Teacher under fire for his Cheney-9/11 theory

[Artegal 1]

MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) -- More than 60 state lawmakers are urging the University of Wisconsin-Madison to fire an instructor who has argued that the U.S. government orchestrated the September 11 terrorist attacks.

--CNN.COM Story

This story of this teacher reminds me of GimmyGirl and her consiprators of conspiracy theories. I hope his students do more then just accept his ideas as truth. But should he be fired? I dunno.

[Alex+R 0]

That's my alma mater and that guy was a reader for a class I took in Muslim Lit! He's a bright, insightful guy. I liked him.

[gimygirl 0]

kevin handled himself brilliantly on Hannity & Colmes i think that his interview is spot on ... finally someone who wasn't able to be shouted down.

people like me are not in the minority anymore ... there is a definite shift in thought processes. the government can only keep things covered up for so long ...

tidbit on kevin: Barrett received a Fulbright Fellowship in 1999 to study in Morocco. He received a PhD in African languages, literature and folklore from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004. He converted to Islam in 1992 (source)

[UmmSqueakster 54]

That's my alma mater and that guy was a reader for a class I took in Muslim Lit! He's a bright, insightful guy. I liked him.

Kevin is a wee bit of a nut, but he's a harmless and fun nut.

Daniel Pipes came to speak at Madison in 2003 and the highlight of the evening (aside from Pipes running away scared from a dialogue with madison professor of anthropology and history Charles Hirschkind) was Kevin dressed up as the Campus Witch, a parody on Pipe's campus watch site Man, I wonder if any of the news media has pictures from that, cause it was great, and I need one for my scrapbook.

Also, as a small insight into the world of Wisconsin academics, this is just the latest in a series of the state legislature trying to stick it's nose into the running of UW. They tried to ban the university clinic from prescribing and dispensing birth control and condoms and constantly threaten budget cuts unless the university tows their line politically.

Edited July 22, 2006 by rahma

[Fuzzness 2]

that was a great interview and he handled himself very well. although I don't agree with his ideas, I think the interviewer made himself look like a jerk.

[Fandango 1,439]

people like me are not in the minority anymore ... there is a definite shift in thought processes. the government can only keep things covered up for so long ...

Tell that to JFK....

As far as this guy....all I have to say is

Now personally, I don't give a chit what he thinks...he's free to speculate the hows and whys....but at the end of the day, if it spills over into his profession & colors his teachings...well then he should be fired. The bottom line is, it's speculation at best. He doesn't have top secret clearance...he doesn't know for certain what went on...as none of us can. And a good professor SHOULD teach young adults to form their own decisions & whatnot...but they should be based in fact & not just ignorant speculation. Personal political agendas should stay out of the classroom.

And if any of you think the 'truth' or whatever you want to call it...will EVER come out (if there's a different 'truth' out there), then you're all mad as a pan of crabs...

[Fuzzness 2]

people like me are not in the minority anymore ... there is a definite shift in thought processes. the government can only keep things covered up for so long ...

Tell that to JFK....

As far as this guy....all I have to say is

Now personally, I don't give a chit what he thinks...he's free to speculate the hows and whys....but at the end of the day, if it spills over into his profession & colors his teachings...well then he should be fired. The bottom line is, it's speculation at best. He doesn't have top secret clearance...he doesn't know for certain what went on...as none of us can. And a good professor SHOULD teach young adults to form their own decisions & whatnot...but they should be based in fact & not just ignorant speculation. Personal political agendas should stay out of the classroom.

And if any of you think the 'truth' or whatever you want to call it...will EVER come out (if there's a different 'truth' out there), then you're all mad as a pan of crabs...

does he present his views as fact in his classroom?

[gimygirl 0]

And a good professor SHOULD teach young adults to form their own decisions & whatnot...but they should be based in fact & not just ignorant speculation. Personal political agendas should stay out of the classroom.

does he present his views as fact in his classroom?

he has stated that he expects his students to use their own critical reasoning skills to come to their own conclusions.

Edited July 22, 2006 by gimygirl

[KarenCee 3]

But you know as well as I do that most people are going to view this as his personal agenda being taught...and to say that he expects his students to arrive at their own conclusions just won't cut it, even IF he really and truly isn't using his personal opinion as part of his curriculum, presenting it as fact.

Just my opinion of course

[gimygirl 0]

But you know as well as I do that most people are going to view this as his personal agenda being taught...and to say that he expects his students to arrive at their own conclusions just won't cut it, even IF he really and truly isn't using his personal opinion as part of his curriculum, presenting it as fact.

Just my opinion of course

you're right!

[Fandango 1,439]

people like me are not in the minority anymore ... there is a definite shift in thought processes. the government can only keep things covered up for so long ...

Tell that to JFK....

As far as this guy....all I have to say is

Now personally, I don't give a chit what he thinks...he's free to speculate the hows and whys....but at the end of the day, if it spills over into his profession & colors his teachings...well then he should be fired. The bottom line is, it's speculation at best. He doesn't have top secret clearance...he doesn't know for certain what went on...as none of us can. And a good professor SHOULD teach young adults to form their own decisions & whatnot...but they should be based in fact & not just ignorant speculation. Personal political agendas should stay out of the classroom.

And if any of you think the 'truth' or whatever you want to call it...will EVER come out (if there's a different 'truth' out there), then you're all mad as a pan of crabs...

does he present his views as fact in his classroom?

Dunno, just sayin

[Fuzzness 2]

people like me are not in the minority anymore ... there is a definite shift in thought processes. the government can only keep things covered up for so long ...

Tell that to JFK....

As far as this guy....all I have to say is

Now personally, I don't give a chit what he thinks...he's free to speculate the hows and whys....but at the end of the day, if it spills over into his profession & colors his teachings...well then he should be fired. The bottom line is, it's speculation at best. He doesn't have top secret clearance...he doesn't know for certain what went on...as none of us can. And a good professor SHOULD teach young adults to form their own decisions & whatnot...but they should be based in fact & not just ignorant speculation. Personal political agendas should stay out of the classroom.

And if any of you think the 'truth' or whatever you want to call it...will EVER come out (if there's a different 'truth' out there), then you're all mad as a pan of crabs...

does he present his views as fact in his classroom?

Dunno, just sayin

well don't act like that's what he's doing if you don't know

[gimygirl 0]

people like me are not in the minority anymore ... there is a definite shift in thought processes. the government can only keep things covered up for so long ...

Tell that to JFK....

As far as this guy....all I have to say is

Now personally, I don't give a chit what he thinks...he's free to speculate the hows and whys....but at the end of the day, if it spills over into his profession & colors his teachings...well then he should be fired. The bottom line is, it's speculation at best. He doesn't have top secret clearance...he doesn't know for certain what went on...as none of us can. And a good professor SHOULD teach young adults to form their own decisions & whatnot...but they should be based in fact & not just ignorant speculation. Personal political agendas should stay out of the classroom.

And if any of you think the 'truth' or whatever you want to call it...will EVER come out (if there's a different 'truth' out there), then you're all mad as a pan of crabs...

does he present his views as fact in his classroom?

Dunno, just sayin

so are you speculating then??

[Fandango 1,439]

people like me are not in the minority anymore ... there is a definite shift in thought processes. the government can only keep things covered up for so long ...

Tell that to JFK....

As far as this guy....all I have to say is

Now personally, I don't give a chit what he thinks...he's free to speculate the hows and whys....but at the end of the day, if it spills over into his profession & colors his teachings...well then he should be fired. The bottom line is, it's speculation at best. He doesn't have top secret clearance...he doesn't know for certain what went on...as none of us can. And a good professor SHOULD teach young adults to form their own decisions & whatnot...but they should be based in fact & not just ignorant speculation. Personal political agendas should stay out of the classroom.

And if any of you think the 'truth' or whatever you want to call it...will EVER come out (if there's a different 'truth' out there), then you're all mad as a pan of crabs...

does he present his views as fact in his classroom?

Dunno, just sayin

so are you speculating then??

Erm, yes, was that not clear?

Hence the word in red....highlighted since some people apparantly missed it

[Alex+R 0]

That's my alma mater and that guy was a reader for a class I took in Muslim Lit! He's a bright, insightful guy. I liked him.

Also, as a small insight into the world of Wisconsin academics, this is just the latest in a series of the state legislature trying to stick it's nose into the running of UW. They tried to ban the university clinic from prescribing and dispensing birth control and condoms and constantly threaten budget cuts unless the university tows their line politically.

A fellow Badger? Anyway, certain members of the Wisconsin state legislature have certainly tried very hard in the past few years to do exactly as described above. Poor UW-Madison. Its standards are only going to go down from here, considering the constant onslaught of budget cuts. The good professors are leaving.