STOP FEEDING THE FISH or how demagogues are created
I have to comment on Ward Churchill. Usually I don't like spending any time or effort on someone with such unremarkable ideas and beliefs. But, I live in Denver and he is getting a whole lot of attention and press. I think it's like feeding the fish. (I have a small pond outside my home.) The more you feed them, the larger, more bloated and dependent they become. If you let then "fend for themselves" they adapt to their environment or die. This guy apparently has been "fed" since the 60's. His rhetoric, demeanor and appearance hasn't changed with the times. Is academia that insular everywhere I wonder. But that is a different subject.
Anyway it seems to me that everyone has gotten the story wrong. It's not about freedom of speech and it's not about expressing unpopular or even offensive beliefs. It is not about treason or anti- American activities.
It is about CREDIBILITY. This guy is an intellectual lightweight. As a result, his "work" has languished in academic obscurity for most of his career. His credentials are at best questionable if not frankly fraudulent. No peer within his field of expertise has come forward to defend his work (to my knowledge) and the Cherokee Nation has publicly distanced themselves from him.
So why do we care? The guy has had his 15 minutes of fame.
Colorado University should care because he is on their payroll and they gave him tenure. But CU has dealt with several scandals recently ranging from questionable athletic recruiting practices, and alleged rapes to costly investigations with inconclusive results. Now it seems, their tenured professors meet less than rigorous examinations. In fact Ward Churchill may only be a charlatan.
So lets stop feeding the fish. This may apply to inscrutable "ethnic studies" professors, beautiful but uneducated actresses, talented singers with no experience in business or economics, comedians with zero geopolitical sense and anyone lacking the credentials to support their positions. Of course everyone has the right to express their opinions but lets determine the weight of their words (and the influence they wield ) by the heft of their education, experience and character.
Anyway it seems to me that everyone has gotten the story wrong. It's not about freedom of speech and it's not about expressing unpopular or even offensive beliefs. It is not about treason or anti- American activities.
It is about CREDIBILITY. This guy is an intellectual lightweight. As a result, his "work" has languished in academic obscurity for most of his career. His credentials are at best questionable if not frankly fraudulent. No peer within his field of expertise has come forward to defend his work (to my knowledge) and the Cherokee Nation has publicly distanced themselves from him.
So why do we care? The guy has had his 15 minutes of fame.
Colorado University should care because he is on their payroll and they gave him tenure. But CU has dealt with several scandals recently ranging from questionable athletic recruiting practices, and alleged rapes to costly investigations with inconclusive results. Now it seems, their tenured professors meet less than rigorous examinations. In fact Ward Churchill may only be a charlatan.
So lets stop feeding the fish. This may apply to inscrutable "ethnic studies" professors, beautiful but uneducated actresses, talented singers with no experience in business or economics, comedians with zero geopolitical sense and anyone lacking the credentials to support their positions. Of course everyone has the right to express their opinions but lets determine the weight of their words (and the influence they wield ) by the heft of their education, experience and character.
posted by ljmcinnis at 10:01 AM
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