The Daily Parker

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What's in a name?

There's a big flap up the street from Inner Drive Technology World HQ about Northwestern University engineering professor Art Butz, a holocaust denier. Seems Butz merrily burbled to an Iranian newspaper as part of the latter's reporting on the Iranian president's burbling on the same theme.

The University's response was immediate and strong:

Northwestern University President Henry Bienen said Monday that [Butz'] recent comments denying that the Holocaust happened are "a contemptible insult to all decent and feeling people" and an embarrassment to the university.

Actaully, I think they're just an embarrassment to Butz, and I would urge Northwestern students to give him all the respect due a nutter like him. But the University is a place of learning and openness, and that means tolearance, even in the face of stupidity.

Plus, Butz probably formed those views—or the appearance of them—as a way of acting out against the ridicule he suffered as a child for his name. His parents, Dick and Connie Butz, did what they could, but you know...

And why am I attacking this man in the puerile and juvenile fashion of Ann Coulter? I don't rightly know. It's early, I haven't had enough coffee, and I guess some views really do require a lower form of ridicule, consistent with their intellectual honesty.

The Daily Northwestern reports:

Prof. Peter Hayes, chairman of NU's German department. Hayes, who teaches History of the Holocaust, describes Butz as "a crank and a fool."
"I just hope people will not overreact to this," Hayes said. "He loves the attention and why should we give it to him? This is how he publicizes his crazy views and we should just treat them with the contempt they deserve."

I don't think taking out a full-page ad in the Daily Northwestern is really required, for the same reason I don't think engaging Ann Coulter in any form of debate is required. As my friend Cameron says, "The thing about wrestling with a pig is, you both get dirty, but the pig likes it."

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