Kevin Barrett: UW's Disgrace

Yesterday, Sean Hannity interviewed UW-Madison instructor and 9/11 conspiracy theory promoter Kevin Barrett on his radio show.

I've already discussed various angles of the Barrett matter at length, but I must comment again. Hearing what this UW instructor had to say, to an audience of millions of people, made me sick.

I cannot believe that Madison supports this guy. Of course, I expect liberal lunacy from Madison, but this is too much. It's a horrible reflection on the state.

Especially disturbing is Barrett's claim that Wisconsinites are behind him.

He said:

"Actually, the vast majority of people here in Wisconsin seem to be saying that I shouldn't be fired. ...All of the feedback is overwhelmingly in my favor."

That's pure BS.

Barrett must keep his blinders on constantly.

We all know that Barrett believes 9/11 was an "inside job."

That's not news and there's no need to go over those details again. However, Barrett did say some things that I previously hadn't heard him spew.

Barrett said that the government uses FOX News to get people to hate Osama bin Laden. He called the outlet the government's "propaganda apparatus." He told Hannity that he should be ashamed for his role in duping the public and generating hate.

Barrett blamed the neocons for causing the Arab world to hate America. No surprise there. The neocons are Barrett's favorite whipping boy.

Hannity did get Barrett to give some of his thoughts related to the current Middle East conflict.

According to Barrett:

Israel is a terrorist state.

Barrett said:

"When the British Medical Journal reported that more than 600 Palestinian children had been shot to death intentionally by Israeli snipers... I would say that any state that allows that to happen and doesn't prosecute those soldiers must be characterized as a terrorist state."

Unlike Israel, Hamas is not a terrorist group.

Hezbollah is not a terrorist group.

Barrett said:

"Hezbollah and Hamas do not intentionally murder children by shooting them in the gut."

Barrett conveniently ignores the terrorist tactics that Hamas and Hezbollah employ. He ignores their use of suicide bombers and their exploitation of innocent civilians as human shields.

If Barrett is looking for an "inside job," he should investigate what really happened at Qana and Hezbollah's role in the deaths of civilians.

In a discussion of evil, Barrett took time to get in a plug for a book that he's editing, due out in September, 9/11 and the American Empire: Christians, Jews, and Muslims Speak Out.

I suppose he's hoping that all the exposure he's getting in the media for his crackpot theories will help his book sales. I wonder if he'll do any signings. Can you imagine the kind of crowd he would draw to a book signing event?

From his book, Barrett cited a "leading Christian theologian" who explains, from the neocons' perspective, that it wasn't evil for them to orchestrate the 9/11 attacks because it sparked a noble war. That war is allowing the U.S. to impose its superior way of life, "by way of arms," on others throughout the world.

That's deranged, which is probably why it appeals to Barrett.

Hannity asked Barrett, "Who are the specific neoconservatives that caused 9/11? What are their names?"

Barrett responded:

"As I said before, Dick Cheney, Richard Perle, Douglas Faith, Paul Wolfowitz, Scooter Libby... um ... and, you know, I could probably throw out a few more but I think that's enough for now."

When challenged to throw out a few more names, Barrett hesitated, but then added:

"In fact, I could be wrong about this... I would certainly throw two members of the Bush Crime Family in there as suspects. That would be... Well, actually three,... the President's cousin Walker,... as well as the President's brother Marvin,... and I would throw in there the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush."

Barrett went on to say:

"The Bush Crime Family is intricately involved with the CIA drug cartel, and yes these people certainly knew what was going on."

Hannity asked Barrett if he believed that the President knew about 9/11, too.

Barrett said:

"I think President Bush very well may have signed an authorization for the 9/11 attacks."

How sick!

I found what Barrett had to say yesterday absolutely disgusting.

His words can easily be dismissed as the ramblings of a nutcase.

The thing that truly bugs me is the fact that Barrett is teaching at Madison.

Barrett is using his association with UW-Madison to give his views credence, and the "deciders" at Madison are OK with that.

In effect, the university becomes Barrett's willing accomplice.

I don't buy the claim in his syllabus that only one week of his class will be devoted to his theories on the 9/11 attacks.

There is just no way that he will keep his biases and sick theories out of his classroom discussions. There is no way that he can keep from spouting his litany of falsehoods.

I just don't buy it.

Barrett's lies don't fall under the protection of academic freedom.

Why would Madison hire someone so obviously unbalanced? Why would they endorse someone like Barrett?

"The Bush Crime Family"?

Unbelievable. I mean that literally.

Barrett is an extremist among extremists.

I am not one of the supposedly "vast majority" of Wisconsinites in Barrett's corner.

He's a stain on the UW system, a stain that Governor Jim Doyle isn't willing to press for removal.