Pity poor Richard Berthold. He's on the hot seat. Here in New Mexico, he's the guy who everyone loves to hate, the target of our unbridled anger and fury.
Throughout history, the argument has been made that the appeal to sentiment has been the reigning mode of persuasion when it comes to the populace. While we franchise ourselves as being beasts of rationality, in reality, the majority of our decisions — either in a private or public arena — while shrouded in a thin veil of reason, are products of sentiment.
Regarding Richard Berthold's remarks, I'm absolutely sure that he is still proud of his admiration of the terrorists.
I am writing in response to President Gordon's statement in the Sept. 26 edition of the Daily Lobo, regarding the "principles" the University will use in deciding how to discipline Professor Berthold.
“We hope that these brothers will be the first martyrs in the battle of Islam in this era against the new Jewish and Christian crusader campaign that is led by the Chief Crusader Bush under the banner of the cross,” says the recent fax supposedly sent by Osama bin Laden.
Richard Berthold has crossed over the line from mildly amusing, vaguely annoying to outright seditionist.
I agree that Professor Berthold has a guaranteed First Amendment right to free speech but, I believe that he has forgotten that with our rights come responsibilities. I do not believe that the classroom while performing his obligations to UNM was an appropriate setting for such a statement. I feel that he has forgotten that his employer has the right to require a level of professionalism and conduct and that he agreed to abide by these rules when he accepted his position.
The remark that Professor Berthold made about the attack on the Pentagon was out of line and insensitive, but that doesn't change the fact that he is still one of the best professors this University has to offer.
Tuesday proved to be a very sad day for UNM, with several students and community leaders calling for the resignation of Professor Richard Berthold and the Faculty Senate and administration distancing themselves from the matter.
In response to numerous inquiries as to how the University will deal with the remark made one of its professors about the tragic events of Sept. 11, I want people to know that the University will vigorously pursue this matter through its internal disciplinary procedures.
Regarding the incident with Dr. Berthold, freedom of speech has once again been brought into the spotlight. Many of us, if not all, understand the importance of the right to free speech, but what is free speech?
Who is tired of paying for an education and getting left or right wing propaganda?
UNM is like most universities, it fills the minds of students and faculty with fantasy misinformation that numbs us to reality. Everything around us becomes a statistic and desensitizes us to the fact that people - mothers, fathers, partners, lovers, children and unborn babies - of all ethnicities and religions died in the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Pennsylvania attacks.
Anti-war protests, loud-mouthed professors, bullying legislators, and confused students. This is not a flashback to your father's or mother's 1960s, but the reality of campus life in 2001.
Regardless of all the controversy surrounding history professor Richard M. Berthold's backing of the recent terrorist bombing, he taught quite possibly the best less of his 30 years. The real reason why the University and community is outraged is in response to Berthold showing that even a professor of 30 years is still human and still searching for answers.
My letter is in regard to the article in Monday's Daily Lobo concerning Richard Berthold's remark about the Pentagon.
For years, I have had to endure the ranting and raving of Dr. "Tricky Dick" Berthold. His views on the Ethnic Centers of UNM have been appalling, ridiculous and racist. I avoided taking a class with this man like the plague for the simple reason that I did not want to subject myself to listening to what he had to say.
Friday evening started out pretty normally. Speeches, chants, leaflets, some radical cheerleading, the creepy spirit of resistance -- you know, the usual. Then, they started singing: "All we are saying is give peace a chance."
On Sept. 11, at the beginning of my 8 and 11 o'clock classes, I made a number of callous and insensitive remarks to those classes, including a flip remark about anyone blowing up the Pentagon getting my vote.
The shock is beginning to wear off and people are responding in their own ways to the terrorist attacks that rocked the nation nearly two weeks ago.
Solutions by The State News
