Barrett Challenges Rep. Nass to Debate, Rep. Nass Pushes State Resolution on Barrett

Barrett Challenges Nass to Debate the Facts - mujca.org

Dr. Kevin Barrett, U.W.-Madison lecturer who has received overwhelming public support along with a dash of vitriol for expressing his views about 9/11 on a radio program, has challenged Rep. Steve Nass to debate him on the subject. "It is time to stop the name-calling and threats, and get down to a serious, scholarly debate," Barrett said, adding "If Rep. Nass successfully refutes my arguments, I promise to withdraw them, and issue a public apology to Vice President Cheney and others I have named as 9/11 suspects."
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Here is Barrett’s letter to Steve Nass challenging him to a debate, emailed to Nass on Tuesday evening, July 11th:

Dear Rep. Nass,

Since you have stated that I have no scholarly basis for my ideas about 9/11, and repeatedly insulted me and my views, I challenge you to a public debate on the topic. You will argue that the 9/11 Commission Report is a trustworthy account of the events of 9/11, and I will argue that it is not.

The debate format will favor complex argumentation backed by scholarly sources, and allow for sustained cross-examination.

Are you willing to stand behind your ideas and subject them to the light of critical scrutiny? Or are you afraid to go beyond simple name-calling?

Sincerely,

Kevin Barrett

Resolution PDF

Nass seeks Barrett's firing

A legislator wants a controversial UW lecturer to be fired.

With lawmakers at the Capitol to act on state employee contracts, Representative Steve Nass is pushing a resolution on Kevin Barrett. "It will underscore the displeasure that legislators have with the university decision," said Nass. UW Madison officials on Monday decided to let Barrett teach an introductory class on Islam, despite Barrett's now well-publicized view that the Bush administration was behind the 9-11 terrorist attacks on America. Nass said that's not the decision he was hoping for; "they should terminate him, without question."

The Whitewater Republican said competency and academic quality, not academic freedom, is the issue here, and that Barrett is unable to provide evidence that would back up his position on on the 9-11 attacks.

So on one hand you have Kevin Barrett challenging Rep. Nass to a debate, and on the other hand you have Rep. Nass looking to pass a state resolution on Barrett, despite the university determining he was fit to teach. This reminds me of high school somewhat, you have a rational guy looking to talk out a situation, and you have a school bully looking to fight him after school.

I hope that Rep. Nass will consider the debate offer, but it might help to encourage him a bit. Be sure to check out the links above for further details.

UPDATE: The assembly has already refused to consider this resolution, you can find more about it (including video and comments) here:
Assembly Refuses To Consider Resolution Demanding UW To Fire Instructor

A big thanks to Daithí for covering these two topics here and here, and submitting them to us!