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Columbia professor calls for 'A Milliam Mogadishus'

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Hammer755, Mar 28, 2003.

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  1. Hammer755

    Hammer755 Contributing Member

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    Defeat Troops, Professor Says
    Wants 'a million Mogadishus'

    By Ron Howell
    STAFF WRITER

    March 28, 2003


    At an anti-war "teach-in" this week, a Columbia University professor called for the defeat of American forces in Iraq and said he would like to see "a million Mogadishus" - a reference to the Somali city where American soldiers were ambushed, with 18 killed, in 1993.

    "The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military," Nicholas De Genova, an assistant professor of anthropology and Latino studies at Columbia University, told the audience at Low Library Wednesday night. "I personally would like to see a million Mogadishus."

    De Genova was referring to the Mogadishu ambush and firefight, known for its graphic image of a slain American soldier being dragged through the streets. The battle was portrayed in the film "Black Hawk Down."

    The crowd was largely silent at De Genova's remark. They loudly applauded him later when he said, "If we really [believe] that this war is criminal ... then we have to believe in the victory of the Iraqi people and the defeat of the U.S. war machine."

    At least two of the speakers who followed De Genova distanced themselves from his comments. One of them was teach-in organizer Eric Foner, a history professor, who disagreed with De Genova's assertion that Americans who called themselves "patriots" also were white supremacists.

    In a telephone interview yesterday, Foner went further in his criticism, calling De Genova's statements "idiotic."

    "I thought that was completely uncalled for," Foner said. "We do not desire the deaths of American soldiers."

    Foner said that because of the university's tradition of freedom of speech, it was unlikely De Genova would suffer professionally in any way because of what he said.

    "A person's politics have no impact on their employment status here, whether they are promoted, whether they are fired or whether they get tenure," Foner said.

    De Genova did not want to discuss yesterday whether he had tenure. Acknowledging his beliefs are more radical than those of many others at Wednesday's forum, he said his remarks reflect his concern for oppressed people. While he did not retract his statements, he said he hoped they do not lead to "death threats," like those he received after a controversial speech at a pro-Palestinian rally last spring.

    Regarding Wednesday's reference to Mogadishu, the professor, who is 35 and from Chicago, said the U.S. Army is composed largely of men and women who have a "treacherous lack of prospects for a decent life," but even so, they "have a choice" in whether to oppress people like the Iraqis. He said the Iraqis must liberate themselves from domestic oppressors as well as from foreign invaders like the United States.

    More than 3,000 students and faculty attended the Wednesday teach-in, which lasted from 6 p.m. until about midnight and featured more than two dozen professors and other scholars.

    The applause at De Genova's call for the defeat of U.S.-led forces in Iraq reflected widespread frustration at the inability to reverse President George W. Bush's Middle East policies, Foner said.

    "A kind of flamboyant statement like that will get an applause in the heat of the moment," the history professor said.

    By turns, the speakers Wednesday night said the Bush administration's actions in Iraq were bullying, illegal, deceitful, corrupt and murderous. History professor Barbara J. Fields said like-minded Americans should vigorously oppose Bush. "The 'good Germans' of the Nazi era were the few who said, 'No,'" Fields declared.
     
    #1 Hammer755, Mar 28, 2003
  2. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    that's the last speech he'll give as a Columbia professor.
     
    #2 heypartner, Mar 28, 2003
  3. Mulder

    Mulder Contributing Member

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    I hope Kareem gets the coaching gig at Columbia so he can stick his size 40 shoe up that jackhole professor's a$$ a la game of death!

    [​IMG]
     
    #3 Mulder, Mar 28, 2003
  4. robbie380

    robbie380 ლ(▀̿Ĺ̯▀̿ ̿ლ)
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    Now this guy is anti-American. I don't care about free speech. Saying you want your nation's army to get slaughtered is terrible. I want someone to kick this guy's ass.
     
    #4 robbie380, Mar 28, 2003
  5. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Under-statement of the year! :)
     
    #5 Mr. Clutch, Mar 28, 2003
  6. 4chuckie

    4chuckie Member

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    Academics are always a bit out of touch with reality (my apolgies to any professors out there in teh reading audience), but I sincerely hope someone gives this guy a much needed American @ss beating.
     
    #6 4chuckie, Mar 28, 2003
  7. francis 4 prez

    francis 4 prez Contributing Member

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    funny, i thought it reflected being a b*stard ass unpatriotic mother****ing moron piece of ****.




    but that's just me.
     
    #7 francis 4 prez, Mar 28, 2003
  8. JeffB

    JeffB Contributing Member
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    My advisor/professor in college would always say, "A PhD doesn't make you smart. Most of the idiots I know are PhDs." This professor is a perfect example of this.

    This numbskull should recognize that the US troops are not the ones "oppressing" the Iraqi people. I think Saddam and his guerilla squads, who are using civillians as cover, firing upon civillians and forcing civillians into war under threat of death, are taking care of that.
     
    #8 JeffB, Mar 28, 2003
  9. Isabel

    Isabel Member

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    I like your advisor's quote. I'll have to use it. :)

    I guess technically right now I have a Ph.D. and a professor position (which I can't even believe myself... anyway, who knows whether I'll last or not :) ), but I agree that most of them are out of touch with reality. The problem is: just because they're good at book learning and playing the academic game, they think they're smart. And they think "smart" means "wise". They also think it means "better than all those unwashed masses out there". They think, "anything that comes from me is automatically worth listening to, just because I know a lot about one subject."

    It can be annoying to have to work with them... at least no one around here has said anything that awful. The only justification for being anti-war is not wanting people to get killed, right? But here he is wanting people to get killed - our own, no less.

    I guess I'll do like Natalie Maines and say that I'm ashamed that this guy is from the academic community. :)
     
    #9 Isabel, Mar 28, 2003
  10. HayesStreet

    HayesStreet Member

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    I wonder what the pedagogical benefit is of saying to students 'I would like to see a million Mogadishu's.'

    And I also wonder what a professor of anthropology and Latino studies knows about politics in the Middle East or military or international affairs.
     
    #10 HayesStreet, Mar 28, 2003
  11. RocketBurrito

    RocketBurrito Member

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    F this guy AND the turds who applauded...

    :mad:
     
    #11 RocketBurrito, Mar 28, 2003
  12. rimbaud

    rimbaud Contributing Member
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    1. Why is a guy who is obviously not anti-war speaking at an anti-war teach-in?

    2. If he really is concerned for civilian life, why is he supporting the rising up by citizens against both their government and the Americans? Pretty sure they would have no chance for survival there.

    3. Why is it OK for him to wish real death upon young soldiers but not want any artificial death threats sent to him via email or regular mail?

    4. Are the US soldiers fighting on the frontline and in the cities dictating our war policy with Iraq?
     
    #12 rimbaud, Mar 28, 2003
  13. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    I'd rather have Bruce Lee coming back from the grave and kick his. . .
     
    #13 Easy, Mar 28, 2003
  14. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    Nah, people having PhD are smart. It just shows you that being smart doesn't immune you from having twisted worldview.
     
    #14 Easy, Mar 28, 2003
  15. Timing

    Timing Member

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    A hate "teach in"? That's pretty disturbing.
     
    #15 Timing, Mar 28, 2003
  16. FranchiseBlade

    FranchiseBlade Contributing Member
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    This guy is one moron, who doesn't even know what the hell he's talking about. Even if he wanted a million incidents like the one in Somalia, the U.S. would still win, because while 18 soldiers were killed, over a thousand Somalians were killed as well. And this guy wants a million of those? What a joke.

    But this fool, is by no means representitive of Academics, so let's not generalize.
     
    #16 FranchiseBlade, Mar 28, 2003
  17. sinohero

    sinohero Member

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    A proud day for academia. :(
     
    #17 sinohero, Mar 28, 2003
  18. JeffB

    JeffB Contributing Member
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    I always take it the way Isabell put it. With PhDs, I always look to see what they smart about. Knowing everything about combinatorics doesn't necessarily improve your foreign policy sensibilities. Having book smarts about a specific subject is one thing (and all you really need to get a PhD), lacking the ability to translate those same critical thinking skills to practical reality or just plain being wise is another.
     
    #18 JeffB, Mar 28, 2003
  19. JeffB

    JeffB Contributing Member
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    Generalization is a way of life on this BBS... BTW, are you a democrat or a republican?;)
     
    #19 JeffB, Mar 28, 2003
  20. FranchiseBlade

    FranchiseBlade Contributing Member
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    A proud day for generalizations.
     
    #20 FranchiseBlade, Mar 28, 2003
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