Saturday, July 01, 2006
Spreading poison at the University of Wisconsin
One of the nation's greatest state universities, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, is teaching that the attacks of September 11 were an inside job, orchestrated by the United States government.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced Thursday that it would launch a review of an instructor who argues that the U.S. government orchestrated the Sept. 11 attacks for its own benefit.
The instructor, Kevin Barrett, is co-founder of an organization called the Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance, which claims the Bush administration planned the attacks to create a war between Muslims and Christians. He argues that members of the faiths must work together to overcome the belief that terrorists were to blame.
"The 9/11 lie was designed to sow hatred between the faiths," Barrett has written on the organization's Web site.
"Either we discuss the compelling evidence that 9/11 was an inside job, or there is precious little to talk about."
Now, you may say that it is unfair for me to attribute Instructor Barrett's beliefs, which he teaches in class, to the University of Wisconsin. He is a loon, you will say, and should not tarnish that great institution. I would reply that I am merely applying the theories of agency liability that the left attributes to business. If some employee of a corporation does something, it is common on the left to say that the "corporation" did the thing, and should be held responsible. Well, universities are corporations too, and until Wisconsin terminates Instructor Barrett it is fair to say that the University of Wisconsin is accusing the government of the United States of making war on its own people.
More troubling, though, is the attitude of some of Wisconsin's Muslim alumni:
Mir Babar Basir, a recent graduate of UW-Madison who served as president of the Muslim Students Association, said he knew Barrett and agreed with his take on the attacks. He said Griffin drew hundreds of supportive observers when he spoke at the university.
"This is not just Kevin Barrett's idea," Basir said. "It's legitimate to think that the U.S. government was involved."
"When David Ray Griffin [another 9/11 conspiracy advocate - ed.] spoke, it was packed," Basir added. "Madison is fairly liberal. It's not surprising that a lot of people agreed with him."
It is curious that a Muslim activist, who believes the U.S. government was behind 9/11, isn't surprised that there are a lot of people in Madison who feel the same way, because "Madison is fairly liberal." Apparently it isn't just Ann Coulter who slanders liberals. Muslim alumni of the University of Wisconsin do, too, only they intend it as a compliment.
LGF has lots more.
9 Comments:
By 
, at
Sat Jul 01, 02:22:00 AM:
I am a recent grad from a university in a conservative Texas town and even my profs were liberals! On a daily basis they twist the facts to meet their sick agendas. This story doesn't surprise me one bit.
By 
Lanky_Bastard, at
Sat Jul 01, 09:33:00 AM:
Wow. Look there's a crazy guy at a university, and a liberal likes him! This proves liberals are crazy! Let's see if we can set up some nobody professor as a whipping boy, and get a righteous fervor going. If we're really lucky, some dumb liberal will defend the guy's right to free speech and then we've got them nailed.
I might as well point out here that Jerry Falwell claimed 9/11 was God's revenge for US tolerance of gays and feminists. If Falwell believes it, then all conservatives must believe it...right? I mean, Falwell is not just some eccentric academic. Falwell is a prominent Republican who is very close to the administration (ie the President talks to hm on the phone) and is actively courted by conservative presidential hopefuls (exemplified by McCain). I guess that proves conservatives think the real cause of 9/11 was gays and feminists. If it doesn't, I guess it proves guilty-by-association arguments are stupid.
It's time we stopped using crazy people to validate our scare-crow arguments, and started encouraging them to get treatment.
By TigerHawk, at
Sat Jul 01, 09:39:00 AM:
I believe, Lanky, that I characterized Basir's comment as "slander" of liberals.
I, for one, agree that crazy people -- especially those who believe the 9/11 attacks -- need "treatment." Unfortunately, that is half of the Muslim world, according to various polls, including huge percentages of Muslims living in Western countries with a free press. I think if I said that half of the Muslim world was mentally ill, lots of people, including especially mainstream liberals, would denounce me as racist. So while I agree with your view that 9/11 denial is a sign of mental disease, I'm not sure we could get many people to support the program.
By TigerHawk, at
Sat Jul 01, 09:41:00 AM:
Oops. That last comment should have read "especially those who believe the 9/11 attacks were a plot by the United States government or other form of inside job".
By , at
Sat Jul 01, 09:52:00 AM:
Lanky_Bastard,
Seeing the tenor and quality of your comments, I again respectfully suggest that you consider replacing Lanky by Stupid as this would give readers an immediate appreciation of your position.
By TigerHawk, at
Sat Jul 01, 10:02:00 AM:
Now, now. The Lanky Bastard has made many very thoughtful comments on this blog. I happen to think this one was a bit off the mark, but overall he is one of more constructive lefty commenters.
By Assistant Village Idiot, at
Sat Jul 01, 03:03:00 PM:
I agree that Lanky Bastard is not usually idiotic. where he gets the idea that Falwell is influential in the Republican party and talks to the president on the phone is beyond me.
LB, I read dozens of evangelical and conservative blogs in a week, and the only time I ever hear Falwell or Robertson mentioned is when the MSM picks up a particularly stupid quote of theirs and it makes it to the news.
You remember the idea that the US exagerrated al-Zarqawi's importance for their own political ends? The leftie journalists who put forth the theory were projecting that, on the basis of their own behavior as regards Falwell and Robertson.
By Lanky_Bastard, at
Mon Jul 03, 08:41:00 PM:
Tiger, I forget myself. First of all, welcome home. If you're truly defending liberalism from crazy conspiracy theorists, then I apologize. I still think you're throwing around some strong associations in this post, and I thought you were doing it intentionally. If you don't see what I'm talking about, read comment #1. Also, I notice your addendum absolves Falwell...was that intentional?
AVI, I'd like to support Falwell as a good person spreading God's message, but he's crazy. You might be right that he's overhyped by the MSM. However, he was powerful enough to merit a call from the President back in the Harriet Meirs days. [The original reference I read specified a phone call, but I can't find it and offer you this instead. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1497725/posts] Conventional wisdom has it that he had a sit down chat with presidential hopeful John McCain this year. The liberals have their share of crazies too, but they don't get such high-level access (long after that craziness has manifested, I should add).
I would have let the repetitive ad-hominems speak for themselves. In fact, I rather appreciate the irony of having one's pseudonym assailed annoymously. Still, I thank you both for your gracious opinions and assure you that the respect is mutual.
By , at
Mon Jul 10, 09:44:00 PM:
Let's keep our focus. This "gentleman" , Mr. Barrett is saying that the Bush administration, while he was supposedly aloofly attending some elementary school photo op, orchestrated the complete anniliation of the largest buildings in NYC in order to "trigger" a war in Iraq. Forget Falwell, and every other Christian evangelical. Even the most jaded observer couldn't believe that one's political position would not warrant the murdering of 2,000 of it's own people. This educator should be barred from ever setting foot in a classroom again.
