COLUMBIA PROF WISHES DEATH FOR GIs

[longston]

PC Dave posted this in another thread, but I want it to have it's own thread so more people will read it. Here's the link: NY Post Article

COLUMBIA PROF WISHES DEATH FOR GIs
By CLEMENTE LISI

March 29, 2003 -- American soldiers should suffer "a million Mogadishus" in Iraq, a Columbia University professor told thousands of students and faculty members at an anti-war forum.

Nicholas De Genova said those inflammatory words - a reference to the Somali city where 18 U.S. soldiers were killed in the 1993 incident that inspired the movie Black Hawk Down - at an "anti-war teach-in" Wednesday at the school's Low Library.

"The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military," said De Genova, an assistant professor of anthropology and Latino studies.

De Genova also asserted that Americans who call themselves "patriots" are white supremacists.

De Genova's hopes for an American defeat in Iraq was cheered by the crowd of 3,000 people who had gathered at the five-hour anti-war lecture.

"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."

De Genova said the U.S. Army is composed largely of men and women with a "treacherous lack of prospects for a decent life."

The 35-year-old professor's mention of the bloody Somali ambush where American soldiers were dragged through the streets was largely met with silence from the stunned crowd of peaceniks.

Two professors who spoke after De Genova immediately distanced themselves from his explosive anti-American comments.

De Genova could not be reached for comment last night.

In a statement released yesterday, a Columbia University spokesman said De Genova "was speaking as an individual at a teach-in. He was exercising his right to free speech. His statement does not in any way represent the views of Columbia University."

History professor Eric Foner, who helped organize the event, said he did not share De Genova's opinions on the war.

"I disagreed strongly and I said so," he said. "If I had known what he was going to say, I would have been reluctant to have him speak."

Foner said De Genova was a last-minute invitee and one of 25 speakers who "did not represent the general tone of the event - which was highly educational."

I know I found it to be highly educational, now I know what I'll be doing this afternoon. While I support an individual's right to freedom of expression, I also see these ignorant, hateful, and poorly chosen sentiments to be a direct insult to those who have sacrificed their lives to give this jackass his right to express this vile venomous, bigoted, racist verbal hate-crime.

Let's all exercise our rights to freedom of expression through the following channels. Those millions of soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen, as well as their families who have sacrificed for our rights would surely appreciate your efforts. . .


Nicholas Paul De Genova

You can and should email this loser at: npd18@columbia.edu
Or call him, he's a Professor of Latina/o Studies / Anthropology.
212-854-0199 or fax: 212-854-0500

Lee C. Bollinger is President of Columbia University.
bollinger@columbia.edu 212-854-9970

Emily Lloyd is Executive Vice President for Administration.
el101@columbia.edu 212-854-2871 fax: 212-854-7260