Professor and partisan provocateur Ward Churchill's highly-anticipated visit to Wisconsin has come and gone. Regardless of the state Assembly's official condemnation, Churchill had his say-and so did many others. Tuesday's convergence of ideologues, activists, members of the media and political opportunists in Whitewater, Wis. seemed to be just another predictable blip on the partisan radar. Yet there is something to learn from this occasion about the nature of American political discourse and Wisconsin's role in forming the agenda. This week's inspiring display of free speech and mutual respect should shine as a beacon of hope in a society that seems to be growing ever more polarized.
First, it must be said that Churchill's comments regarding the World Trade Center victims of the 2001 terrorist attack are both appalling and protected by the Constitution. What is more difficult to swallow is that in a situation where most Americans' consciences and empathetic human nature would intervene, Churchill lunged forward in the name of academic freedom comparing his slaughtered countrymen to the Holocaust engineers of the Third Reich. Additionally, the nation's reaction was predictable: Opportunists on both sides of the aisle perceived the situation as a chance to make headlines-and that is exactly what they did.
True to form, the Right, led by media pundits Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, wrapped up in the flag and launched an attack reserved for the lowest of the liberal low-claims of un-Americanism. This resonates well in the so-called Red States for a while, but only until people realize that exercising freedom is what makes an American in the first place. Conversely and, again, predictably, the Left swathed itself in the First Amendment which, although certainly less tangible than Old Glory, tends to corroborate a better argument. The line is again crossed when Churchill's defenders assert that the nutty professor didn't say anything wrong to begin with.
As institutions around the country began to cancel Churchill appearances, Wisconsin handled the situation with careful discipline and academic tact. University of Wisconsin officials examined the situation and decided that it would be best to allow the professor to speak. Wisconsin conservatives, sickened by Churchill's arguments, made an effort to communicate their message, a message that deteriorated from anti-Churchill to anti-free speech. On the surface, it appeared that the issue was divided on party lines and that Tuesday evening's engagement would be marred with conflict. In actuality, the UW-Whitewater community created an atmosphere of Constitutional congeniality where conservatives could rally with Charlie Sykes in remembrance of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and free speech advocates could march down the street in support of the university's decision. If only the Founders could have seen it.
On a personal level, it may be disgusting to know that servicemen and women are sacrificing their lives for the preservation and extension of the freedoms that people like Ward Churchill hide behind. On an American level it ought to reassure us that we can agree to disagree, respectfully. Wisconsin got it right, again.
Adam Schmidt is a freshman majoring in political science.
