Ward Churchill is hopping mad that he's being fired from his tenured faculty position at the University of Colorado. He says he is not leaving. He has announced his decision to sue. The whole procedure, he insists, was a "farce" and a "fraud." Only in America, he believes, could he be treated in this way. I'm not sure why Churchill is so indignant. According to the logic of his original argument, he deserves his penalty--and worse. By his own account, he had it coming.
Let's review the main thesis of Churchill's notorious essay On the Justice of Roosting Chickens. He called the civilians working on September 11, 2001 in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center "little Eichmanns." In short, they were "a cadre of faceless bureaucrats and technical experts who had willingly and profitably harnessed themselves to the task of making America's genocidal world order hum with maximal efficiency." So they deserved it. Indeed we all deserve it. Churchill wrote that for U.S. crimes stretching back two centuries, compensatory justice "would require a lethal reduction in the U.S. population...of between 96 and 99 percent." Basically no one in America deserves to live.
In a footnote to the essay, however, Churchill acknowledged that this indictment of America's citizens applies also to him. For one, he enjoys privileges that are a fruit of conquest. "I am a citizen only by virtue of the U.S. impostion of itself upon my people," he wrote. (Churchill fancies himself to be part native American, a claim that has been questioned by his critics.) Despite his criticism of U.S. foreign policy, Churchill says he didn't do enough to block the U.S. war machine. "I am nonetheless here, in the belly of the beast, still alive and at liberty, and have thus done less than I could have. Hence I share in the political guilt of all Americans. It follows that had I been aboard one of the fatal aircraft on 9/11 or should I be similarly extinguished in the future, as is entirely possible under present circumstances, I will have no more basis for complaint than any other American."
Now the chickens are coming home to roost for Ward Churchill. Should he be surprised? Yes, but only at how leniently he is being treated. If America were really the ruthless war machine that he alleges, America would turn him over to Al Qaeda. The radical Muslims would then do their worst, which Churchill himself admits would be perfectly understandable and just. But America has attempted nothing of the sort. Instead, the U.S. war machine's Colorado representatives have decided merely to relieve Ward Churchill of his job. So what is the guy snivelling about? Could it be that he knows he's been playing the victim card for years and getting away with it, and now he expects to put on his American Indian outfit and cry some more, and hope that some politically correct jury falls for it and awards him a big sum of money? Churchill is right about one thing: only in America!
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 4)
31. So what? Churchill is right that we are all complicit in great evil and most Americans enjoy the benefits of massive social injustice and exploitation of much of the rest of the world. He took the message too far because he wanted to bait conservatives (who have clearly obliged). Free speech is a prohibition on state action, not private action. The school has every right to hire and fire whoever it likes. He has very little legal case and this is really a tempest in a teapot. He's right that jingoism and patriotism are simplistic ways to view the world. DD is right that a university doesn't have to put up with anything it feels is contrary to its standards.
agohn at 12:24PM on Jul 26th 2007
32. Some words of advice to all the far left wackjobs...
1. Set the bong down on the coffee table ans slowly back away
2. Cut off that graying ponytail
3. Replace your zig-zag with job applications.
4. Throw out the granola and get some red meat in your diet.
After meeting this criteria you are now ready to make a positive difference in our society. Otherwise you may now shut the hell up.
fishbowl72 at 12:32PM on Jul 26th 2007
33. Mr. D'Souza. This country should be big enough to suffer fools like Mr. Churchill gladly...and ignore him as much as possible. That is what academic freedom is all about. Waiting patiently for an academic to say something intelligent.
Paul Sonnino at 12:38PM on Jul 26th 2007
34. Just a P.S. for those of you who somehow manage to keep bringing in the Republican "failed war" into the discussion of Ward Churchill. If the Democrats win the Presidency and both houses of congress, there will be no substantive changes in disengagement for a number of years. The reason is that in ANY exit strategy, the Democrats know they must first avoid another "Fall of Saigon" and the decades of Iraqi genocide and geo-political damage that will result to the U.S. In the minds of the electorate, that level of disaster will be laid at the door of the Democratic Party for those previously mentioned decades to come. And guess what? Every Democratic candidate for President already knows this.
John at 12:32PM on Jul 26th 2007
35. It's amusing that this same author just recently wrote about the low numbers of highly qualified men applying to colleges and now notes that UC has finally decided to terminate one of their whackos after years of tolerating his idiocy. It's obvious someone is lacking in math skills when they can't put two and two together.
By the way indians aren't pathetic victim types, no matter how hard they've been slapped down they just keep fighting back. My wife's mother is from the Little Basket reservation in New Mexico, and I've lived in Okalhoma for over 20 years. I have never heard a single Indian whine about the oppressions they've suffered. They just smile and say "that which does not kill you makes you stronger",and then they go out and prove it.
Darkmanwp at 12:34PM on Jul 26th 2007
36. While I think this guy's remarks are disgusting, why is he any worse than Ann Coulter saying the widows of 9/11 are enjoying their husband's deaths?
There are MANY conservatives who defend Coulter time and time again.
Both sides of the aisle (liberal or conservative) have their idiots.
Perhaps Ann Coulter and Ward Churchill should hook up and get married. Dinesh can be the officiant at their wedding.
David S. at 12:43PM on Jul 26th 2007
37. So, can someone explain to me how the left has Big Education? I've seen a recent poll extolling that up to 80% of college faculty are considered liberal. Of course, that poll only asked professors in the Social Sciences. Just saying that colleges are liberaldoes not make it so. Unlike Mr. D'Souza, I would like to see some facts presented when making statements. Does being a liberal or on the left mean that you think for yourself? Don't conservatives do that as well? Is being a liberal someone who questions government actions and wants answers? I don't hear conservatives doing this. I thought the idea of being an American was to question everything until you get a straight answer. Am I under a false impression? By the way, Democrats are also controlled by the same people who control our politicians to the right. Take some time and look at a list of campaign contributions and donors and you will be shocked. In the meantime, stop throwing out words like liberal and conservative until you have an understanding as to what they actually mean.
matt at 12:44PM on Jul 26th 2007
38. To Oneblood - if you looked at the website, it states in many places that "not all Jews are Zionists" and vice versa. They also have interviews with Rabbi Weiss of Neturei Karta http://www.nkusa.org and http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com is also in their camp - it's not me that has a knee jerk reaction to the term Zionist - it's you. Read the website (thoroughly this time) and then comment before sticking your foot in your mouth. There were 5 dancing and celebrating Mossad agents taking videos of the WTC attack - is that something to ignore?
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Questions about 9-11?
http://iamthewitness.com/DarylBradfordSmith_ZionSummary.html
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looksbooks54 at 1:14PM on Jul 26th 2007
39. What is wrong with us? It seems that instead of addressing pressing issues that we are facing (i.e., the war in Iraq, Social Security, Medicare, illegal immigration, etc.), we are more comfortable attacking each others' party affiliation. Why is it that everytime someone says anything that is disagreeable, they must be Liberal/Conservative, depending on what our party affiliation may be? Why can't they be a person with an opinion. As far as myself, some of my ideas are more conservative while some are more liberal. I'm neither. What I am is an American and I tend to have ideas that I believe are in the best interest of America, not the Republican or Democratic party. If you disagree, then that is your opinion. I'm not going to attack or label you for that-- well, at least not most of the time. When it gets to the nitty gritty, we are all Americans and it's time we realize that. Maybe when we do, we'll have a Congress that gets things done instead of contenting themselves with attacking the other side and producing endless bills just to embarass the other party and a President that actually acts for the people instead of special interests and party loyalists. It's time to put our great nation above partisan politics. I can only imagine how the Founding Fathers would feel about us.
mj at 1:15PM on Jul 26th 2007
40. I like David Horowitz' recent efforts to bring a bit of balance to the rants on college campuses by leftist morons like Ward Churchill.
Universities should be places where open discussion of a wide range of ideas is encouraged, not indoctrnation centers where left wing propaganda is imposed on captive audiences.
Ken Berg at 2:14PM on Jul 26th 2007
41. The left is trying really hard to defend WC and is failing. The claim to his right to freedom of speech doesn't allow him to make absurd and hurtful statements about victims that can't defend themselves to his vile and demeaning banter. Just as Imus and the University president that stated something about women not scoring high in math and science learned, that you are accountable for what you say, WC is learning there is a double edged sword that does indeed cut both ways. By the way I would be curious to learn what those defenders of WC were saying when Imus and the U. Pres. made their remarks. Kind of believe they didn't have much tolerance for freedom of speech then.
nativenurse at 4:25PM on Jul 26th 2007
42. I actually agree with Ken Berg #37 that universities should be "places where open discussion of a wide range of ideas is encouraged, not indoctrination centers..." In fact, why stop at universities? Why not bring the same balance and open discussion which are the hallmarks of a democratic polity to the executive and legislative branches of our government. For the last six years the executive branch has been taken over by right wing idealogues who are not interested in open discussion, honesty, or balance. They deliberately lied to the american people in order to gain support for an ill conceived war that has turned out to be a disaster. They suggested both implicitly and explicitly that anyone who disagreed with them were not just wrong, but unpatriotic. They have used both fear and misplaced patriotism to restrict civil liberties and arrogate to the executive branch more and more power. I say we follow the University of Colorado's example and fire(impeach) these incompetent wachos and return a measure of sanity to the executive branch.
randy at 5:09PM on Jul 26th 2007
43. richter,
The great gulf of difference between WC and Dinesh is that people are not sitting a a classroom with Dinesh anticipating a grade. At the same time, if I am ever looking for a shallow, irrelevant ignoramous, that doesn't know how to avoid those that he considers to be like the Ayatollah in America, I will be certain to look you up. You sound like the kind of person that likes to hit himself in the head with a hammer because he loves when the pain stops. Hey, best of luck in pulling your life back together.
Cdalealden at 5:32PM on Jul 26th 2007
44. Ken # 37 = I agree with you about universites being more open to ideas. But it is not like conservatives don't have religious universities. Pat Robertson's or Jerry Falwell's university? Or what about Oral Roberts University? I question how much "open discussion" there is in those places. Just a thought.
David S. at 6:46PM on Jul 26th 2007
45. NativeNurse, I support freedom of speech to the UTMOST. Doesn't mean one has to agree with the content. The right to free speech is tantamount to freedom. Period.
Andie Pauly at 12:52AM on Jul 27th 2007