Ward Churchill's Hawaiian Support

Yeesh.

When three departments at the University of Hawaii launched an aggressive fundraiser in February of last year to bring Ward Churchill to Hawaii, they said they were doing so to protect his First Amendment Rights and extend support to the controversial Colorado University Professor who was beginning to come under fire nationally for anti-American views and his inflammatory essay, "Some People Push Back; On the Justice of Roosting Chickens," that condemned 9-11 victims and embraced the terrorists who killed them.

They are still standing by Churchill now, despite the fact that he is on the brink of being fired for extensive academic fraud and plagiarism from Colorado University. Haunani K. Trask of the Hawaiian Studies Department, notes several Hawaii professors from the U.H. sent Churchill a letter when Colorado University launched its investigation into ChurchillÂ’s academic research and claims that he had plagiarized art, writing and research. Trask says she is saddened by what has happened to Churchill -- a man she has great affinity for and considers to be like a "brother" and that Churchill is a victim of post-9-11 hysteria and "McCarthyism" -- something she says she understands well because she too has been victimized like Churchill. Trask maintains because professors like her and Churchill are outspoken enough to make the David Horowitz list of 101 Worst Professors in the Nation, they have become targets for removal from their tenured posts and that they are scrutinized by what they "do, write or wear" - "even down to examining our underwear."

It must be McCarthyism. I mean, these people have been dragged in front of a governmental committee and charged with activities they didn't committ or black listed because of associations. Oh, wait, That never occurred. Funny how McCarthyism is tossed around so flagrantly by those that really should know better.

And Churchill isn't being fired for his big mouth but because of plagerism and other related academic misconducts that are clearly outlined in the investigation. The investigation may have been started due to political pressure in response to his inflamatory remarks, but that doesn't negate his wrong doing. Funny how the academics who are his political supporters seem to easily forgive academic misconduct.

But Trask and other Churchill supporters don't believe they owe their students an apology or an explanation for what was said that night or what the CU investigation has turned up on Churchill, only saying he may have inadvertently forgotten to cite his research to the extent that he should have, but that he would have never been investigated in the first place had it not been for his statements and essay on 9-11 victims.

Funny how one's actions aren't allowed to have consequences in academia.

Strange how I'd like Churchill to turn on the slow spit for this one.