[Vision2020] UI and WSU statement on slavery (Questioning Authority)

Melynda Huskey mghuskey@msn.com
Thu, 13 Nov 2003 19:54:23 -0800


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Rod Johnson notes:

>The website of UI=E2=80=99s Office of Diversity and Human Rights =20
>(www.webs.uidaho.edu/diversity), while displaying warm and fuzzy languag=
e =20
>about =E2=80=9Cinclusion=E2=80=9D and non-discrimination based on religi=
ous views, among =20
>other things, has posted in downloadable format a copy of the hit-piece =20
>written by two UI history professors, who rail against the =E2=80=9Cfoll=
owers=E2=80=9D of =20
>Wilson and against certain clusters of Protestant churches based on thei=
r =20
>theological views, stereotyping them (red flag!) in the broadest possibl=
e =20
>brush as =E2=80=9Cfascists.=E2=80=9D  =20

I recommend the essay, which is clear, concise, and well-written, and whi=
ch doesn't bear much resemblance to Rod's description.  Of its ten pages,=
 all but two paragraphs are concerned with examining the evidence cited a=
nd arguments made in the Wilkins and Wilson tract.

"Fascism," if you're looking, appears in the penultimate paragraph, as pa=
rt of a quotation from Slavov Zizek, describing the movement variously kn=
own as Theonomy or Christian Reconstructionism.  In common with fascism, =
the Theonomic movement posits a world in which deadly force rids the body=
 politic of polluting dissenters.  Its adherents differ on whether or not=
 violence is justified before achieving world domination; they all agree =
that afterwards, it's conversion or the sword. (Remember those Amalekites=
!)

No-one's asserted that Wilkins and Wilson don't have every right to hold =
and express their views, to rent the UI's facilities for a conference, or=
 to self-publish their essays.  Let 'er rip, say I.  But last time I chec=
ked, free expression didn't come with a guarantee that no one would disag=
ree.  Why wouldn't the University make clear that it did not associate it=
self, as indeed the scholarly community does not associate itself, and as=
 most of our local community does not associate itself, with crypto-acade=
mic crackpottery which has created considerable anxiety among students, s=
taff, and faculty?

Melynda Huskey


   Get more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.m=
sn.com

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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <=
DIV>Rod Johnson notes:</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>&gt;The website of UI=
=E2=80=99s Office of Diversity and Human Rights <BR>&gt;(www.webs.uidaho.=
edu/diversity), while displaying warm and fuzzy language <BR>&gt;about =E2=
=80=9Cinclusion=E2=80=9D and non-discrimination based on religious views,=
 among <BR>&gt;other things, has posted in downloadable format a copy of =
the hit-piece <BR>&gt;written by two UI history professors, who rail agai=
nst the =E2=80=9Cfollowers=E2=80=9D of <BR>&gt;Wilson and against certain=
 clusters of Protestant churches based on their <BR>&gt;theological views=
, stereotyping them (red flag!) in the broadest possible <BR>&gt;brush as=
 =E2=80=9Cfascists.=E2=80=9D&nbsp; </DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>I recomm=
end the essay, which is clear, concise, and well-written, and which doesn=
't bear much resemblance to Rod's description.&nbsp; Of its ten pages, al=
l but two&nbsp;paragraphs are concerned with examining the evidence cited=
 and arguments made in the Wilkins and Wilson tract.</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</D=
IV> <DIV>"Fascism," if you're looking, appears in the penultimate paragra=
ph, as part of a quotation from Slavov Zizek, describing the movement var=
iously known as Theonomy or Christian Reconstructionism.&nbsp; In common =
with fascism, the Theonomic movement posits a world in which deadly force=
 rids the&nbsp;body politic of polluting dissenters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its adher=
ents differ on&nbsp;whether or not&nbsp;violence is justified before achi=
eving world domination; they all agree that afterwards, it's conversion o=
r the sword. (Remember those Amalekites!)</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>No=
-one's asserted that Wilkins and Wilson don't have every right to hold an=
d express their views, to rent the UI's facilities for a conference, or t=
o self-publish their essays.&nbsp; Let 'er rip, say I.&nbsp; But last tim=
e I checked, free expression didn't come with a guarantee that no one wou=
ld disagree.&nbsp; Why wouldn't the University make clear that it did not=
 associate itself, as indeed the scholarly community does not associate i=
tself, and as most of our local community does not associate itself, with=
 crypto-academic crackpottery which has created considerable anxiety amon=
g students, staff, and faculty?</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>Melynda Husk=
ey</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV> <DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</DIV=
></BODY></HTML><br clear=3Dall><hr>Get more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explo=
rer download : <a href=3D'http://explorer.msn.com'>http://explorer.msn.co=
m</a><br></p>

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