I have been regularly writing this column for some 20 years now, and it has been great fun and, I hope, entertaining and annoying to the campus community. But in the interests of the University and my own health - dealing with the real world turns out to be a fairly scary thing - this column will not appear for a while.
This is a minor misfortune coming out this affair, since civil liberties and especially free speech are issues that urgently need to be discussed in the wake of the terrorist attack, as journalists, professors and political commentators are coming under serious attack for being critical of the government and its policies. I find it chilling when the presidential spokesman says that Americans "need to watch what they say," and people are losing their jobs or being punished for not agreeing fully with the patriotism of the group.
I probably have written a dozen columns on free expression over the years, mostly countering liberal attacks on free speech. It is now necessary to defend the First Amendment against the incursions of the government and the patriotic excesses of people across the entire political spectrum. Others have already taken up the cause.
I believe that the University should have, right from the start, unequivocally defended my right to stick my foot in my mouth and act like a callous jerk and should have attempted to explain to the regents and politicians exactly what a university is. I am disappointed in the rather lukewarm response of the faculty, which seemed to take a long time to realize this issue concerned them as well as an obnoxious history professor.
I want to thank all those who offered support during some pretty miserable days (which were in many ways deserved), but most especially students, who sent me letters and e-mails by the hundreds. Most particularly, I want to thank my Greek history class, which provided me with one of the rarest moments in my life and something I will never forget.
Incidentally, I want my classes to know that with great reluctance I agreed for reasons of campus safety to cancel those classes this week; it will back to normal next week.
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I wish to mention two people in particular. The first is Professor Michael Campana, who despite having lost a sister on one of the hijacked airliners, was nevertheless principled enough to defend the free speech of man who had just caused him needless hurt. I don't expect Professor Campana to have much regard for me as a human being, but I am proud to have him as a colleague.
The other, whom I will not name, is a custodian at UNM, a woman who sent me a handwritten note offering her support and demonstrating that she had a greater understanding of the nature of the University than most powerful people in the state.
In order that no student will be compelled to take a course from a man they might despise I will not teach the single History 101 section during the spring semester, breaking a 30-year tradition. Instead I will offer a survey on the ancient near east, surely a pertinent topic at this time.
It is unfortunate that my 15 minutes of fame have been filled with hate and threats, but I made this bed, and I hope I have learned a lesson about the relationship between thinking and speaking. I am now a chastened man, but at 55, my personality is not likely to change, especially since the characteristics that some find so offensive have seemingly amused, and more important, attracted thousands and thousands students over the years into courses on Greece and Rome. And students, for all that I have on occasion insulted them as well, are after all what the University should be all about.
by Richard M. Berthold
Daily Lobo Columnist
