A proffessor at the University of Colorado by the name of Ward Churchill has been in the spotlight recently after an essay he wrote was brought to the mainstream during a speaking tour of Universities.
My perseption of the man and his message are totally changed after hearing him speak, compared to reading paper. Before you form an opinion on this matter, please read what he had to say in his speech to his own University.
I have the Flu, anyone reading this seeing major grammatical flaws, I am sorry, but I am very very sick.
I think it would be of great interest for all progressives (hopefully that will soon be sononomus with Democrats) to listen to what this man is acually saying.
First, read his essay at http://www.darknightpress.org/index.php?i=news&c=recent&view=9&long=1. It is 20 pages printed out, but it worth it. Go, do it now.
Pretty racy stuff...
If you didn't read the whole thing let me sum it up so I can continue on with you still here.
9-11 happened, but it was not an unwarented attack. Those high up in our government and anyone not applying their minds, skills and deeds to stop the actions of the US, namely in the killing of a half million childeren in Iraq, are "little Eichmanns." These are people that would refer to dead babies in Iraq as "colateral damage." So if you are at the upper tear (he said repeatedly in his speach he did not mean passersby, childeren, broom-pushers) you are just like the Nazi Eichmanns. Here is the exact line:
"If there was a better, more effective, or in fact any other way of visiting some penalty befitting their participation upon the little Eichmanns inhabiting the sterile sanctuary of the twin towers, I'd really be interested in hearing about it."
Geonocide is genocide, and no county in the world should be allowed to be holier-than-though and not abide by the law of the land. So after his 20+ books and many many essays, somebody saw this line and started complaining. Try to fit what this guy is saying into a soundclip and sound inteligent.
Not going to happen.
So the speech. Opened up about 20 minutes late, then a drum squad powered by Native Americans from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Members of the American Indian Movement followed.
The first speaker, whose name slips my mind, gave a fire filled speech about the tragedies of the Native Americans. The only race that has to register to belong, reservations were the basis of concentration camps by Hitler, 150 Billion is missing from the BIA that was misplaced....
Important stuff, but not the reason I came nor why you are reading, but important to know, gives Churchill a little more standing. The end of the speech, the first speaker told the audience that he received a call from an unregistered Irishman asking about Churchills heritage. The entire stage embraced Churchill as one of their brothers.
Chruchill, in what seemed to be a bit of emotion, took the mike by saying I am humbled by you all. You see, the papers, Fox News, the local papers even have been blasting him for about a week over this paper written over 4 years ago... and the standing room audience was on its feet giving a standing ovation to the man.
His speech presented many standing ovations, over 10 on my count, participated anywhere from 50%-90% of the audience.
His first point was about the "senseless" act of 9-11, and how his paper outlines how it wasn't senseless. It may not have been right, but there was some reason behind it, the media had it all wrong. The biggest points (beside his paper) were academic freedom and that the Governor and CU Regents were not doing their jobs. The best jab of the night was a quote about the Republican Owens: "The Governor has asked me to step down and apologize, and I am returning the compliment."
According to Churchill, 9-11 happened on the same grounds stolen from the Natives from the Dutch for some beads. The Natives were later to be massacred and beheaded to have their heads used as a ball in a kickball game, almost on the same spot as the World Trade Centers. The irony in a Native American professor, with the American Indian Movement in the background giving a speech to the whites that took the land, and being received with applause will get me for years to come.
The audience was 80% white, middle to upper class students (it is Boulder, Colorado). When Churchill spoke about the war as a crime, that he morns just as much as innocent civilians in Iraq are killed than on 9-11, the audience enthusiastically agreed with him.
Churchill speaks in a rhythmic pattern in very complex but poinet (I will just [sic] myself on that spelling error) sentences that reminded me of hip hop. A very amazing thing to listen to.
Question and answer period.
A few "this man is the best ever." One from the College Republican President douche that asked "Most people in this room are not going to push brooms, and as Americans in your point of view, doesn't that make us all Little Eichmans?" Churchill immediately responded, "The choice is yours."
Two about Columbus day, in which Churchill has been arrested protesting. One asked if his opposition to the celebrating of the Holiday impeded on his 1st amendment rights in which the audience cared so much for. Churchill responded that his 9th amendment rights trumped his first. I didn't follow this, but I am sick, remember?
No questions from the media were fielded. It was a student event, and students asked most of the questions (a parent and the 9th amendment guy snuck in).
I will be happy to give an answer to any questions anyone has on the talk.
In Sum:
Churchill needs to be backed by the Dems, his essays were never brought into his classroom, and his firing would be a tragedy (Great professor fired for something done dealing with freedom of speech not on the job). His views are a bit out there and hard to accept, but have a lot of validity, and in a great democracy, embrased.
I had no idea there was this much to write about, and I think I only covered about 30% of what I wanted to say... More to come if this is recommended and commented....