Columbia University hires a convicted murderer as professor

From the New York Post:

"Former Weather Underground radical Kathy Boudin — who spent 22 years in prison for an armored-car robbery that killed two cops and a Brinks guard — now holds a prestigious adjunct professorship at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, The Post has learned.

"Boudin, 69, this year won another academic laurel — being named the Sheinberg Scholar-in-Residence at NYU Law School, where last month she gave a lecture on 'the politics of parole and re-entry.' "

Full article here: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/outrage_puQlvJIeZxsT7nFZds…

I was in my car at lunch time and heard the guy on the radio mention this. I almost puked when I heard this. The Weather Underground was that Vietnam era(ish) leftist radical organization that is among the handful of actual domestic terrorism cases of the last cenutry. This lady is literally a convicted murderer and has been given prestigious positions at Columbia and NYU.

You wonder why the American public has lost all faith in American academia and why each year the Ivy League universities lose more respect among the public at large. In the highly unlikely event that my children could get into an Ivy League school, it would be difficult to deny them the right to attend as a parent, but do I really want them to get brainwashed by the nut cases that are employed by these institutions? Kathy Boudin is simply the most radical nut job at Columbia, but certainly not the first.

 
Best Response
DCDepository:
From the New York Post:

"Former Weather Underground radical Kathy Boudin — who spent 22 years in prison for an armored-car robbery that killed two cops and a Brinks guard — now holds a prestigious adjunct professorship at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, The Post has learned.

"Boudin, 69, this year won another academic laurel — being named the Sheinberg Scholar-in-Residence at NYU Law School, where last month she gave a lecture on 'the politics of parole and re-entry.' "

Full article here: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/outrage_puQlvJIeZxsT7nFZds…

I was in my car at lunch time and heard the guy on the radio mention this. I almost puked when I heard this. The Weather Underground was that Vietnam era(ish) leftist radical organization that is among the handful of actual domestic terrorism cases of the last cenutry. This lady is literally a convicted murderer and has been given prestigious positions at Columbia and NYU.

You wonder why the American public has lost all faith in American academia and why each year the Ivy League universities lose more respect among the public at large. In the highly unlikely event that my children could get into an Ivy League school, it would be difficult to deny them the right to attend as a parent, but do I really want them to get brainwashed by the nut cases that are employed by these institutions? Kathy Boudin is simply the most radical nut job at Columbia, but certainly not the first.

it's ok. most of the smart kids at ivies don't pay attention to professors anyway. textbooks ftw
 

Can someone explain the bad part about this to me?

I'd rather have someone with a life experience teach me something than someone who "hypothesizes" that "it's likely" that "most things" in a field "probably" work in "one of x amount of ways."

Her crimes are despicable, surely, but that's what prison time is for. She served 22 years, the intent of which was to make her a viable member of society. If you don't think that it was enough, you can either not attend the lecture (if you're at Columbia in the first place) or do something to prevent her from receiving such recognition.

And about the brainwashing: let's be serious. I find it highly unlikely that someone at an Ivy - or any school, for that matter - is unable to discern between what is appropriate and what is not coming from the mouth of a known criminal.

I mean, there are stupid people in all walks of life, but this doesn't add or remove from that in any way. It's really just an instructor with a radically different background.

in it 2 win it
 
FSC:
Can someone explain the bad part about this to me?

I'd rather have someone with a life experience teach me something than someone who "hypothesizes" that "it's likely" that "most things" in a field "probably" work in "one of x amount of ways."

Her crimes are despicable, surely, but that's what prison time is for. She served 22 years, the intent of which was to make her a viable member of society. If you don't think that it was enough, you can either not attend the lecture (if you're at Columbia in the first place) or do something to prevent her from receiving such recognition.

And about the brainwashing: let's be serious. I find it highly unlikely that someone at an Ivy - or any school, for that matter - is unable to discern between what is appropriate and what is not coming from the mouth of a known criminal.

I mean, there are stupid people in all walks of life, but this doesn't add or remove from that in any way. It's really just an instructor with a radically different background.

Not only are her acts shameful, she is UNREPENTANT from them, which is the key. I have no intention whatsoever of protesting Columbia University or trying to somehow sue them, so you can burry that right now. The point is, there are literally thousands of ex-cons who have not committed domestic terrorism and who have expressed remorse for their crimes. Bill Ayers and Boudin have never expressed any real remorse for their crimes, which include murder--of innocent people...

Surely an elite institution such as Columbia can find a REPENTANT criminal who could teach about "social work." Surely they could!

And yes, I don't think Ivy League students or college students in general are good at discernment. Discernment is an ability of wisdom and not a trait of IQ.

 
FSC:
Can someone explain the bad part about this to me?

I'd rather have someone with a life experience teach me something than someone who "hypothesizes" that "it's likely" that "most things" in a field "probably" work in "one of x amount of ways."

Her crimes are despicable, surely, but that's what prison time is for. She served 22 years, the intent of which was to make her a viable member of society. If you don't think that it was enough, you can either not attend the lecture (if you're at Columbia in the first place) or do something to prevent her from receiving such recognition.

And about the brainwashing: let's be serious. I find it highly unlikely that someone at an Ivy - or any school, for that matter - is unable to discern between what is appropriate and what is not coming from the mouth of a known criminal.

I mean, there are stupid people in all walks of life, but this doesn't add or remove from that in any way. It's really just an instructor with a radically different background.

If that was your mom, dad, brother, sister, best friend, or girlfriend that she killed you wouldn't be so glib. If someone played a role in murdering your mom and then went on to get some honor at a prestigious school, I highly doubt you would fail to see the bad part about it.

 
RWLforever:
If that was your mom, dad, brother, sister, best friend, or girlfriend that she killed you wouldn't be so glib. If someone played a role in murdering your mom and then went on to get some honor at a prestigious school, I highly doubt you would fail to see the bad part about it.

Is there any situation in which what you're saying doesn't hold true? Arguments like these completely miss the point of what's being said. Not to start an ideological dispute, but by the logic of your argument, everyone in every country that has ever fought against the US and lost a family member or friend is morally obliged to hate us.

My comment was not "glib" in nature, merely trying to get to the bottom of why people cannot stop to think about the potential value that such a radical experience might provide the students. It should be fairly obvious that the victims' relatives are not very widely expected to participate in her lecture.

DCDepository:
Discernment is an ability of wisdom and not a trait of IQ.

That's probably the wisest thing I've heard on this site in a while, so +1 for that. The non-repentance is also probably the only idea in this thread so far that makes sense about why people might be against it, so thanks for providing useful input. I honestly have to agree with you there - Columbia definitely could have found someone who is actually reformed rather than off of a leash.

in it 2 win it
 

Don't be so surprised by this. The Weather Underground founder Bernadine Dohrn is a professor at Northwestern Law School. I've actually met met her, very nice woman. She told me not to believe everything they say about her.

 

She's going to be a teacher at the school of social work. In other words, she'll be teaching future public therapists and admins in the foster system. Who gives a shit if she teaches that bullshit? It's not like she's going to have any reach beyond people who already share her looney way of thinking...

"Yes. Money has been a little bit tight lately, but at the end of my life, when I'm sitting on my yacht, am I gonna be thinking about how much money I have? No. I'm gonna be thinking about how many friends I have and my children and my comedy albums."
 

I'd rather have a "learning experience" with a Wahhabi imaam with radical opinions but no crimes than with Osama bin Laden. There is no shortage of socialist individuals and perspectives in academia, and hiring a violent criminal doesnt serve to enlighten the students further. Also, more than an issue of radicalizing the students, it's an issue of what we as a society value and are willing to endow a position/title of respect upon.

 

Social Work? Please. The people who are going to take her class are already radical leftists. As for her crimes, I don't know, Vietnam and the draft are two things I am not a huge fan of. I would consider the draft and a proxy war in the Jungle to be the epitome of "un-American".

 
TNA:
Social Work? Please. The people who are going to take her class are already radical leftists. As for her crimes, I don't know, Vietnam and the draft are two things I am not a huge fan of. I would consider the draft and a proxy war in the Jungle to be the epitome of "un-American".

Is this a serious comment? She participated in murdering innocent people--in 1981! It's not like she murdered her commanding officer who was ordering her into combat. She killed people who had nothing to do with her agenda. The point isn't that she could indoctrinate people--the point is, Columbia is honoring her with a prestigious position when she is an UNREPENTANT killer--of innocent people...

 
DCDepository:
<span class=keyword_link><a href=/company/trilantic-north-america>TNA</a></span>:
Social Work? Please. The people who are going to take her class are already radical leftists. As for her crimes, I don't know, Vietnam and the draft are two things I am not a huge fan of. I would consider the draft and a proxy war in the Jungle to be the epitome of "un-American".

Is this a serious comment? She participated in murdering innocent people--in 1981! It's not like she murdered her commanding officer who was ordering her into combat. She killed people who had nothing to do with her agenda. The point isn't that she could indoctrinate people--the point is, Columbia is honoring her with a prestigious position when she is an UNREPENTANT killer--of innocent people...

Weren't the three people who died members of her own radical group? I thought it was an accidental explosion while they were trying to put the bomb together ... Correct me if wrong.

 

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My drinkin' problem left today, she packed up all her bags and walked away.
 

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