University of Hawaii Equivalency Test Results: Ward Churchill=Bill O'Reilly
Today's Honolulu Advertiser carries a remarkable quote from University of Hawaii American Studies professor David Stannard. Stannard (whose department is co-sponsoring next week's lecture by besieged University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill) defended the invitation, saying,
Response #1: Ok, Dr. Stannard. I dare you to invite and sponsor Bill O'Reilly to lecture on the UH campus during the next 12 months. I would like to see you back up your rhetoric by defending his right to speak freely.
Response #2: Mr. O'Reilly was one of those responsible for bringing Ward Churchill and his writings to national attention. Everyone (except for Bill O'Reilly) knows that he is more than a little inclined to lean towards the conservative side of the political spectrum. However, using O'Reilly as a "right-wing" equivalent to the "left-wing" Ward Churchill is nothing short of an outrageous slander of the Democratic Party.
Few people accuse Bill O'Reilly of being overly far from the center of current Republican ideology. Although his "shtick" is to produce outrageous commentary he in no way represents the far-out-in-right-wing-field folks who, for the most part, are considered to be an embarrassment and a liability to the Republican Party as a whole.
If, however, Ward Churchill is a "left-wing" equivalent of Bill O'Reilly then I must assume that Dr. Stannard must consider Prof. Churchill to be a relatively "mainstream" Democrat. Can this be true? Is Ward Churchill (and his rabid and bitter hatred towards the American political establishment and any and all who, through honest labor, undergird our nation's strength and power ) representative of the ideology of the Democratic Party? Are his opinions welcomed to the table when drafting a national platform? Are all the "little Eichmanns" engaged in commerce, trade and industry who vote Democratic listening to him with nods of approval?
If the answers to any of these questions is true then the Democratic Party has sailed off the edge of a flat earth. If the answers to any of these questions is not true, then Dr. Stannard owes the Democratic Party a sincere and humble apology.
Response #3: If Dr. Stannard does not believe that Ward Churchill is an acceptable representative of mainstream Democratic political thought then he also owes Bill O'Reilly a public apology for citing him as an analogous equivalent.
Response #4: Memo to Dr. Stannard: In my opinion, the "right-wing" equivalent of Ward Churchill would have to be someone of the stature of David Duke. Perhaps Dr. Stannard would like to invite Bill O'Reilly and Mr. Duke at the same time. Then we could see how "far right" Mr. O'Reilly really is! Plus, as a bonus, we would all get to see Dr. Stannard defending David Duke's right to speak freely on the UH campus as well.
"If we invited a right-wing political commentator like Bill O'Reilly, we'd defend him the same way we defend Churchill."
Response #2: Mr. O'Reilly was one of those responsible for bringing Ward Churchill and his writings to national attention. Everyone (except for Bill O'Reilly) knows that he is more than a little inclined to lean towards the conservative side of the political spectrum. However, using O'Reilly as a "right-wing" equivalent to the "left-wing" Ward Churchill is nothing short of an outrageous slander of the Democratic Party.
Few people accuse Bill O'Reilly of being overly far from the center of current Republican ideology. Although his "shtick" is to produce outrageous commentary he in no way represents the far-out-in-right-wing-field folks who, for the most part, are considered to be an embarrassment and a liability to the Republican Party as a whole.
If, however, Ward Churchill is a "left-wing" equivalent of Bill O'Reilly then I must assume that Dr. Stannard must consider Prof. Churchill to be a relatively "mainstream" Democrat. Can this be true? Is Ward Churchill (and his rabid and bitter hatred towards the American political establishment and any and all who, through honest labor, undergird our nation's strength and power ) representative of the ideology of the Democratic Party? Are his opinions welcomed to the table when drafting a national platform? Are all the "little Eichmanns" engaged in commerce, trade and industry who vote Democratic listening to him with nods of approval?
If the answers to any of these questions is true then the Democratic Party has sailed off the edge of a flat earth. If the answers to any of these questions is not true, then Dr. Stannard owes the Democratic Party a sincere and humble apology.
Response #3: If Dr. Stannard does not believe that Ward Churchill is an acceptable representative of mainstream Democratic political thought then he also owes Bill O'Reilly a public apology for citing him as an analogous equivalent.
Response #4: Memo to Dr. Stannard: In my opinion, the "right-wing" equivalent of Ward Churchill would have to be someone of the stature of David Duke. Perhaps Dr. Stannard would like to invite Bill O'Reilly and Mr. Duke at the same time. Then we could see how "far right" Mr. O'Reilly really is! Plus, as a bonus, we would all get to see Dr. Stannard defending David Duke's right to speak freely on the UH campus as well.
posted by Bird of Paradise at 2:01 PM
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