Glenn Reynolds has a series of links on why University of Colorodo professor and anti-American radical should not be fired. I agree that tenure allows Churchill to say damn near whatever he wants, but Churchill’s offenses go farther than just saying something spiteful and stupid to outright academic fraud. Churchill has claimed that he was an American Indian. He was not — he’s a poseur, a disgusting impostor who has lied about his past.
Saying something controversial and stupid like calling the victims of the September 11 attacks as “little Eichmanns” is morally reprehensible, but Churchill has the right to say it. What he doesn’t have the right is to misrepresent himself and lie to his employers. That should be a fireable offense, and Churchill should be thrown out. It’s bad enough that our tax dollars are paying for an idiot like Professor Churchill – having them pay for a liar as well is beyond the pale.
Interesting comment on the state of the modern university that he was apparently hired at least in part because of his blood, rather than his scholarly merit. Yet could a university openly admit this was true and use it as a basis for firing?