This sordid tale can be found in more detail at the Ernie’s House of Whoop-Ass site. www.ehowa.com/home.html Scroll down to the story headed, “Sometimes Sorry Just Doesn’t Cut It.”
A cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy sent an email to Peter Kristein, professor of history at Saint Xavier University in Chicago.
The supposedly verbatim text is as follows:
The cadet whose name is removed got the following response from professor Kristein:
Is your bullshit detector going off? Mine was.
But it’s real. That dumbfuck actually said that.
As proof, you can attempt to send the good professor an email: kristein@sxu.edu. Several tens of thousands of other people apparently have, as word of this correspondence got out. You’ll get the following auto-reply:
I feel compelled to note something Ernie notes at his HOWA site:
Not to mention that condescending, “let this be a lesson to you philistines” attitude. Uh, re-read your email, prof. You don’t get to walk the high road.
By the way, take a look at this fucking dweeb: www.sxu.edu/academ/artsci/history/pkirstein/
Nice sweater.
Here, we can read Kirstein’s apology, and the amazingly classy acceptance from the Air Force folks, who actually express their regret that these emails are out there circulating in cyber-space.
Somehow, Kirstein’s apology strikes me as a bit … lacking.
“I should have written him in a more thoughtful and contemplative manner. As one who believes in non-violence and the avoidance of conflict, I could have been more circumspect and creative in my communication with him.”
Does anyone else take that as more-or-less saying, “I still feel the exact way that I said, but I should have kept it to myself?”
What these academia wackos, light-years out on the left and away from reality, never seem to understand is that their ability to have their ridiculous and asinine views is and always has been PRESERVED by the people they are so eager to spit on.
I can rattle off at least a dozen countries where such a criticism of the military would have at the least landed him in jail, at the worst landed him tortured and pushing up daisies.
Ah, America’s well-balanced world of academia. What benefits they must be passing along to our future leaders.
P.S. Here’s an update, indicating the university is considering some kind of disciplinary action against the good professor.
You may be surprised to hear that I don’t think the professor should be disciplined - for his ridiculous viewpoints. He should, however, be disciplined for responding to a very innocent query in such a boorish manner, while serving in an official representative capacity for the university. Regardless of any political views he may have expressed.
No, THIS academia whacko. I will agree that this nitwit should be figuratively tarred and feathered, but lets be mindful not to paint too many folks with a too wide brush.
jesus christ… no one is calling for his head! Are we not allowed voice our disagreement about one person who does an extremely tacky and discourteous thing?
regardless of my opinions about US foreign policy and interventions, he was out of line to explode at a cadet who was looking for information.
Mostly, he should be disciplined for embarassing his university by being incoherent and illiterate, i.e. “Who, top guns to reign death and destruction upon nonwhite peoples throughout the world?”
It’s rain death and destruction etc. etc.
While there’s something to be said for the sentiments expressed in Libertarian’s quote, I was under the impression that the Founding Fathers established those rights. And we’re all charged with defending them.
The Founding Fathers were only able to establish those rights after the blood of soldiers was spilled, and those rights continue to stand because Soldiers, airmen, and seamen all serve to protect them. And any history teacher worth his salt should know that.
Where are all the folks who rail against spam? I would be pissed too had I received a spam e-mail asking me to assist the war effort and I might express my opinion about it too. Yes, it may come from my work e-mail but I would have been spammed with offensive material at work and respond in kind as an individual. And his stance that the United States is imperialistic is not new or unique; many are offended by this. Who says we have to honor soldiers or military actions? Would it have been OK if he had politely outlined his anti-war stance?
OK, maybe I’ll let Basra slide (even though the Iraqis sure as Hell had AAA) but…
When the fuck did the US Air Force bomb the Palestinians? How the Hell are the Viet Cong connected to September 11? For that matter how are the Serbs? Weren’t the Serbs fighting the Muslims? And if the Serbs didn’t have AAA or SAMS, how the fuck did they shoot down an F-117? It’s the Stealth Fighter fer chrissakes! This guy’s a history teacher!?
Thank you very much for your inquiry about advertising your Academy Assembly.
Unfortunately, I am unwilling to participate in assisting this event, due to my opposition to US military intervention in the recent past, and my opposition to any proposed action in Iraq.
If you would be interested in discussing my views further, please respond, and I would be happy to expand.
I would think as a history professor, he would see the need, scope and benefits of wars.
(IOW I agree with Particlewill)
It is his opinion though, and the fact that what some professor said pissed you off so much is sad. Many people feel this way, and are just as passionate about those feelings.
Yeah, well that is what makes this country great, and what our soldiers have fought to hold. We are not like other countries. I get the feeling you would like to see this happen to this guy, which means in my opinion YOU are the dickweed. So what if he looks like a dork. I imagine you probably don’t look much better.
Yes, because everybody should feel the way you do. People have different opinions, worldviews, and feel passionate about different things.
And what those ignorant, uneducated riff raff never seem to understand is that is what America is all about. Your pitiful reality is no better than thiers. Your pathetic, “torture and kill those that disagree with you” views are what those people fighting in the wars, that you so much support, are what they are preventing from happening.
Does anyone else think Epimetheus’s post is the sorriest piece of shit they’ve read for a long time?
Freedom of speech is enshrined in most of the West. Doesn’t make the US unique.
I hardly think that is what was implied. I think Milossarian’s correct in his analysis of the Professor’s reply, though I don’t necessarily agree with Mil’s political viewpoint.
(My emoticon)
Who the fuck, apart from you, said that? Mil specifically said that the Professor shouldn’t be disciplined for holding these views.
There’re only two of them in this thread, and one of them’s the Professor. The other one is hidden behind a large straw man.