If you haven't already read about the recent anti-war teach-in at Columbia, you can find out all you need to know from Glenn Reynolds' and Eugene Volokh's commentary and links. The issue that has the blogosphere and the mainstream media in an uproar: the extreme statements of Nicholas De Genova, an assistant professor of anthropology who deliverered himself of some statements even hardcore anti-war activists could not stomach. Among them: that the only real heroes are the ones who help defeat the U.S. military, that to be a patriot is to be white supremacist, that he wants to see Iraq defeat the "U.S. war machine," that he dreams of a world order in which the U.S. has "no place," and that he'd like to see "a million Mogadishus."

Since journalists and bloggers got hold of the story, it has morphed from a simple account of what De Genova said to a more complicated story of how comments like his discredit both the anti-war movement and Columbia University. Yesterday's New York Times reports that there is very blunt and unequivocal distancing on both fronts. Columbia University President Lee Bollinger (yes, the same one named in the Michigan affirmative action suits) is quoted as saying that "Under well-established principles of the First Amendment, this is within a person's right to free speech. ... Not for a second, however, does that insulate it from criticism. I am shocked that someone would make such statements. I am especially saddened for the families of those whose lives are now at risk."

Columbia history professor Eric Foner, who helped organize the now notorious teach-in, was even more direct: "Professor De Genova's speech did not represent the views of the organizers. ... I personally found it quite reprehensible. The antiwar movement does not desire the death of American soldiers. We do not accept his view of what it means to be a patriot. I began my talk, which came later, by repudiating his definition of patriotism, saying the teach-in was a patriotic act, that I believe patriots are those who seek to improve their country."

One could nitpick: Bollinger's comment has the vaporous, "soundbytten" quality of much adminspeak, and Foner's both disingenuously pretends that there is not a strong anti-American streak in the anti-war movement and naively imagines that no one will notice his disingenuousness. (Glenn Reynolds points to a similarly naive distancing effort here.)

But one could also note that the De Genova debacle may mark the beginning of a necessary sea change. Commentators on both left and right have long been calling for the anti-war movement to police itself better than it does, and to publicly disavow the actions and statements of those who seek to commandeer anti-war energy in the service of various revolutionary and/or hate-driven agendas (the most recent and eloquent of such calls is authored by Andrew Sullivan). Nicholas De Genova may have finally driven that point home to the folks who most need to get it. Time will tell.

UPDATE: David Horowitz wouldn't have missed the chance to comment on De Genova's comments for all the world. Here are his thoughts, along with some choice words on Eric Foner's recent scuffles with the media.

Also of interest is this New York Post interview with Columbia student William Pratt. Pratt, whose father is an army colonel serving in Kuwait, did not take kindly to the spectacle of a "Columbia professor wish[ing] death upon the father of a Columbia University student and possibly [on the parents of] other students." He sent an email to De Genova inviting him to share his thoughts on the American military with his father, who will be attending Pratt's graduation later this spring. De Genova has yet to reply.

The misnamed "anti-war" movement can't police itself in this respect unless they are willing to accept a total of twelve protestors at their next rally.

I live outside DC, and the protests are disgusting. If a protestor isn't carrying a Bush = Hitler sign he is laughing about one. I've only once seen anyone directly address another protestor, and that concerned vandalism. (The vandal had more support than his detractor).

The only difference between this professor and the radical half of the movement is that he's stupid enough to say what he truly believes openly.

Well, duh. Foner is a life-long Marxist who has lived large--a bloated, obscence barnacle--for the last 30 years on the clueless naivete of the peculiar intelligensia who infest our universities and write book reviews for the New York Times. Talk about the soft bigotry of low expectations. For years, Foner has been the intellectual pederast holding in thrall two generations of sensitive altar boys like DeGenova.

I'm sorry, yaz, but frankly you have no idea what you're talking about. Eric Foner has been a prolific historian throughout his tenure at Columbia, and is universally praised as the best scholar of Reconstruction alive today. He's hardly been living high on the hog by academic standards - in fact, he's always been quite busy with new scholarship. I challenge anyone to read any of Foner's classic books - Reconstruction, Tom Paine and Revolutionary America, Nothing But Freedom, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men, etc. - and tell me that they suffer irredeemably from too much Marxist sentiment. Moreover, anyone who thinks Eric Foner hates America has never met the man nor read his work. Read The Story of American Freedom and get back to me.

Moreover, Foner has absolutely no relationship with De Genova, and it's intellectually dishonest to claim that he does. De Genova is an anthropologist whose scholarship is rooted in post-colonialism, which has less than nothing to do with Foner's own writings. And you can put that mildly offensive "intellectual pederast" garbage to rest - I for one have taken a number of classes with Eric Foner, and I can assure you that he has made not a single attempt to seduce me or any other student I know of to the loose morals of Marxism.

Posters here (and in the other DeGenova threads) castigate professors like Foner for envisioning right-wing conspiracies at work in government, and then sound off in these warblogger echo chambers in very similar terms about lefty-academic-conspiracies. Both extremes need to learn the same lesson - on an issue as contentious as war, there's room for legitimate disagreement, and people can disagree with your opinions without being unAmerican. Simply saying that somebody is (shock!) Marxist or (awe!) admires Paul Robeson is not enough to invalidate all of their opinions.

It may confirm your worst suspicions about antiwar activists when a jackass like De Genova starts trying to make a name for himself by wishing death upon American troops, but I encourage you to stave your pessimism. Trust me - there are plenty of people out there who are both anti-war and pro-American. It's not as disreputable a position as you might think. In fact, many of us find it very easy to hold together love of country and contempt for Dubya's handling of this current crisis.

Finally, Billy Pratt was one of my students last semester, and he's a great kid. I'm very glad he told De Genova off - he more than most at Columbia has a right to be livid about De Genova's abhorrent tirade.

I am not an elite member of the intelligent community, a common man, of modest means, I do however have the intelligence to understand treason, hate and reprehensible behavior when I hear it. All I have to say to De Genova is that I have started a fund to help him re-locate, quite possibly to a nation that would appreciate a moronic asshole anthropologist, who does not now nor ever will have a complete understanding of the human spirt, that is probably why he chose the field he did, I would suggest future degrees and courses of study as a proctologist because he seems to know alot about assholes.

Far be it to every agree with my brother on any issue, i find his comment inappropriate. I work in the medical profession and know that proctologist have a high morale fiber and would hate to have any one associated with them as diseased as these gentlemen... i would suggest oncology, that way, when they come across a slide that looks familiar, it will dawn on them that they are a disease that has been around for ever, and there is no cure ... i can see how one would mistake them for a bloody cling on, but they are much more diseased then that ... perhaps they are correct though, maybe we should create a society that allows people like saddam to flourish. Then atleast when people spoke against the newly formed government... at least we could take them out back, torture them and pop a cap in there ass.. I thank God every day for morons like this, it makes me look good.. it makes me sick when our kids are dying that overpaid, overweight people with nothing better too do then pull this crap. I dont like war, and this is certainly a confusing situation... however, there is a place and time for everything and while our kids are dying is not the time to sit here and second guess the system.. and if i hear one smartass comment like "would you rather have our kids die" ... ill come shoot you myself, if i miss.... there are 200 million americans that will right behind me. You are no longer welcome ... leave!
Tim Silvius

Has anyone thought that De Genova may be making sure he is not on the list of his terrorist pals who have declared Jihad against America. He is tipping them the wink, as we say in Britain.

Iím not the first of the family to be represented here, nor the least to be disgusted by the diatribe of De Genova. I'm not really sure what is more pathetic here, the fact that De Genova was educating our youth in this country, or the fact that no one on staff at Columbia noticed anything wrong when hiring this idiot. I feel that his comments and actions should be accounted for just as any other criminal in this country. After all canít attempting murder on someone be in many forms other then physical? Is not calling for a million Mogadishu ambushes, the same as attempting murder on our country, or our troops? I feel that he should be arrested and sent to prison for these comments. Freedom of speech has gotten way out of control in this country. Our military has not given up their lives for us to be able to rattle verbal defecation at will. Freedom of speech is one thing treason is quite simply another. My final comment would be for De Genova, Go to Hell or Iraq which ever is closer for you! You seem to have one foot in both!

I would like to ask Prof de gen. that which country gives him food and shelter, and most of all, the freedow for him to make a fool of himself. Talking about bitting the hand that feeds him.

"SCHOOL OF TERRORISM"?
A Spokesmen representing the organization that protects Prof's like De Genova at Columbia University ( I didn't get his name, he was on Bill O'Reilly the other night) from being fired ... made it clear that Prof's have NO restriction on speech. The spokesman basically said that Prof's can say ANYTHING they want and can NEVER be fired for it!
This means that a "poser" pretending to be a teacher can really be there .... to PROMOTE Terrorism ....and there is NOTHING America can do about it! THAT HAS TO CHANGE!
It's shocking to find out that Prof's have protected themselves in a way that NO other legitimate business can. De Genova would be considered an EMPLOYEE in everyday legitimate business, however in Universities I am finding out he, and every other Prof are protected like GODS, he can't be touched and they can't be touched, unless they DO something of a "personal nature".

If we follow Bollinger's protection by "free speech" excuse ...
De Genova could say: " I would like to see all Black and Hispanic American Women raped and killed on public television", and the University would NOT fire him, as he is protected by "free speech". This has to be the MOST outrageous news I have heard in my life!
I am one of the thousands of people in America who will NOT rest, until De Genova is fired.
This is extremely serious news.
Thank you

Now, for anger management class homework, who would like to crazy glue De Genovaís hands and feet together, slide a screwdriver in each of his ears, carve ìI deserve thisî on both sides of his face, cut off all ten of his fingers and sell them on e-bay (and donate the proceeds to our troops). Then you start an I.V. drip for him, and piss in the bag. Alright! Iím out of ideas for now, so somebody please come up with a creative way to finish this most enjoyable assignment.

it disgusts me to hear of somebody who wishes that millions of American troops would die so that this idiot can use his freedom of speech wich so many of these honorable men and women have died to allow him. to be against the war is one thing, but to outly come out and say that you are wishing for the killing of our troops is DISGUSTING. I fully support the student who challenged him to a confrintation, because his father serves our country with more pride and dignity than this idiot will ever have.

Having read his remarks in context I am wondering how such a deluded mind could ever be allowed to teach anything to anyone.

"Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee" Columbia

I am appalled at Prof. DeGenovas' comments. I am a member of the Armed Forces and have served my country proudly for twenty years. It is through the sweat, blood and tears of my fellow soldiers that has assured the freedom of speech to the inhabitants of this country. I honestly feel that we as Americans take far too much for granted. Columbia Univ. needs to rethink the employment status of this obviously biased individual and relieve him of his soap box! Were I to make such disgusting comments in my present place of employment - rest assured I would be promptly fired. This guy should be given a one way ticket to Iraq, destination of the heaviest fighting and be utilized as a pop-up target for honing the skills of our troops. I have every intent of forwarding Prof. DeGenovas comments to all of the soldiers that I can, for their review and subsequent commentary to be directed to your attention. God Bless our country and the Freedom of Speech!

Does Columbia get any tax money? If so, why has it not been cut off yet?

HE IS ATTEMPTING TO GET SOMEBODY TO KILL HIM! HE MUST BE A MISERABLE SOB... HE IS ASKING FOR THE FATHER OF SOME MARINE TO SHOOT HIM. NOT MY PROBLEM, JERKS LIKE THAT ALWAYS SCREW THEMSELVES IN THE LONG RUN. JUST READ THE ARTICLE...

NEW YORK — The controversy over a Columbia University assistant professor who called for the bloody defeat of U.S. troops in Iraq refuses to die, with critics heaping scorn and supporters saying he has gone into hiding after receiving numerous death threats.

A graduate student told the Columbia Spectator that Nicholas De Genova and his wife were "fearing for their lives" after receiving some 1,000 threatening phone and e-mail messages. The threats led De Genova to nix his two classes on Tuesday, according to the student newspaper.

De Genova told a campus "teach-in" last Wednesday that he wanted to see the U.S. defeated in Iraq and suffer "a million Mogadishus" — a reference to the 1993 Somalia ambush that left 18 Americans dead.

"The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military," he said at an anti-war event attended by students and faculty.

A school senior whose father is an Army colonel serving in Kuwait was among those who slammed De Genova's remarks.

"A Columbia professor wished death upon the father of a Columbia University student and possibly [on the parents of] other students," William Pratt told the New York Post, adding he was "appalled and devastated" by De Genova’s harsh remarks.

"What really pushes me over the edge is when a professor basically wishes for the slaughter of U.S. military men and women who gave him the right to free speech and to make those disgusting comments," Pratt told the Post.

University President Lee C. Bollinger released a statement distancing himself and the school from De Genova, who was apparently a last-minute add-on to the teach-in lineup.

"I am shocked that someone would make such statements. Because of the university’s tradition of academic freedom, I normally don’t comment about statements made by faculty members. However, this one crosses the line and I really feel the need to say something. I am especially saddened for the families of those whose lives are at risk," Bollinger said in his Friday statement.

The university has not publicly said if De Genova’s job as an assistant professor is in jeopardy over the scandal. De Genova does not have tenure.

Though most university officials and trustees declined to comment on the controversy when contacted by Fox News, one said he supported Bollinger’s statement.

"My mind turns with admiration to the deaths and wounds and countless other sacrifices suffered by tens of thousands of brave U.S. military people to establish and protect American rights of free speech ... even free speech as outrageous, insensitive, thoughtless and offensive as that reportedly uttered by Professor De Genova," said attorney Stephen Case.

Some students defended the professor. About two dozen of his students took part in a silent protest on Tuesday, as they sat quietly outside in the rain to show their support of De Genova and their displeasure with the university’s handling of the matter.

"We feel that the university has failed to protect Nick," anthropology grad student Ayca Cubukcu told the Spectator.

Recently, it has been brought to my attention that two Ivy League professors have been abusing their position by using the classroom as a political platform to campaign against the United States of America.

Nicholas De Genova, a Columbia University assistant professor of anthropology and Latino studies, shocked students and faculty at a campus anti-war teach-in on March 26 when he expressed his wish that Iraq would defeat the United States and that there would be "a million Mogadishu’s." This last comment was meant to refer to a 1993 incident in Somalia when 18 U.S. soldiers were killed during a military operation.
De Genova further insulted America's men and women in uniform by declaring that "the only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military," and accused patriotic citizens of being white supremacists.

Associate Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh of Yale University appears to have a major role in coordinating boycott petitions. Professor Qumsiyeh is also running a boycott of Israeli goods and services as well as a boycott of businesses that do business with Israel. He heads the Palestine Right To Return Coalition's Media Committee. He writes, “We blame Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice who are so wedded to special interests and money (oil and military industries) that they maybe willing to sacrifice American, Iraqi, and Palestinian lives in quest for more power. If you have not noticed the killing of Palestinians continued unabated with 30 killed in the past week and dozens of homes demolished (all using our tax money). Do we blame the nine-mega corporations owning most of our media and calling the shots on what we see or hear in America? Does this media keep the American public in the dark about what is really going on in Iraq and Palestine as we continue to alienate the whole world. Does this group (with special interest agenda) manage to regularly implant thought patterns that have little to do with reality but much to do with gaining support for policies of war mongering, domination, and civil rights violations.”

Such conduct is highly inappropriate for the classroom regardless of our liberty of free speech. A professor’s role in society is to teach students in a nonbiased manner enabling students to formulate their own opinions. I am outraged by this new academic epidemic. Law does not forbid the spread of anti-American propaganda, nor should it impede upon our right to free speech. However, there is a time and a place to express ones personal and political views, this location should not include the classroom. These professors should teach the subjects they are employed to teach, as opposed to giving daily lesson regarding “evil America.”

Thank you,
David Wentworth