tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109191265483301907.post3674755303334713975..comments2023-09-25T11:41:04.090-05:00Comments on InsomniMom: READER ALERT: Stop this hate attackShelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13585609641158766024noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109191265483301907.post-3480148516149561072008-07-11T21:21:00.000-05:002008-07-11T21:21:00.000-05:00And here's another thought, Ben -I don't have to b...And here's another thought, Ben -<BR/><BR/>I don't have to be a bond trader to know that being called a Nazi by some wing-nut liberal college professor is bigotry.<BR/><BR/>I don't have to be a black person to recognize racial intolerance.<BR/><BR/>And you don't have to be a Catholic to know that calling a consecrated Host a "frackin' cracker" and saying that you could hardly wait to get your hands on one so that you could desecrate it is wrong.<BR/><BR/>It's wrong, Ben. All of it is wrong. Wherever bigotry against someone's race or religion comes up, it's wrong.<BR/><BR/>Right?Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13585609641158766024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109191265483301907.post-65339128970816459642008-07-11T13:56:00.000-05:002008-07-11T13:56:00.000-05:00Well, I don't want to be disagreeable, but I still...Well, I don't want to be disagreeable, but I still think that such an outrageous display of bigotry should come under some sort of harsh censure, although I agree it is difficult to fire a tenured professor. <BR/><BR/>It did finally happen to Ward Churchill, though. He's the ethnic studies professor formerly from the University of Colorado who was fired for remarking that the bond traders who died in the 9/11 attacks were "little Eichmanns" who deserved to die. Nice. Very nice.<BR/><BR/>Paul Zachary Myers' blog, Pharyngula (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/), was accessible from the UMM website, although the link has since been removed. Thanks to Google Cache, however, there is proof that on July 8, 2008, Paul Myers' blog <I>was linked to his bio on the UMM Biology Faculty page</I>.<BR/><BR/>Here's that Google Cache URL: http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:pWo_qvB7RlEJ:www.morris.umn.edu/academic/biology/faculty.html+pharyngula+site:morris.umn.edu&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us&client=firefox-a<BR/><BR/>(Thanks to William and Denyse from Uncommon Descent for that resource.)<BR/><BR/>So technically, his post <I>was</I> connected with UMM, although there are obviously some frantic CYA measures taking place. Either Myers is working to save his job and/or professional reputation, or the university is working to distance itself from him. He advertised his personal blog on his professional bio and in doing so, he created a monster for himself whose name is Code of Conduct Agreement.<BR/><BR/>I couldn't be more pleased.<BR/><BR/>It's immaterial to me what his initial post was <I>about</I>. There's no excuse for such bigotry. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR SUCH BIGOTRY. You may notice, if you use that URL and copy-and-paste your way over to Pharyngula, that he has continued with the hate speech and is escalating this entire matter to the point where he's sounding a bit unhinged. It's not just the death-threat people who have issuuuuuuuuues in this whole thing.<BR/><BR/>And Ben, you seem like a nice person and I appreciate your mild manner in debating, but can I ask you a question?<BR/><BR/>Why are we debating this?<BR/><BR/>I've already completely agreed with you that the word "crime" was too strong for my post, so why are you defending this man?<BR/><BR/>Bigotry is bigotry, whether it is racially, culturally, ethnically or religiously motivated. There is no excuse for such bigotry. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR SUCH BIGOTRY. <BR/><BR/>In my opinion, Myers has greater accountability because of his status as a professor, especially as a professor from a state-funded university.<BR/><BR/>Why are you trying to defend what is so obviously indefensible? Are there levels of bigotry that are acceptable to you?Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13585609641158766024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109191265483301907.post-61768618021354652192008-07-11T12:42:00.000-05:002008-07-11T12:42:00.000-05:00Shelly,I would say that if Myers was not "respectf...Shelly,<BR/><BR/>I would say that if Myers was not "respectful, fair and civil" in his capacity as professor in his classrooms, or on a U of M website, you would be right, and would deserve censure. He is a tenured professor, so it would be highly unlikely for him to be fired over such an action.<BR/><BR/>But his post was not connected with UM. It was on his personal blog, and while you disagree with what he said, he committed no crime.<BR/><BR/>If you look at his original post, what he was really attacking was the fact that Donohue was calling for the expulsion of the UCF student, and the fact that the UCF student's actions had been answered with death threats. <BR/><BR/>Look into this a little deeper, and I think you will find that your calls for his dismissal are unjustified.Benjamin Franklinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975695604400974378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109191265483301907.post-5555352936179764152008-07-11T11:24:00.000-05:002008-07-11T11:24:00.000-05:00Well, maybe the word "crime" wasn't well thought o...Well, maybe the word "crime" wasn't well thought out. I was typing quickly since I had to get down to the driving school to pick up Mee, so I just let my fingers fly.<BR/><BR/>I will say, though, according to UMM's Code of Conduct, he is definitely in violation of their policy of being "respectful, fair and civil." Although that couldn't be classified as a <I>crime</I>, I still hope it's enough to get him fired.<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry there are some who feel so strongly that they've issued death threats. That is <B>ridiculous</B> and falls under the "two wrongs don't make a right" chestnut that your mom told you about.<BR/><BR/>I'll be happy to take the word "crime" out of the title and subsitute the word "attack" instead. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13585609641158766024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109191265483301907.post-75441091295855027782008-07-11T11:06:00.000-05:002008-07-11T11:06:00.000-05:00I'm confused. Exactly what law has Myers broken?H...I'm confused. Exactly what law has Myers broken?<BR/><BR/>He posted on his personal blog about the death threats that the UCF student received for taking the wafer.<BR/><BR/>Myers himself had received death threats now about his post.<BR/><BR/>Myers has comitted what would be regarded by some as blasphemy, and sacrilige, but those are not crimes.<BR/><BR/>Again, what crime did he commit?Benjamin Franklinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975695604400974378noreply@blogger.com