Columbia anthropology professor Nicholas De Genova's "million Mogadishus" comment prompted many to call for his job (and even his life). Columbia President Lee Bollinger's subsequent announcement that De Genova absolutely would not be fired or otherwise punished for his statements--despite pressure from citizens, students, alumni, and even from some members of Congress--sparked a national debate about what exactly academic freedom is, what its relationship to the First Amendment is, and whether a comment such as De Genova's could ever reasonably considered to be "protected speech." Yesterday, Alan Charles Kors (founder and president of FIRE) and Thor Halvorssen (FIRE's CEO) addressed these issues and many more in a live online colloquy hosted by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Read the transcript here.

What a great forum. Kors was really firing on all cylinders.

Columbia may hire whomever they please. But why should the NY Legislature or the Congress give them another dime?

I hope that alumni hold to their threats to withhold donations.

I think students should just avoid his classes. If no one registers for them, why is he there? Has this clown ever had a job outside of academia? I'll bet not.

The following is me ìexercising my right to free speechîÖ I would like for De Genova to see his family members dragged through the streets of Columbia Universityís campus. Maybe then he will understand the viciousness of his statements.