Professors blame U.S.
for terrorism

One of the liberties enshrined in the U.S. Constitution is the freedom to speak one's mind, even if those comments may be offensive to most everyone else.

But some Americans, including one conservative outreach organization, believe the comments of a number of college professors – who have taken to blaming the United States for the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City and the Pentagon – are more than offensive. They may actually be harmful to the war effort, according to the Young America's Foundation, a Herndon, Va.-based group that promotes conservative ideas on the nation's college campuses.

"We agree that everyone has the right to speak freely in this country, and thank God for that," Rick Parsons, a spokesman for the group, told WND. "However, these professors' comments seem to represent what most college professors believe – that America is at fault for the terrorist attacks."

Among the quotes gathered by the group:

• University of Texas professor Robert Jensen has written that the terrorists' acts were "no more despicable than the massive acts of terrorism … that the U.S. government has committed during my lifetime."

• Richard Falk, a professor at Princeton University, has said that the terrorist attacks occurred because "the mass of humanity … finds itself under the heels of U.S. economic, military, cultural and diplomatic power."
• Professor Elisabeth Weber of the University of California-Santa Barbara wrote, "My concern over the U.S. flags surrounding campus is that they endanger the free exchange that normally characterizes our campus."
• Rutgers University professor Barbara Foley wrote that "whatever [the terrorist attacks'] proximate cause, its ultimate cause is the fascism of U.S. foreign policy over the past many decades."
• Professor Howard Zinn of Boston University wrote, "We need to think about the resentment all over the world felt by people who have been victims of American military action – in Vietnam, in Latin America, in Iraq."
• Evergreen State College of Olympia, Wash., professor Larry Mosqueda wrote, "If we multiply by 800-1,000 times the amount of pain, angst, and anger being currently felt by the American public, we might begin to understand how much the rest of the world feels as they are continually victimized [by the U.S.]. …"
• Professor George Wright of Chico State University in Chico, Calif., alleges that President Bush wants to "kill innocent people," "colonize" the entire Arab world and secure "oil for the Bush family. …"
• University of Minnesota Professor Ezra Hyland blamed Americans directly for the attacks, claiming that "you can't plant hatred and not expect to reap hatred."

The quotes "show what we've said all along – that most college professors are biased – politically and ideologically," Parsons said. "They are promoting these ideas to their students. We want everyone to know what these students are hearing in their classes.

"These are public quotes, but who knows what else the professors are saying in class," he said.

While admitting the group had not spoken to any college students regarding the comments about the war made by professors, Parsons said such comments "could hinder our ability to fight this war if enough students take the positions of these professors" and begin widespread protests.

The Young America's Foundation sponsored over 300 campus lectures across the nation during the past academic year. Speakers included Ann Coulter, now a WND columnist, as well as ABC's John Stossel and Ben Stein.