Saturday, October 07, 2006

Ward Churchill and the Limits of Academic Dissent

by Jay Allbritton
University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill drew a great deal of heat when he infamously used the phrase "little Eichmans" in reference to American taxpayers working in the World Trade Center on 9/11.

On Monday May 2, 2005 at California State University Monterey Bay, Churchill gave a fiery speech on the limits of academic dissent.



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at 3:42 PM

7 comments:

Hector Diego said...

Fuseman,

I was interested to see what Ward Churchill had to say, but after the first speaker started to introduce a second speaker...even before we get Churchill...I ran out of steam.

Break it down for me. Why were the people that got a jetliner shoved up their butts, on a par with a notorious Nazi?

I'll take my answer online. Thanks. Hector.

5:45 PM
Station Agent said...

Dude, just skip ahead to Churchill.

I think his speech was about his right to say what he said, not about justifying it.

6:32 PM
Hector Diego said...

Station Agent,

OK, but for a minute let's forget Churchill's speech. I support first amendment rights.

What did he mean?

This is an important question for all of us Lennonists here at The Walrus Speaks. Lennon loved to shock people.

What's Churchill's aim in saying what he did? Hector.

7:20 PM
Station Agent said...

Not sure. I sounded so idiotic I never really checked it out. I'm only interested in it because it's dissent.

I think he meant something to the effect that citizens are as responsible for vile foreign policy as the government they allow to govern them.

I don't think that he impresses anyone or wins anyone over by using the name Eichman. There are very few Eichmans and there were very many that died.

9:48 PM
Hector Diego said...

If citizens are as vile as the government they "allow" to govern them, that's like saying that everyone has to be macho enough to lay down their life for a principle. Maybe that is true, but it's a hard thing to say and even harder to act upon, and I'd like to see Churchill do it.

Churchill reminds me of that "hippie" jerk in the film Forrest Gump, who could spew but couldn't be A MAN like the simple Forrest.

Perhaps Churchill meant something deeper, but if your impression of him is anywhere near close, he ain't half the man you is, Station Agent.

1:20 AM
Station Agent said...

Oh, I see what you're saying. You're debating Ward Churchill's premise--I thought we were talking about Winston Churchill.

Yeah, his argument is b.s.

10:40 PM
Station Agent said...

His argument about his argument rules though. Makes me think he ginned this whole thing up just to test the limits of dissent--which is brilliant.

10:41 PM

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