God bless America and our Militaries!!! Show your patriotic feelings to America. USA Patriotic and Armed Forces Charms are great way to show loyalty and support for your country and for people, which serve this country.

LOL, none of the people in Brazilian Girls are from Brazil. It's just one of their fun quirks!

brazilian girls,

the hungarians show you how its done-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RaqzxHOEl0

and brittany,

"Die Gedanken sind frei" ("Thoughts are free") is a German song. The text and the melody can be found in Lieder der Brienzer Mädchen, printed in Bern, Switzerland between 1810 and 1820. The lyricist and the composer are unknown, though some attribute the text to Ferdinand Freiligrath."

ok? ferdinand freiligrath not pablo neruda.

how was finkelstein as a professor? what did he teach you?

I have a few ways that Finkelstein handled the situation, but I am glad that attention was brought to his case. It's difficult to imagine how the publicity could have arrived without what I'm hesitant to call "childish tactics." However, I think the issue of Finkelstein's tenure is less important than the point being made.

Clearly, Hafsa, you have expressed your own personal struggle (and how some of your processing has been aided by Prof. Finkelstein) in a bitesize chunk. The nice part about freedom of speech is that you can express your thoughts, in the detail that you choose. The difficulty is that people will often their free speech to express why they think you shouldn't express yours or why they think you didn't express enough.

I'm glad you're able to not respond when it isn't necessary. Clearly, we both have a lot to learn about rhetoric. So, that'll be fun!

here brittany.

something to go with your "fact that I actually HAVE SOME BALLS"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd8we4UAogc

um.. these people don't know brazil.

anonymous,

I'm sorry that the fact that I actually HAVE SOME BALLS has stopped me from understanding what occurs when someone who can't back up any of their statements with their name, probably because they are a pathetic wuss, doesn't enter anything into the 'name' section. MY BAD!

Anyway, I am not incorrect in every point I make, except for that one detail that is ARBITRARY.

P.S. If you listened to Brazilian Girls you would wholeheartedly agree that they are awesome. That is NOT an incorrect statement, love.

brittany,

what "never ceases to amaze me" is your ability to be incorrect in every point you try to make.

and if you leave the NAME empty -it posts as anonymous.

"you aren't worth the effort it takes to type a name. "

But you're willing to make the effort to write anonymous? That's a lot of letters.

Nina, read a book. Or maybe, just this site: http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm

Under God was added well after the pledge was first written, most likely in reaction to the Cold War and the God-less Communism. Also, what is the point emphasizing the pledge or "under God". Hafsa is Muslim, ie. she beleives in God. That sort of thought is only perpetuating the sort of hatred that has become dangerous in this country.

Also, as a side note, you should probably lsiten to the song. It's based off of a poem by Pablo Neruda and frankly, is pretty awesome for the simple fact that Brazilian Girls are AMAZING.

Dahozho, come to DePaul, ask his former students what he was like as a professor and then talk. Also, have you ever considered the fact that there has been a switch in faculty support due in large part to the fact that the faculty are worried about their own careers at the university?

The intelligence of some of these people here never ceases to amaze me.

Zing!

you aren't worth the effort it takes to type a name.

If you ever find yourself developing a complete nervous system, you might have a spine big enough to post with a name and a brain to think about what you read and respond to.

if you find yourself barfing a little again -its because your behunkus is on your shoulders..

The song in the link has nothing to do with what this was post about.

Mom says.

barrett, have mom help you with the link before you post another answer to a post..

Nina,

I just barfed a little over how non-sequitur your logic is.

Did you chuck all that extra gray matter after you learned how to tie your shoes, wipe your ass, and a third of the Pledge? ... And, fyi, the Pledge isn't a song. It's an oath.

"thoughts are free"

I prefer another song. Maybe you haven't heard it.

One Nation
Under GOD,
Indivisible,
With Liberty
And Justice
For All..

Freedom Isn't Free:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5G27_NyndI

Hafsa: your comments make me question-

Where is your allegiance pledged?

What a silly way to write something for a national publication (even on the website) No context whatsoever, and the "link" was no more informative- just the guy's website! Yeah, reeeeal objective.

In any case, the real problem here was people who tried to politicize what may have been a simple matter of teaching. Why was his tenure denied? Well, thanks in part to people like Dershowitz, it's hard to separate the chaff from the real reasons. It should be noted that even the poly sci department did not vote unanimously to oppose the tenure rejection...

In the article the author says she wishes she had taken one of his classes when his career was more stable. Does this mean she has only taken them recently or that she has NEVER taken one? If the latter, why on earth is she blowing air about injustice when she has no idea how good a teacher he is compared to the faculty and administrators, who presumably know more?

I'm all for keeping politics out of academics as much as possible, but articles with no substance only serve to exacerbate the problem.

Brittany-- No, I'm a proud grad of UofA, where we HAD professors with solid academic credentials and able to deal with sources that led away from their own pet theories. AND encouraged students to follow what all their sources could lead to.

BTW, Vine Deloria, Jr. was my advisor. I miss him greatly, and he held us to the highest scholarly standards. He would have been vindicated in his opinions in re: W. Churchill-- a fake and a poser.

Finkelstein does not have the solid academic skills to be tenured faculty. He supports terrorism and the attendent philosophies that would end free, open academic inquiry, free democratic societies, and western civ in general. Further, anyone who threatens, intimidates, or otherwise treats collegues in such a thuggish, unprofessional manner SHOULD be denied tenure.

That other universities would react to this in such a manner as you suggest would indicate a lack of confidence in the student body's actual academic skills/creds.

Norman's Interview Lebanese TV (2006):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49u5GehpTa4

Norman professes solidarity w/Hezbollah (2006):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpFmxnwQ9Bw&mode=related&search=

Doesn't anyone want to know who Finkelstein is?

The Post obviously doesn't care.

Obviously, we can't take the author's thoughts away from her. Not if she doesn't reveal what they are. Maybe that is the hidden meaning here.

I can see a whole new genre of liberal literature...

Denying Finkelstein tenure has hurt DePaul more than help DePaul. As a student that goes to DePaul, something I'm guess you are not Halozcel or Dahozho, this is especially disappointing as our university's reputation continues to fall. Academics around the world are less enthusiastic about students that come out of the school and teachers that work at the school and, yeah, THAT SUCKS! It's not about me or Hafsa or anyone supporting his views so much as he was a BRILLIANT professor that students, even those who didn't necessarily agree with his views, wanted to learn from and faculty supported.

N. Finkelstein has the same academic problems as W. Churchill-- bad research, unsupported theses, non-existent sources, etc.

To top that off, he could not deal with the university's decision in a professional manner. To intimidate and threaten fellow staff members is outrageous and merely underscores the reasons for denial of tenure.

Just because you like a teacher's outlook, 'cause it suits your own, does not make them a good teacher. Or someone worthy of the title 'academic'.

I'm glad that universities are examining and questioning people up for tenure. The light of day helps the true scholars, while getting the pretenders the heck out.

Liberalism doesnt mean to support *Professor Frankenstein*,on the contrary,Liberalism means to defy *desert cult which based on the stone age mentality*
Man can scourge woman.Fear Book 4.34,this is crassness as well.
Liberalism means to struggle against *humiliation and enslavement of women*,not following *The Civilization Exterminator Cult*
I will cast FEAR into the hearts of those who disbelieve.Therefore strike off their heads.Fear Book 8.12,this is racism and violence

Ray Charles singing *Unchain my heart,let me be...*.
Yes,unchain my head,let me be free,not a slave girl.Let me live like a student in *Baby one more time* of Britney Spears(You can listen from YouTube)
The reason I breathe is you
Boy you got me blinded

Mike, you are crass and completely ignorant. Also, reading comprehension was something most people were tested on during elementary school for their yearly standardized tests. Did you decide to skip out on such testing? Wow, a wonderful BRILLIANT liberal girl who is also Muslim and very passionate about her religion talking about a professor that was excused from the school for, basically, being vocal about his liberal politics, especially those relating to Palestine. Why on Earth would Hafsa write about something that directly relates to her when she could very well talk about all that is good (read DUMB and BASE) in the conservative world? Why should she support your views when she doesn't even BELIEVE in them?

Reading your incessant comments, if it walks like a racist and talks like a racist...

I don't listen to people.

I'm a stupid head.

My butt smells.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I just love me a good internet fight!

Barrett:

Sure. The Post is far from a liberal paper. Go on believing that. There are plenty of right wing nuts who don't think that Fox is a conservative oultet either.

The rest of your diatribe is equally silly. Sounds like you are a still a romantic college student, which is wonderful. Some day you will grow up and realize how silly you have been. Until then, enjoy this period in which you can still think that anyone who doesn't share your wonderful views on the world as employing "cheap tricks" and being less well-read than yourself.

There's a difference between well-thought and well-spoken criticism and things that are nit-picking and hateful. This post is so benign and, yet, as soon as I read it I knew someone would have something nasty to say. You can't help but wonder why that seems to be the case with Hafsa and not the other bloggers who participate in this project? Throwing around the words "liberal" and "vapid" aren't rounded criticism. They're just attention-getting personal stabs -- cheap tricks to make people think you know what you've read.

It also seems as though people have forgotten their most basic reading skills when it comes to responding to the internet... a place where people have balls are far bigger than their britches could ever hold in real life.

It is not Hafsa's job to verse you on Norm Finkelstein. (Although, she did provide a link should you ever have enough initiative to educate yourself). The subject of the blog is about the strength she drew from a phrase he mentioned. What more is needed for a personal reflection?

Furthermore, if you actually read the WPost you'd know that it's FAR from a liberal paper... Or rather, if you read anything OTHER than the WPost. Regardless, Hafsa's far more liberal and the Post has always been considered more conservative or at least, balanced.

I suggest you take a gander at a few more publications out there in the big world of print journalism before you go saying the WPost had a liberal ideology. ... That's just laughable in and of itself, so if that is your belief, my guess is the number of papers you read could be counted on one hand or less.

Barrett:

If Arain thinks enough of her thoughts that she feels that a national audience should here them, then she (and you) should be big enough to deal with criticism of those remarks.

Frankly, I think that her two blog have been so simplistic and naive that I question the Post's judgement in publishing them.

I'll say it again, my guess is that the Post gives here the microphone because they share her liberal ideology.

Mike,

Here's a better question: If you don't like people reflecting on their personal experiences and ideas, why the hell are you reading a BLOG?

Why does the Post give this silly person the podium? Here last silly rant about "how the world used to be safer" was bad enough. Now she makes the case for a lefty professor without even bothering to provide any context. Are we supposed to know who "we" are, let alone who professor Finklestein is?

Hafsa Arain's self-absorption is only matched by her pretentiousness and vapidity.

Perhaps Ms Arains' views are published by the Post because she has the same extreme liberal views as the Post's staff. As if we needed another liberal viewpoint on the Post's blogs. Pathetic.

Why does the Post give this silly person the podium? Here last silly rant about "how the world used to be safer" was bad enough. Now she makes the case for a lefty professor without even bothering to provide any context. Are we supposed to know who "we" are, let alone who professor Finklestein is?

Hafsa Arain's self-absorption is only matched by her pretentiousness and vapidity.

Perhaps Ms Arains' views are published by the Post because she has the same extreme liberal views as the Post's staff. As if we needed another liberal viewpoint on the Post's blogs. Pathetic.