So Ward Churchill was on campus Thursday night and apparently more than 500 people filed into a room to hear a man who called victims in the twin towers on Sept. 11 “little Eichmanns.” People filed into a room to listen to an individual who has repeatedly called our brave men and women serving in our armed forces murderers and thugs. People filed into a room to hear a man talk who just recently in a 125-page report was accused by his employer, the University of Colorado, of plagiarism, misrepresenting the facts in some of his writings and fabricating some of his material. Churchill then claimed that all of us at the University planning to graduate this June and then work for a corporation are adding to the mass murder of indigenous people. Something doesn’t add up there, but then again it is Ward Churchill. Usually what he says doesn’t make any sense. I led a group of students in a counter-rally against Churchill because I felt that this man lacks anything that resembles a conscience or a soul, which is apparent by the statements he makes. Anyone who condemns the children and infants in the twin towers on Sept. 11 as Nazis is beyond rational thought.
What most saddened me were some of the individuals who walked by our counter-rally to go listen to Churchill’s speech. As they approached and saw our U.S. flags it became easy to see how they instantly became enraged just by seeing the flag. It is highly disappointing that anyone living in the United States would see the flag and feel angry. If you don’t agree with what the Bush administration is doing, that is your right as an American, but do you have to start screaming at those who have peacefully assembled to show support for victims of Sept. 11? Regardless of your opinion of President Bush, everyone should stand up and support the victims of Sept. 11 and condemn comments such as the ones by Churchill labeling them as Nazis. This country is not perfect, but it has done more to spread freedom and liberty than any other country in history. As the lone superpower, people will always hate you. It is just too bad that there are so many Americans in Eugene who openly admit their hate for it. While those of us in the College Republicans rallied in support of the victims of Sept. 11 and our disapproval of Churchill’s comments, many people would walk by and begin to just scream at us, calling us Nazis and racists. After four years in Eugene, I have to say that the left is in need of some new slogans and slurs. Calling any College Republican a Nazi not only exposes one’s own ignorance and lack of presupposed tolerance, but it only hinders any potential argument one might make. If liberals love tolerance and diversity so much, why can’t they appreciate a different viewpoint on campus when it expresses its own opinions in a peaceful manner? Thanks to the very few self-described liberals who walked by and remained calm and engaged in courteous conversation.
Anthony Warren
Chairman, UO College Republicans