Attention: Rightwing Guardians Of Free Speech!
by tristero
Dear Rightwing Defenders of the Politically Incorrect,
Are you bored by Idomeneo? I don’t blame you. After all, it’s not Mozart’s best opera by a long shot. I vote for Figaro or Zauberflote, but won’t complain if you say Giovanni. Oh, and if you know what’s good for you, get the Gardiner DVD of Figaro.
But I digress. For you courageous defenders of free speech who spoke up so bravely for the wealthy rightwing Danish newspaper magnates that published those Muhammad ‘toons, here’s your new cause celebre. This guy is about to get into a heap o’ trouble for speaking his mind. You must put your considerable moral power behind him, rise to his defense, denounce the thought police that would eliminate his right of free expression and, well, you know the drill:
A university instructor who came under scrutiny for arguing that the U.S. government orchestrated the September 11 attacks likens President Bush to Adolf Hitler in an essay his students are being required to buy for his course.
The essay by Kevin Barrett, “Interpreting the Unspeakable: The Myth of 9/11,” is part of a $20 book of essays by 15 authors, according to an unedited copy first obtained by WKOW-TV in Madison and later by The Associated Press.
The book’s title is “9/11 and American Empire: Muslims, Jews, and Christians Speak Out.” It is on the syllabus for Barrett’s course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Islam: Religion and Culture,” but only three of the essays are required reading, not including Barrett’s essay.
Barrett, a part-time instructor who holds a doctorate in African languages and literature and folklore from UW-Madison, is active in a group called Scholars for 9/11 Truth. The group’s members say U.S. officials, not al-Qaida terrorists, were behind the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
“Like Bush and the neocons, Hitler and the Nazis inaugurated their new era by destroying an architectural monument and blaming its destruction on their designated enemies,” he wrote.
Barrett said Tuesday he was comparing the attacks to the burning of the German parliament building, the Reichstag, in 1933, a key event in the establishment of the Nazi dictatorship.
Now, you may think he’s just an hysterical nut. But he’s not. He’s quite thougtful in advancing his bold, audacious thesis. He is not in any way saying that Bush personally is comparable to Hitler. Read on:
“That’s not comparing them as people, that’s comparing the Reichstag fire to the demolition of the World Trade Center, and that’s an accurate comparison that I would stand by,” he said.
He added: “Hitler had a good 20 to 30 IQ points on Bush, so comparing Bush to Hitler would in many ways be an insult to Hitler.”
Now some of you may think that, unlike Germany, this is America where free speech is respected and defended as a matter of course. He doesn’t need your help as there are no repercussions. Not so:
The university’s decision to allow Barrett to teach the course touched off a controversy over the summer once his views became widely known.
Sixty-one state legislators denounced the move. One county board cut its funding for the UW-Extension by $8,247 — the amount Barrett will earn for teaching the course — in a symbolic protest, even though the course is unrelated to that branch of the UW System.
Democratic Governor Jim Doyle and his Republican challenger, Mark Green, have both said they believe Barrett should be fired.
So to the barricades, my rightwing friends! Contact David Horowitz and come ye all together, rise to Professor Barrett’s defense! And denounce the liberals and Democrats and Republicans (RINOs, obviously) who are calling for him to be fired and vilified for his views.
love,
tristero
P.S. Please don’t ask me to join you. But don’t get me wrong. I’m all for free speech and free expression, even if I hate it. That’s why I’m a card-carrying member of ACLU who I’m positive are following the attempts to censor, censure, and shut Professor Barrett up very closely. If ACLU determines that his rights have been violated, I’m sure they will defend him, as they have Oliver North and some other paragons of free speech who wanted to hold a politically incorrect march through Skokie, Il. Since I didn’t resign when ACLU defended North, I certainly won’t resign if they rise to Professor Barrett’s defense. But that’s as much activism in his cause as I have time for. You see, I’d like to do more but I have some important things I really must do. Like fr’instance, this morning I have to go watch some paint dry. Somebody has to, y’know.
P.P.S. Special note to those who seriously wish to discuss the merits of Professor Barrett’s theories on who was behind 9/11: Of course, my friends, I agree with him. And you, especially you. I wouldn’t dream of disagreeing with you. Ever. You’re all absolutely right, Bush himself meticulously planned 9/11 and set up bin Laden as a patsy. I don’t see how anyone – do me a favor, please, and just stay back over there in your chair, thanks – could doubt you. I”m serious. Hey, have you heard about Clinton and Dallas, ’63? Well, some say it’s just speculation but…no, seriously, please sit down. Please!
Ok, ok. Put it down. PUT IT DOWN, I SAID! Put that CD DOWN! N-n-n-n-n-n-noooooooooooooooooo! Don’t play it, please God, no. Anything but that, please! Get away from that cd player. Please I’ll do anything you want, believe anything you say. Really, ah…ahh….!
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!