Blue scare

That's what I'm calling it--this current McCarthy era. The LA Times (via Yahoo) has another piece today on Churchill "fighting for his academic life." (In this instance, the reporter seems to have actually read the essay in question rather than borrow O'Reilly's Cliff Notes.) Much of the article is taken up with the issue of Churchill's bloodlines. On the topic of Churchill's politics and writing, there's this:

"One argument that could be made is that his writings and speeches have degenerated to a point where they are representative of professional incompetence," said Paul Campos, a law professor at the university and a columnist for the Rocky Mountain News. "In the same way, a college would not tolerate a member of the history department who said the Holocaust didn't happen."

Campos said even professors should have limits.

"A position that says you cannot fire a tenured professor because of anything he says is untenable--politically, morally and ethically," he said. "And I have had people in positions of power tell me that if this guy can't be fired, they can't support the notion of tenure."

Well, you know what Campos, if this guy is fired for that essay, there is no notion of tenure for a person to support.

I can't even comment. I'm not exaggerating when I say it makes me physically nauseous to read a law professor comparing Ward Churchill to a racist who denies the existence of the Holocaust.