ETHNIC STUDIES SCHOLARS SPEAK OUT Petition : [ powered by iPetitions.com ]

ETHNIC STUDIES SCHOLARS SPEAK OUT

Ethnic Studies Scholars Make a Statement on Academic Freedom

University of Colorado Ethnic Studies Professor Ward Churchill has recently come under attack by the Governor and Legislature of the state of Colorado for his published critical analysis of the reasons for the September 11 tragedy. The attack on Professor Churchill is fueled by anger over his conclusions that those who died in that tragedy were not innocent victims, but part of the military industrial complex responsible for the conditions in the Middle East that led to the assault on the World Trade Center in New York City. We do not agree with Churchill's choice of words and metaphors regarding the persons who lost their lives in this horrible attack. We agree with those who view such language as inflammatory and insensitive to the families who continue to grieve over the death of their loved ones. But as Americans and scholars committed to the principles of our U.S. Constitution and to Academic Freedom, we strongly defend Churchill's right of freedom of speech.

Scholars in all academic disciplines have the right to voice opinions that are in deep conflict with those held by much of the citizenry and the President of the United States. This right is a bedrock of the value of universities as centers of rigorous debate and learning. Academic freedom is essential for debates to be aired with all points of view, so that the facts and data marshaled for both the arguments and counter arguments can be compared. We must be reminded that if we are to have any hope of maintaining the respect of the world community (to say nothing of the judgment of future generations of Americans), we must guard steadfastly against the desire to curb our most basic freedoms in these times. This applies most especially to those of us who may wish to exercise dissent, whether it be in the town square, in a public hearing, in a place of worship, on the airwaves, or in our nation's centers of higher education-the university. We, the undersigned university scholars, have dedicated our lives to education-through our teaching, writing, and service-and its critical role in creating and sustaining democratic societies. We issue an urgent reminder to those who would tread on the right to academic freedom that the very nation they wish to shelter from controversial expressions of opinion by some citizens, is most at risk when we fail to also protect the rights of those citizens.

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http://coloradoaim.org/wardpet...
this site contains the American Indian Movement of Colorado's petition in support of Ward Churchill

http://www.colorado.edu/Ethnic...
this site includes one of Professor Churchill's responses to his critics

This petition is sponsored by a national coalition of Ethnic Studies scholars at some of the nation's leading universities. The initial draft was authored by Professors Carlos Munoz and David Naguib Pellow.

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