On Monday, September 4th, 2006 — the first day of the fall semester, exactly one week before the fifth anniversary of the demolition of the World Trade Center — The Badger Herald published an editorial entitled "Stay Classy, Barrett." That editorial voiced the not-unreasonable hope that I would teach my Islam course in a balanced and professional
manner. It also sensibly noted that "academic freedom heeds (sic) respect, so it is imperative to consider Mr. Barrett's questionable theories in the marketplace of ideas."

Taking the Herald editorial staff's advice to heart, I did my best to offer a first-rate class on Islam that would not get bogged down in political controversy. By most accounts I succeeded.

Going the extra mile to keep the Herald editorialists happy, I tried to help my fellow academicians weigh my views on 9/11 in the marketplace of ideas. Alongside Jim Fetzer and other members of Scholars for 9/11 Truth (st911.org) I offered to debate any professor on campus — indeed, any professor from any campus — who dared support the 9/11 Commission Report. When the U.W. History Club asked me to defend my views in a debate or panel discussion with members of the U.W. History and Political Science faculty, I agreed enthusiastically. (Please, somebody prove me wrong!) Unfortunately, the History Club discovered that not one U.W. faculty member was willing to defend the official version of 9/11 in a free and open debate. Professor Fetzer and I wound up
debating two empty chairs representing the U.W. History and Political Science departments respectively.

Take a look at patriotsquestion911.com. Why are there 100 professors, alongside another 100 or so former military, intelligence, and administration officials — the brave tip of a massive iceberg of under-the-radar truth supporters — who are willing to put their reputations on the line by publicly speaking out for 9/11 truth…whereas not a single UW professor can be found who is willing to defend the official fairy tale? The answer is obvious: The official story is indefensible. According to a recent New York Times poll, only 16 percent of the American people believe it, while a Scripps-Howard poll tells us that 36 percent (about 100 million Americans) say top government officials committed high treason and conspiracy to mass murder on September 11, 2001 as a pretext to wage war in the Middle East. A recent letters page in The Nation conceded that their unfriendly
article on 9/11 truth triggered the biggest flood of letters in recent memory — and not one letter supported the official story! "Mr. Barrett's questionable theories" have indeed been tested in the marketplace of ideas — and they have won. The opposition has surrendered without a fight.

So let's get this straight: I taught a fine class on Islam, took my 9/11 critique to the marketplace of ideas and won, published two books, and treated dogs and little children kindly. How classy can you get?

And yet the Herald isn't satisfied. Conceding that "he emerged from the entire episode with bragging rights, thanks to glowing reviews from his students," and "fought a good fight and conducted himself professionally," editorialist Emily Friedman (2/15/07) says that re-hiring me would be "too risky." The administration did indeed take a risk last summer by defending my right to voice my political opinions on the radio. They could not have been sure how I would conduct myself in the classroom.

But now — as the 9/11 mythologists never tire of repeating –"everything has changed." Given my teaching performance during the fall semester, and the sea-change in public opinion toward 9/11 truth, any attempt to bar me from future teaching opportunities at UW would represent a cowardly and foolish squandering of hard-earned integrity chips. Thanks to its brave choice last fall, the U.W. will continue to have "sifting and winnowing" bragging rights when future history books are written. As a fairly ordinary individual who has had a footnote in those history books thrust upon me, I have to agree with Emily: I am one "lucky, lucky guy"– as are all of us with the good fortune to be associated with this great university, which may yet live up to its motto: The truth will set you free.

Kevin Barrett ([email protected])