by Jerome du Bois
All this attention on the newest academia nut to get cracked open by reality --Ward Churchill-- reminds us of the four times we have gone up against these insular, cosseted clowns on this blog --almost since the beginning. So in the interests of the First Amendment, academic freedom, transparency, honesty, full disclosure, bragging, rehashing, and the Holy Eagle Feather of Crazy Horse, let me review, and point the reader to, some of the highlights of our jousts with some Arizona State University professors, art curators, university administrators, and their flacks. (Please don't skip the comments on these.)
As a bonus, readers get to acquaint or reacquaint themselves with the pungent style of my wife, Catherine King, six of whose pieces I have republished in honor of this alma mater occasion. I'm both proud and sad to do so: The world of letters has lost a powerful voice, at least for now; she says forever. (Don't miss her colloquy during the HairStories series with Prof. Neal Lester about the length of his hair.)
Hint in advance: We don't know the answer to the title question.
First up is Catherine King's "Beverly McIver: An Unbecoming Portrait," about an ASU Professor who's a grant shark with a mammy shuffle shtick.
Second, we covered the HairStories exhibition, including the catalogue, where we found a lot of flippant and dismissive anti-Americanism to object to. Catherine's title for the first part is priceless:
(Part Two, about the art, is here. And Part Three, Catherine's Own FairStory, is here.)
But the Follow-Up is the most illuminating of the opacity of Ethnic Studies Professor Neal Lester, one of the organizers of the show. [I saw him not long ago, flogging the Phoenix Boys Choir outside a grocery store. He once said he looked like Arsenio Hall. No; think a portly Stevie Wonder, sighted but blind.]
Third, we did a series on "Democracy in America," an exhibition at ASU which generated a lot of controversy. Actually, we nearly anticipated it. We heard about the show in April, and on April 20th, after much inspiration, we put together a satirical, fictional "preview" of the show. Then we wrote five more pieces as the show grew closer to opening, and past the opening. Throughout, if you follow the links to the News Times articles as well, you will see academics behaving arrogantly and ignorantly --consistently, up to and including the University President.
Here they are:
"Democracy in America" At ASU: A Fictional Preview
"Democracy in America" At ASU Should Be Renamed "Nobody Here But Us Chickens"
"Democracy in America" At ASU: Here's Your Balance / Another FairStory (Part One)
"Democracy in America" At ASU: Here's Your Balance / Another FairStory (Part Two)
"Democracy in America" At ASU:They Got Backed Into A Corner, So They Turned
"Democracy in America" At ASU: We Called it
Finally, we had occasion to call attention to someone very close to Ward Churchill in his hatred for America and his desire to dissolve its borders and bring it down: John Jota Leaños. You can read about him in the two posts below.
New Times Presents Los Tres Pendejos, Starring Rick Barrs, Michael Lacey, and John Jota Leaņos
Two Revealing Letters: John Leaņos & Greg Esser
We've been here for awhile, pounding away at academic liberal idiocy. And that was just about art. We don't bother with that irrelevant part of the world anymore, but we wonder just what other freaks out there in Tempe at ASU are squawking their crazy delusions into the foolish minds of the young adults in their charge?
They'd best be looking over their shoulders these days.
Technorati tag: Ward Churchill
Posted by Jerome at February 6, 2005 07:51 PM | TrackBack