He was more than a little vague with his "little Eichmanns" comment and an apology to those families who lost members would have been more than a little helpful. The Nazi comparison is tired but as I posted before I do have more than just a bit of sympathy for his position.
I don't hear any of the critics of Churchill on
> this list qualifying their attacks on Churchill by saying that they
> respect what has happened to his people.
Then you missed my post saying exactly that. I will continue to be mildly critical of what Ward wrote and extremely critical of attempts to misrepresent what he wrote and to try to remove him from his job. How many Native Americans are on this list? Does being an indian make it easier to sympathize with his position? Is it easier for blacks to understand black anger and resentment than it is for non-blacks? Is it easier for indians to understand indian anger and resentment than it is for non-natives?
The thing is that Churchill, as
> an academic and intellectual, has the responsibility to be critical and
> say things directly.
Which is what makes the "little Eichmanns" comment such a mistake. It was hardly direct and clear. It could be read as being broadly applied to all occupants of the WTC or just a few "technicans". He did a bit of backpedaling on what he meant. Clarifying too, but backpedaling nonetheless. He has misrepresented what he originally wrote in later essays instead of apologizing. This demonstrates that he knows what error he committed and is trying to cover his ass.
> If more Americans took Churchill's arguments to heart and
> made a serious effort to NOT be "little Eichmanns," then perhaps we
> could avoid having anymore 9/11 attacks in the future.
>
> Chuck
This is the same error Churchill makes. Most workers hardly qualify as "little Eichmanns". Claiming that they are somehow moral equivalents is counterproductive and disingenuous. There certainly are disgusting individuals in this country who perpetrate ghastly crimes here and abroad in an official and unofficial manner but they are hardly a sizable percentage. Most Germans during WWII didn't qualify as "little Eichmanns" and most workers in the US today don't qualify either.
John Thornton