http://wardchurchill.net/blog Defending Academic Freedom and Political Dissent Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:40:14 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Ward Churchill's case continues to be emblematic of the ongoing attacks on those who teach and write about "unpopular" truths, insist that the histories of Indigenous peoples and peoples of color be made accessible, and resist U.S. violations of human rights and international law. To bring you updated information on such ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/06/26/update-from-the-wcsn/ by Tom Burghardt / May 15th, 2008 In the wake of Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins' (R-ME) alarmist report, "Violent Islamist Extremism, the Internet, and the Homegrown Terrorism Threat," the Senate may be moving towards passage of the Orwellian "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007″ (S. ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/05/19/senate-moves-forward-on-orwellian-violent-radicalization-and-homegrown-terrorism-prevention-act/ After a sampling of 2006 news headlines about war, torture, and the repression of political dissent, Naomi Wolf reflects: "I began to think of these examples as 'historical echoes' – not proof that someone influential in the administration had studied the details of mid-twentieth-century fascism and totalitarianism, but certainly suggestive. What was ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/05/06/naomi-wolf-provides-context-for-some-familiar-events/ No, we didn't make this up.  On April 17, a bill emerged from an Arizona legislative committee that would prohibit the "denigration, disparagement or encouragement of dissent from values of American democracy and western civilization" in any publicly funded educational institutions. Courses or school-sponsored activities that "assert as truth or feature ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/04/25/arizona-legislature-considers-bill-to-ban-teaching-truths-that-encourage-dissent-from-the-values-of-western-civilization/ Click here and here for more. http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/03/22/the-longest-walk-comes-to-denver/ Ward Churchill's case is of national significance because it illustrates the lengths to which the right-wing will go in attempting to discredit professors who challenge the status quo. Even Nobel peace prize winner Desmond Tutu isn't immune, as this illustrates: "Profs shy away from controversial issues . . . . by Jon Collins, ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/03/08/aftershocks/ "Wanted: Someone Who Knows Nothing About the Job" New York Times Op-Ed Feb. 24, 2008 In one of those ironies that make life interesting, the University of Colorado, which dismissed controversial professor Ward Churchill because of doubts about his academic qualifications, has appointed a president who doesn't have any. . . . click ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/02/27/stanley-fish-on-the-cu-president-search/ February 20, 2007 – the Regents of the University of Colorado voted to approve Hank Brown’s hand-picked successor Bruce Benson as President. As you may remember, CU President Betsy Hoffman announced her resignation a few days after warning the faculty about the “new McCarthyism” attending Ward Churchill’s case.  She was replaced ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/02/24/oilman-bruce-benson-new-cu-president/ Feb. 10, 2007 message from Margaret LeCompte, PhD Professor of Education Member, Academic Freedom Group President, CU-Boulder AAUP Chapter 1. BENSON HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF ACTA, AN ORGANIZATION ON RECORD IN OPPOSITION TO SHARED GOVERNANCE AND FACULTY RIGHTS. Bruce Benson is a member of ACTA's Trustee's Council; he served as an ACTA (American College ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/02/24/statement-of-cu-boulder%e2%80%99s-aaup-chair-about-bruce-benson/ During the first trial of the 2007 Transform Columbus Day protesters, the judge refused to allow the defenders to talk about previous Columbus Day Parades, and cut short their explanations concerning their motivations and their arguments under international law.  It was, therefore, almost impossible for them to explain to the ... http://wardchurchill.net/blog/2008/01/27/columbus-day-protests-mixed-verdict/