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March 28, 2003
Aid and Comfort?
New York Newsday reports on a "Teach-In" at Columbia University. At this event, assistant professor Nicholas De Genova was quoted as saying, "The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military. I personally would like to see a million Mogadishus." The audience, while silent at this remark, later applauded when De Genova said, "If we really believe that this war is criminal ... then we have to believe in the victory of the Iraqi people and the defeat of the U.S. war machine." De Genova was also quoted as saying that Americans who support the war are "white supremacists." Another professor, named as Barbara J. Fields, was quoted as saying that, "the good Germans of the Nazi era were the few who said, 'No.'" The complete report can be found on here on Newsday's local news for Manhattan page. (Courtesy of Instapundit.com.) * Update * - Columbia student Matthew Continetti has written a first-hand account of the event.Posted By Dean Esmay at March 28, 2003 03:56 PM | TrackBack Comments
Jesus H. Christ! Some of these academics piss me off so much! They love the fact that they can spout of at the mouth and say shiate like this, but are unwilling to fight for this right and actually rail against the people who will fight to protect their right to say stupid things! Arghhh!! cmk Posted by: Ver, Very Angry reader at March 28, 2003 03:38 PMWow, it's only March, and we've already found the winner of the Stupidest Academic of the Year award. Posted by: 9 at March 28, 2003 03:39 PMSee what college exemption from the draft gets you? Another college generation full of friggin hippies... What a Sa.ck.of.Sh.it Posted by: Mark at March 28, 2003 03:44 PMMr De Genova can be reached at I sent my son to that den of misfits, and I stare in wonderous amazement that he and most of his friends learned enough to reason themselves into active support for both the reasoning and for the current actions against Iraq. I am nominating one of his friends, whose father is with the Army Logistics Command in the Gulf, for permanent membership into the ProtestWarriors, for his actions in taking the microphone at a recent Peace Rally at Columbia and reminding the congregation that it is folks like his Dad that make such demonstrations possible. Posted by: Jim at March 28, 2003 03:51 PMJust thought you'd like to know... Nicholas Paul De Genova This is Genova's email. Let'em have it. npd18@columbia.edu This is the alumni support email. Let'em know you canceled the check. udar@columbia.edu Posted by: Edgarapoe at March 28, 2003 03:52 PMLooney Tunes... neither right or left wants to call for peace in the Congo, or mention that war, that's going on now and killing millions. The left wants to be self-important, not to bring peace, or they'd mention the Congo. The right wants security, but won't mention the Congo because it suggests their security motivations are self-concerns - else they'd be intervening in the larger war in the Congo. - - - - - - - - - - - - iraq-war.com leads to completeconfusion.com Posted by: Joe Thorpe at March 28, 2003 03:55 PMURL bounced back my message Posted by: Henry at March 28, 2003 03:56 PMIt seems to me that radical Islamists are the fascists, here. The Twin Towers were targeted because we had military in Saudi Arabia, in part to protect those Shi'ites and Kurds from Ba'athist massacre. In other words, the offence they took was a matter of decorum, of aesthetics. Just as it doesn't matter what really happens in the lefty press, here or overseas (or for that matter, at CBN). Posted by: Dan Collins at March 28, 2003 04:03 PMI sent him an email...we'll see if it bounces Posted by: Infide at March 28, 2003 04:10 PMI sent him an email...we'll see if it bounces Posted by: Infide at March 28, 2003 04:10 PM19 American soldiers and 1,000 Muslims died in Mogadishu One million Mogadishus would mean ONE BILLION dead Muslims--almost every Muslim alive--and 19 Million dead Americans. I could imagine Jerry Falwell or Fred Phelps thinking the trade was worthwhile, but who would have thought a leftist academic would have wanted to sacrifice 19 million Americans (at least 5 million of whom would be minorities, I guess) in order to exterminate Islam? This De Genova guy is a modern-day crusader. Posted by: Michael Levy at March 28, 2003 04:14 PMIt's one thing to disagree with the government. But to wish defeat on us?!! I'm tired of people talking about people who support the war like we are a bunch of morons who aren't intellectual enough to comtemplate the possibilities of peace. I don't go around insulting people who wants peace, and I dont want people to call me "White supremacist" for supporting the war. Not to mention I'm an ASIAN WOMAN. It's all so easy and romantic to go around saying peace is the only answer. I mean, supporting the anti-war attitude is the easy way out---who wouldn't want to support such an ideal notion? But tha's just it, it's ideal, and it doesn't work, not this time. I'm not sure if Mr. De Genova even sincerely appreciates the rights he has that allows him to speak so disrespectfully about our country so openly. But at least I'm grateful that this country is what it is---I'm disappointed in his view, but hey, I suppose it's what makes this country great. I don't understand the bee in the anti-war left's bonnet about the "undemocratic" nature of Bush's presidency while at the same time suggesting boot-licking the UN's most undemocratic political body whose members are appointed ambassadors from any form of government, democratic or not. Posted by: BobbyV at March 28, 2003 04:22 PMName: NICHOLAS PAUL DE GENOVA hey guys: there's a link at *ratemyprofessors.com* for De Genova every little bit helps Posted by: Bob at March 28, 2003 04:29 PMEric Foner Write 'em Posted by: DANEgerus at March 28, 2003 04:34 PMI know... Let's reinstitute the draft... First... racist bigots like Rangel (D-NY) would be selected for mine-sweeping duties. Uh, I don't think you're supposed to rate the professors unless you've acutually taken classes under them. And though these a**hats deserve oprobrium, I hope posting their email/phone etc. doesn't just spawn ranting email & phonemail -- that just doesn't do any good. Posted by: Whackadoodle at March 28, 2003 04:42 PMIts up to parents of students, and especially alumni of universities like this to help solve the problem. If university presidents realize they will get no more alumni donations if they allow their professors to spout like this then it will stop Posted by: darivash at March 28, 2003 04:42 PMAbsent a declaration of war, these losers can say this stuff. It's their right. But, someone who can get to the Columbia hierarchy ought to suggest that the university, at a minimum, publicly disassociate itself from this repulsive behavior. Suspension and loss of tenure would be better. Posted by: enloop at March 28, 2003 04:44 PMthen im a white supremist cause im for this war..if it brings on ww3 bring it on...after the dust settles there will be a whole lot less muslums and educators that cant keep there personel opinions out of the classroom.... Posted by: aby normal at March 28, 2003 04:47 PMMr. De Genova The update from Matthew Continetti is right on (no pun intended). Every discussion I have had with someone against the war breaks down into bashing the Bush admininstration. They have no concept of what is happening in Iraq and really no sympathy for the Iraqi people. Instead I get "finishing what Daddy started" and more "dead or alive" crap. Posted by: Kent at March 28, 2003 05:11 PMSomeone should mention this to Ernie @ EHOWA.com. He has a knack for getting hundreds of people involved. Posted by: Uzi at March 28, 2003 05:14 PMI remember when I was in college, I loved Anthropology...and this is the second idiot Anthro prof I have heard about in as many days (the other is the wife of a senator from Montana). Anthro's are supposed to study people...must not study people too close to keep making these stupid (and frankly, evil) comments. How do they expect people are going to react? Or are they so divorced from humanity by their studies that they are no longer human? Posted by: kellyds at March 28, 2003 05:52 PMThis De Genova is clearly a left-wing nut, and should probably be ignored. But a lot of the comments I'm reading here are just as immature and poorly educated. Fields, on the other hand, has it right. Posted by: Hegel at March 28, 2003 06:05 PMBarbara Fields ? Wasn't she in Ken Burns' Civil War series? Posted by: Twolip at March 28, 2003 07:11 PM"supporting the anti-war attitude is the easy way out---who wouldn't want to support such an ideal notion? But that's just it, it's ideal, and it doesn't work, not this time." You nailed it on the head there, great comment. Dealing with reality is so much more difficult. Posted by: Toby at March 28, 2003 07:25 PMI am a Columbia University Senior, and a proud son of a army officer serving our country in Kuwait right now. It is hard enough being in a school where at least 80% of the kids are anti-war protestors. What really hurts is when a member of the faculty, that instills my education, makes comments that basically translate to wishing my father and his comrades to die and have their bodies dragged through the street. What hurts even more is that after spending a significant time in the office of the provost, they pretty much made it clear that no disciplinary action will be taken. Apparently if he doesn't make those remarks in a class, then he is free from disciplinary proceedings. SO WHAT!! His speech was made at an event that was advertised on the main page of the Columbia website, and said in the most recognizable symbol affiliated with Columbia, that being Low Library. Apparently Columbia is being nailed with complaints to which they reply "The comments of Professor De Genova in no way are sanctioned or supported by Columbia University" Well that is not enough for me. There needs to be sincere apologies, since I'm sure this piece of you know what is not going to be fired. My father has clearance to come see me graduate this May, and I already asked Professor De Genova to repeat those comments to my father. I'm sure he will be no where around since he is one of the many cowards that will take the benefits of this country, but not stand by it. Posted by: William at March 29, 2003 12:43 AM
Hate speech is hate speech no matter what end of the political spectrum it comes from. Where would DeGenova be today if he had wished for a million Jasper, Texases? Facing hate crime charges, no doubt. Posted by: Mike at April 1, 2003 10:53 AMNicholas De Genova is an assistant professor of anthropology at Columbia University. According to news reports, De Genova, at a public ‘teach-in’ last week ‘called for the defeat of American forces in Iraq and said he would like to see "a million Mogadishus”’ De Genova's remarks are not protected free speech but instead constitute the crime of treason as defined in the United States Constitution. The first amendment and its extension in the fourteenth amendment address laws made by the Congress and the states. The first amendment is not applicable to a crime defined in the Constitution itself. The Constitution defines treason as The elements 'adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort' are explained by Justice Jackson in his majority opinion for the Supreme Court in the case Cramer v United States (1944). "Treason of adherence to an enemy was old in the law. It consisted of breaking allegiance to one's own King by forming an attachment to his enemy. Its scope was comprehensive, its requirements indeterminate. It might be predicated on intellecutal or emotional sympathy with the for, or merely lack of zeal in the cause of one's own country. That was not the kind of disloyalty the framers thought should constitute treason. They promptly accepted the proposal to restrict it to cases where also there was conduct which was 'giving them aid and comfort.' 'Aid and comfort' was defined by Lord Reading in the Casement trial comprehensively, as it should be, and yet probably with as much precision as the nature of the matter will permit: '... an act which strengthens or tends to strengthen the enemies of the King in the conduct of a [325 U.S. 1, 29] war against the King, that is in law the giving of aid and comfort' and 'an act which weakens or tends to weaken the power of the King and of the country to resist or to attack the enemies of the King and the country ... is ... giving of aid and comfort.' Lord Reading explained it, as we think one must, in terms of an 'act.' It is not easy, if indeed possible, to think of a way in which 'aid and comfort' and be 'given' to an enemy except by some kind of action. Its very nature partakes of a deed or physical activity as opposed to a mental operation. Thus the crime of treason consists of two elements: adherence to the enemy; and rendering him aid and comfort. A citizen intellectually or emotionally may favor the enemy and harbor sympathies or convictions disloyal to this country's policy or interest, but so long as he commits no act of aid and comfort to the enemy, there is no treason. On the other hand, a citizen may take actions, which do aid and comfort the enemy- making a speech critical of the government or opposing its measures, profiteering, striking in defense plants or essential work, and the hundred other things which impair our cohesion and diminish our strength- but if there is no adherence to the enemy in this, if there is no intent to betray, there is no treason. " Note that Justice Jackson explicitedly states that making a speech critical of the government combined with adherence would constitute the crime of treason. This is precisely what De Genova did at the teach-in. In a public speech he called for the defeat of U.S. troops by the Iraqis thus adhering to and rendering aid and comfort to a foreign enemy of the United States. Nicholas De Genova should be indicted and tried for the crime of treason against the United States. This moron comments as to how military folks are treacherously without opportunities or some such crap...in other words too stupid or poor to do anything else. Mr. "anti-imperialism" speaking as such a freakin' intellectual elitist. Gag...what a Post a comment
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