It took a few days for the Daily Camera to chime in on Ward Churchill, the University of Colorado professor who believes the victims in the World Trade Center Towers were far from innocent. While suggesting he is protected by tenure and has the right to “spew such tripe”, the editors show little sympathy for Mr. Churchill. The editorial concludes as follows:
In this regard, Churchill enjoys greater-than usual free-speech rights. For
most people, public malice toward innocent victims could well mean unemployment.
Though we all are free to spout vile views, our employers might find such
hateful speech sufficient cause for firing.Meanwhile, Churchill can blithely suggest, obliquely, that knocking off
stockbrokers is justifiable. In doing so, he needn’t fret over his paycheck,
which is, incidentally, substantial. The most recently available salary figures
show that he earns more than $90,000 annually. That is, no doubt, much more than
the wages of many capitalist “Eichmanns” murdered on Sept. 11.It is therefore odd — and more than a bit hypocritical — that a man who
enjoys such freedom and emits such venom is trying to characterize Columbus Day
celebrations as “hate speech,” and to thwart such observances. Then again, a man
who blames victims for their own demise probably has no compunction in arguing
that he deserves more freedom than the rest of us.
I’m not sure under what circumstances a teacher is protected by tenure, etc but I would simply like to point out that freedom of speech does not mean freedom of platform.
