth taking note of what is happening to Professor Ward Churchill and academic freedom at the University of Colorado.
On Tuesday, July 24, the University of Colorado Board of Regents will decide whether to accept the recommendation of CU President (and former Republican senator) Hank Brown, and fire CU Professor Ward Churchill. -- from "University of Colorado Set To Fire Ward Churchill" by Ira Chernus
UDATE: I wrote this diary because all today's recommended diaries primed me on the issue of freedom, and here was a news story where one of the angles was freedom. Little did I know it was a sort of hornet's nest.
It provides an interesting lesson to those of us that are concerned about the direction of the country where the elites in Washington are failing to act and we think that possibly the only thing that can set our country back on the right track will be citizen action.more here
The right-wing has been calling for Professor Churchill's firing since 2001 for an Op-Ed he wrote after 9-11 that attributed Al-Qaeda's targeting of America and the Twin Towers to blowback from the Gulf War. It took them almost six years, but they hung on with pit bull ferocity and now seem to be about to achieve their aim. It's been pointed out to me that the "official" effort to fire him didn't begin until 2 years ago.
There is hope -- folks are organized, but it's a slim hope.
If Bush-Co has his way this will be the first of many such fights. Free-thinking academics have no place in the future the right-wing is preparing for America, so let's join the fight now!!