I am extremely disappointed at how many people are lining up to try and get CU professor Ward Churchill fired for the comments that he has made. I see this as a straight-up Amendment 1 case. Churchill is free to make whatever comments that he wants. That is what being an American is all about. It’s the first amendment to our constitution, after all!
Unfortunately, many people (including Colorado governor Bill Owens) appear to think that the first amendment only applies if you agree with what the person is saying. Once someone says something abhorrent, then apparently they believe the first amendment should not apply. Governor Owens said as much in an interview this morning on KWGN-TV2.
Defending free speech is easy when one agrees with the person doing the speaking. When one disagrees with the speaker, it gets a little more difficult. But when the speaker is saying things that are horrifying, that are truly abhorrent to the listener, then it is most difficult to support free speech. But this is when it is most important to defend free speech!
I don’t like what Ward Churchill is saying, but I’ll defend his right to say it. And so should all other Americans. It is what our country is all about. Freedom.