Wis. lawmaker wants lecturer fired for 9-11 conspiracy views - WFRV

MADISON, Wis. (AP) A state lawmaker is calling on the University of Wisconsin-Madison to fire a part-time instructor who has spoken out on his beliefs that figures in the U.S. government, not al-Qaida, were behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Kevin Barrett is scheduled to teach a class in the fall in the UW-Madison Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia, UW-Madison Provost Patrick Farrell confirmed in a statement Thursday.

But Farrell said Barrett's comments on a Milwaukee radio talk show "raised some legitimate concerns about the content and quality of instruction in his planned fall course, 'Islam: Religion and Culture.'"

During his appearance Wednesday night on Jessica McBride's show on WTMJ, Barrett disputed most of the widely accepted information about the attacks that brought down the World Trade Center in New York City when airliners were flown into the twin towers.

Among other things, he claimed the group believed to have carried out the attacks was "a bunch of losers who couldn't even fly planes," and that evidence indicates the buildings were brought down by controlled demolitions.

He acknowledged discussing Sept. 11 in teaching classes, but said it was only to give both sides of the issue, not to convert anyone to his point of view.

"I'm trying to teach them how to think, not what to think," he told McBride.

On Thursday, state Rep. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, issued a statement demanding Barrett be fired immediately, calling him an embarrassment and accusing him of spewing "garbage."

"Mr. Barrett is free to stand on the street corner and advocate his nutty left-wing views. However, the taxpayers and tuition-paying families shouldn't pay this man one cent to perform his voodoo in a UW classroom," Nass' statement read.

Farrell said UW officials would give Barrett's course plans a close review.
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I had a couple of brief chances to chat with Kevin Barrett while up in Chicago earlier this month, and I only have good things to say about him. While riding on the train Kevin and I talked about a variety of topics we would like to see discussed more by the media and general public, and at no point did I consider him anything but a rational minded concerned citizen. Calling Mr. Barrett an 'embarrassment', or suggesting that he would only 'perform his voodoo' in a classroom is a hotheaded, ignorant, and baseless insult.

Typically I would not make any personal comments when covering news such as this, but this is an important exception which I feel very strongly about. I would encourage others who might speak on behalf of Kevin's character to contact Rep. Nass via his contact information as listed on his website as well as contact the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Thanks to Jon Gold for the heads up.