University of Wisconsin-Madison officials are reviewing the background of a UW-Madison lecturer after a state lawmaker demanded he be fired for his beliefs about Sept. 11, 2001.
Kevin Barrett has a doctorate and lectures on Islamic culture and religion. He is also co-founder of a group that believes some in our government arranged the Sept. 11 attacks.
In some circles, especially academic ones, the debate over what really happened on Sept. 11 continues. The issue now is whether such radical beliefs belong in the college classroom.
Most Americans believe that on Sept. 11 the United States was attacked by 19 Arab hijackers commanded by al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden. But some conspiracy-based groups, like Barrett's Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance For 9/11 Truth, think that's "a lie."
Barrett believes evidence compiled by others show that Dick Cheney and others inside the U.S. government arranged the 9/11 attacks -- and he said so Wednesday on a Milwaukee radio show.
"The alternative theory is that they must have at least had some inside help, and more likely that the whole thing was an inside job from start to finish," Barrett said. "By far the strongest hypothesis at this point is that 9/11 was an inside job designed as a war-trigger cover operation … designed to launch a series of wars -- not just one war but a long series of wars."
Barrett wears his activism on his sleeve -- wearing a shirt with his Web site's address on the back.
But one state lawmaker said that such beliefs have no place in a state-sponsored classroom, and he wants Barrett to be fired.
"This is preposterous, and there are better people who could teach in the classroom," said Rep. Steve Nass, a Republican from Whitewater.
The UW-Madison provost said he is reviewing Barrett's background to double-check his credentials.
The UW Board of Regents said that is appropriate but said outrageous viewpoints are part of academic freedom.
"I think outrageous ideas are best given the light of day. And given the light of day, the university system will expose them for what they are," said Dave Walsh, president of the Board of Regents.
But Nass thinks that Barrett's views go too far for the classroom.
"By the university standards, Adolf Hitler could speak in a classroom -- and that would be free speech and academic freedom," he said.
Walsh said he thinks Barrett's ideas are "beyond preposterous," too, but said they still shouldn't be excluded from a college classroom.
Barrett said he is fine with the provost's review and said that during his contemporary Islam course on culture and religion he presents all viewpoints in a fair and balanced way.
As for being called a "wacko" by some, Barrett said a recent Zogby poll found that 42 percent believe the 9/11 commission report concealed evidence and is covering up the truth
