Middle East studies in the News

Interview with Professor Kevin Barrett

by Isabelle Kallie
WBAY-TV, Green Bay
October 27, 2006

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=5598023

http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/2848

A U.W.-Madison professor who believes the U.S. government was behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks voiced his views at U.W.-Oshkosh Thursday night in a speech about academic freedom.

Professor Kevin Barrett says his controversial beliefs have caused great public discussion, and that's what he thinks our nation needs. His stance on the 9/11 attacks has ignited more people to engage in heated debate.

"Actually, a majority of the population is on my side on this," Barrett claims, "and a growing minority that is soon to become a majority is also on my side among the American people."

Lawmakers called for Barrett to be fired. He says he has every right to voice his views inside and outside the classroom, even if it happens to be a U.W. campus.

"The floodgates are already open. We've already got 16 percent of the American people believe the official story and 84 percent don't. That's the latest New York Times poll," he says. (Action 2 News was unable to verify this through a search of the New York Times web site.)

Professor Barrett also says most of his colleagues at U.W.-Madison are convinced he is on to something.

"Up until this summer, I had not talked to a single faculty member at Wisconsin who didn't agree with me or lean towards agreeing with me."

Barrett says he'll continue to back his side despite those who feel it's not right he teaches on a campus funded by Wisconsin taxpayers and students. "I think the taxpayers of Wisconsin, half of them support what I'm doing and about half of them don't. And the half that doesn't support me, look at the facts, they will come to support me inevitably."

Note: Articles listed under "Middle East studies in the News" provide information on current developments concerning Middle East studies on North American campuses. These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of Campus Watch and do not necessarily correspond to Campus Watch's critique.

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