Don't Let Me Stop You: Assault on Academic Freedom at CU

A professor at the University of Colorado is being fired for his views. No, we aren't talking about Ward "of the Court" Churchill. Churchill's brand of unpopular views are quite popular in the the PC world of academia these days.

As the Denver Post reports, however, Dr. Phil Mitchell's views are so nasty that expressing them is obviously grounds for dismissal. No, he didn't call the 911 victims "Nazis" or say they deserved to die. His views are worse:

"As a conservative, and even worse, a ghastly evangelical Christian, Mitchell wondered how he lasted this long.

'I've had enough. I am clearly being closed out for political or religious reasons,' Mitchell says. 'I am one of the top-rated professors in the history of the department.'

Wei [William Wei, director of the Sewall Academic Program], hardly a conservative, says that in his perspective, 'Phil is a great person, a good teacher and highly regarded by his students.'

Faculty course questionnaires confirm what students think of him. You'll be hard-pressed to find anything but an A+.

But it's never been easy.

Mitchell taught at the Hallett Diversity Program for 24 straight semesters. That is, until he made the colossal error of actually presenting a (gasp!) diverse opinion, quoting respected conservative black intellectual Thomas Sowell in a discussion about affirmative action.

Sitting 5 feet from a pink triangle that read 'Hate-Free Zone,' the progressive head of the department berated Mitchell, calling him a racist.

'That would have come as a surprise to my black children,' explains Mitchell, who has nine kids, as of last count, two of them adopted African-Americans.

Then, Mitchell had the audacity to use a book on liberal Protestantism in the late 19th century. So repulsed by the word 'god' was one student, she complained, and the department chair fired him without a meeting, he said."

More forced conformity in the name of diversity. At one time we felt some sympathy for CU and the taxpayers of Colorado. We now think they are reaping what they have sown.