Post by sometimeman on May 3, 2008 8:17:10 GMT -4
IF YOUR NAME WAS BROWN AND YOU WERE PRESIDENT OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF YOU RECEIVED THIS LETTER?
Letter to President of Boston University, March 31, 2008
Dear President Brown,
My name is Christian Tutschka and I am a M.A. candidate in the International Relations and Environmental Policy (IREP) Program here at Boston University.
I believe Boston University is an illegitimate "university" or "institution of higher learning." Beginning today I will suspend my participation in the IREP program at BU until I once again believe BU is a legitimate institution. The following will explain this decision:
The Role and Purpose of the "University"
BU Website: "Forging our future More than any other institution in our society, the modern university exists to serve the future. Boston University does this by educating individuals for fulfilling, productive lives and by creating solutions to pressing or anticipated problems through research."
John Silber, Former BU President (1971-1996): "A university - whether publicly or privately funded - cannot pursue the truth and advance knowledge unless it can proceed in freedom with toleration of all points of view and with vigorous criticism of each" (Excerpt from Silber's essay, "On the Purpose of a University," which was, until recently, on display at Mugar Library).
Given this role and purpose, the "university" acts as a "power center" of our society. A societal "power center" is an institution dedicated to serving society with the ability to influence the direction of a society.
The Failure of BU as a "University"
BU has failed to perform its role and purpose due to the following three reasons:
1) Impeachment: There is clear evidence that members of the Bush administration have committed not only impeachable offenses, but crimes against humanity, some of which include: lying to the public about the threat of the Iraqi regime, the illegal invasion and occupation of two sovereign nations (which has cost the lives of over 4000 U.S. soldiers[ii], left thousands permanently disabled and has killed over 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians[iii]), using illegal weapons of mass destruction, failing to protect civilians in war zones, condoning torture, illegal spying on Americans, and the list goes on.[iv]
The fact that Congress has not initiated impeachment proceedings against members of the Bush administration is evidence that each member of Congress is a political criminal for failing in their Constitutional duty to protect the Constitution and act as a check against an abusive and tyrannical executive branch.
In effect, our system of government has, over the years, become completely corrupt and all of our public officials in Washington, D.C. are corrupt political criminals. When this occurs, it is the duty of the other "power centers" of society to demand their removal. BU has failed to do this.
2) 9/11: There are many legitimate professionals in various disciplines that question the findings presented in the 9/11 Commission Report concerning the events of 9/11 due to the uncontroversial evidence-much of it not investigated by the Commission-that demonstrates various events could not have occurred as described in the Report.[v]
As 9/11 was the event that launched the global "war on terrorism" which continues to affect the global community, these professionals are demanding a new, independent investigation. BU has failed to publicly demand a new, independent investigation and rather has promoted the conclusions of the flawed 9/11 Commission Report.
3) My Experience: When sharing some of these ideas with some professors, I have been ignored, dismissed, and even reprimanded. This is incompatible with free, critical thought which is necessary for determining truth and serving society.
Furthermore, I have witnessed statements and behaviors from professors regarding these issues that have left me shocked and disappointed. Some statements contained such false understandings or flawed reasoning that the consequences could be described as dangerous given that these individuals are professional educators. As the list is long, I have not included it here, but I can provide it per request.
The Challenge for Re-Legitimization
I will consider BU to be a legitimate "university" if:
1) Congress has initiated impeachment proceedings against members of the Bush Administration and a new, independent investigation of the events of 9/11 commences and BU has been instrumental in causing this.
OR
2) I receive satisfactory answers to all of the following questions:
For the Physics and Engineering Professors:
1. How could World Trade Centers 1 and 2, both 110-story steel-framed structures, collapse in an average of about 10 seconds which is a rate at or exceeding free-fall speed from fire and the impact of the planes? The 9/11 Commission Report explains these collapses as "pancake collapses," however this type of collapse would take considerably longer. Also, the "pancake collapse" theory cannot account for the destruction of the interior steel-beam core, or the complete pulverization of the buildings.[vi]
2. How could World Trade Center 7, a 47-story steel-framed structure, collapse in under 7 seconds in a controlled-demolition style at around 5:20 p.m. on the afternoon of 9/11 when it was not hit by a plane and received considerably less damage than other WTC buildings which were left partially standing? The 9/11 Commission Report did not even mention the collapse of WTC 7.[vii]
For the Law Professors:
3. How can the various acts of the Bush administration not be considered impeachable offenses and crimes against humanity?
4. How can members of Congress not be considered "political criminals" for not initiating impeachment proceedings against members of the Bush administration (both Representatives for not initiating the process and Senators for not demanding that they do)?
5. How is this country not turning into a type of totalitarian "police state," complete with concentration camps,[viii] given the various unconstitutional acts passed by Congress and the various unconstitutional National Security Presidential Directives, Homeland Security Presidential Directives, and Executive Orders passed by the Bush administration?[ix]
For the Military and Intelligence Professors:
6. Why were there military drills that occurred on 9/11, some simulating very similar events as which occurred on 9/11? (The drills: Amalgam Virgo, Vigilant Guardian, Northern Guardian, Vigilant Warrior, Northern Vigilance, Amalgam Warrior, Global Guardian, Crown Vigilance, Apollo Guardian, National Reconnaissance Office, AWACS, Fort Meyer - Virginia, TRIPOD II - Manhattan, Timely Alert II.)[x]
7. Professor Michel Chossudovsky has compiled a wealth of evidence concerning the links between the CIA, Osama bin Laden, "Al Qaeda," and the Pakistani ISI which supports the claim that Osama bin Laden and the "Al Qaeda" network are agents of the U.S. military/intelligence complex.[xi] Given this evidence, how can one claim that Al Qaeda is anything but a manufactured "scapegoat enemy" working, at least in part, for the U.S. military/intelligence complex?
For the History Professors:
8. The U.S. entered major conflicts in the 20th Century only after being provoked. There is evidence that some of these provocations were either "false-flag attacks" (Sinking of the RMS Lusitania, the Gulf of Tonkin Incident), or were allowed to happen (Pearl Harbor).[xii] Given this history, how is it possible that 9/11 could not also be a false-flag attack to launch the global "war on terror" and justify the invasion of Middle Eastern states?
9. How is the Bush Family, going back to grandfather Prescott Bush and his involvement in building Hitler's Nazi regime, not a crime family?[xiii]
For the BU Administration:
10. Within hours of the attacks on 9/11, the Bush Administration blamed Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. There was no investigation carried out before this claim was made. Did BU demand an official independent investigation into the events of 9/11 before or after this claim was made? If not, why not?
11. If I am mistaken, and BU is indeed a legitimate "university," I would like BU to explain to me how my reasoning is flawed.
If I do not receive a response from Boston University regarding this letter, or this letter is dismissed or ridiculed in any way, I will consider this a violation of the role and purpose of a university. Furthermore, if I am dismissed from Boston University as a consequence of this letter and the decision stated in this letter, I will also consider this a violation of the role and purpose of a university and I will take appropriate action against Boston University.
Sincerely,
Christian Tutschka
[Letter, references and comments at <http://www.studentforchange.blogspot.com>www.studentforchange.blogspot.com
Note: Tutschka spoke with BU Physics Professor and Associate Dean Scott Whitaker about the letter on the morning of April 2. Attending the meeting was Margaret Ross, a psychologist and director of Behavioral Medicine at the BU Student Health Services. Whitaker and Ross were concerned by what Tutschka meant by "appropriate action."
"I assured them that I am nonviolent and my actions would be legal and civil," Tutschka said.
According to Tutschka, Ross commented that she was interested in the 9/11 issue and invited the protesting student to come talk to her about it at a later date. He also recalled that Whitaker evaded taking a position on questions concerning 9/11 or the impeachment issue.
We found this letter and the institutional actions that prompted it to be extremely revealing of a major mechanism of control in this country: Higher education. Tutschka posed legitimate questions to relevant department heads at BU and they chose to remain silent about a series of events that have justified the mass murder of innocents, the wanton destruction of property and nations, the displacement of millions of people and escalating public debt.
Tutschka's point is well made: When government fails to check and balance its abuses, then the nation's "power centers"-universities, churches and trade organizations-must step in to do the checking and balancing. For any of these institutions, in this case an accredited university, to fail us in this critical regard, they become accessories to the crimes alleged.
This courageous and principled, 27-year-old graduate student has inadvertently created a model for us all to follow.
· Based upon the FACT that 9/11 was not adequately investigated and the government's explanations for the tragic events of that day are not supported by the laws of natural science, the evidence or witness testimony;
· based upon the FACT that the government's unsubstantiated explanation for 9/11 justified its preconceived desire to wage a general war on terrorism and target specific countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran;
· based upon the FACT that the war on terror has been used to justify the most comprehensive government trespass on civil liberties in our nation's history;
· based upon the FACT that the Bush administration has used it's war on terror to justify unprecedented levels of public indebtedness that is destroying our nation's economic stability...
...we should send open letters to the churches, schools, professional organizations, labor unions and civic clubs and compel them, as our country's power centers, to take a public stand on these issues for the good of our nation and our world. In the absence of these organizations taking a stand for truth, justice and the law, we should discontinue our membership. Others will see the logic and may be compelled to discontinue their membership in these organizations as well.
The Bush administration and its corporate friends in oil, chemical, pharmaceutical, agribusiness, military industries and the media is encouraged to continue its campaign to justify the spread of death, destruction and misery, based upon the lies of 9/11, because our power centers remain silent.
At this time, our choice is to demand that the organizations to which we claim membership publicly demand investigations and indictments of these matters where appropriate. If they fail to do so, we must be prepared to sever our ties to them-at whatever cost.
Christian Tutschka, an intelligent and passionate young man with a bright future, made that choice. He decided that is was more important to make a stand for his country's future-the future of his generation-than it was to silently tolerate these heinous crimes in hopes that this spreading evil won't affect him. The best way we can honor his decision is by duplicating his efforts. (DWH)
Letter to President of Boston University, March 31, 2008
Dear President Brown,
My name is Christian Tutschka and I am a M.A. candidate in the International Relations and Environmental Policy (IREP) Program here at Boston University.
I believe Boston University is an illegitimate "university" or "institution of higher learning." Beginning today I will suspend my participation in the IREP program at BU until I once again believe BU is a legitimate institution. The following will explain this decision:
The Role and Purpose of the "University"
BU Website: "Forging our future More than any other institution in our society, the modern university exists to serve the future. Boston University does this by educating individuals for fulfilling, productive lives and by creating solutions to pressing or anticipated problems through research."
John Silber, Former BU President (1971-1996): "A university - whether publicly or privately funded - cannot pursue the truth and advance knowledge unless it can proceed in freedom with toleration of all points of view and with vigorous criticism of each" (Excerpt from Silber's essay, "On the Purpose of a University," which was, until recently, on display at Mugar Library).
Given this role and purpose, the "university" acts as a "power center" of our society. A societal "power center" is an institution dedicated to serving society with the ability to influence the direction of a society.
The Failure of BU as a "University"
BU has failed to perform its role and purpose due to the following three reasons:
1) Impeachment: There is clear evidence that members of the Bush administration have committed not only impeachable offenses, but crimes against humanity, some of which include: lying to the public about the threat of the Iraqi regime, the illegal invasion and occupation of two sovereign nations (which has cost the lives of over 4000 U.S. soldiers[ii], left thousands permanently disabled and has killed over 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians[iii]), using illegal weapons of mass destruction, failing to protect civilians in war zones, condoning torture, illegal spying on Americans, and the list goes on.[iv]
The fact that Congress has not initiated impeachment proceedings against members of the Bush administration is evidence that each member of Congress is a political criminal for failing in their Constitutional duty to protect the Constitution and act as a check against an abusive and tyrannical executive branch.
In effect, our system of government has, over the years, become completely corrupt and all of our public officials in Washington, D.C. are corrupt political criminals. When this occurs, it is the duty of the other "power centers" of society to demand their removal. BU has failed to do this.
2) 9/11: There are many legitimate professionals in various disciplines that question the findings presented in the 9/11 Commission Report concerning the events of 9/11 due to the uncontroversial evidence-much of it not investigated by the Commission-that demonstrates various events could not have occurred as described in the Report.[v]
As 9/11 was the event that launched the global "war on terrorism" which continues to affect the global community, these professionals are demanding a new, independent investigation. BU has failed to publicly demand a new, independent investigation and rather has promoted the conclusions of the flawed 9/11 Commission Report.
3) My Experience: When sharing some of these ideas with some professors, I have been ignored, dismissed, and even reprimanded. This is incompatible with free, critical thought which is necessary for determining truth and serving society.
Furthermore, I have witnessed statements and behaviors from professors regarding these issues that have left me shocked and disappointed. Some statements contained such false understandings or flawed reasoning that the consequences could be described as dangerous given that these individuals are professional educators. As the list is long, I have not included it here, but I can provide it per request.
The Challenge for Re-Legitimization
I will consider BU to be a legitimate "university" if:
1) Congress has initiated impeachment proceedings against members of the Bush Administration and a new, independent investigation of the events of 9/11 commences and BU has been instrumental in causing this.
OR
2) I receive satisfactory answers to all of the following questions:
For the Physics and Engineering Professors:
1. How could World Trade Centers 1 and 2, both 110-story steel-framed structures, collapse in an average of about 10 seconds which is a rate at or exceeding free-fall speed from fire and the impact of the planes? The 9/11 Commission Report explains these collapses as "pancake collapses," however this type of collapse would take considerably longer. Also, the "pancake collapse" theory cannot account for the destruction of the interior steel-beam core, or the complete pulverization of the buildings.[vi]
2. How could World Trade Center 7, a 47-story steel-framed structure, collapse in under 7 seconds in a controlled-demolition style at around 5:20 p.m. on the afternoon of 9/11 when it was not hit by a plane and received considerably less damage than other WTC buildings which were left partially standing? The 9/11 Commission Report did not even mention the collapse of WTC 7.[vii]
For the Law Professors:
3. How can the various acts of the Bush administration not be considered impeachable offenses and crimes against humanity?
4. How can members of Congress not be considered "political criminals" for not initiating impeachment proceedings against members of the Bush administration (both Representatives for not initiating the process and Senators for not demanding that they do)?
5. How is this country not turning into a type of totalitarian "police state," complete with concentration camps,[viii] given the various unconstitutional acts passed by Congress and the various unconstitutional National Security Presidential Directives, Homeland Security Presidential Directives, and Executive Orders passed by the Bush administration?[ix]
For the Military and Intelligence Professors:
6. Why were there military drills that occurred on 9/11, some simulating very similar events as which occurred on 9/11? (The drills: Amalgam Virgo, Vigilant Guardian, Northern Guardian, Vigilant Warrior, Northern Vigilance, Amalgam Warrior, Global Guardian, Crown Vigilance, Apollo Guardian, National Reconnaissance Office, AWACS, Fort Meyer - Virginia, TRIPOD II - Manhattan, Timely Alert II.)[x]
7. Professor Michel Chossudovsky has compiled a wealth of evidence concerning the links between the CIA, Osama bin Laden, "Al Qaeda," and the Pakistani ISI which supports the claim that Osama bin Laden and the "Al Qaeda" network are agents of the U.S. military/intelligence complex.[xi] Given this evidence, how can one claim that Al Qaeda is anything but a manufactured "scapegoat enemy" working, at least in part, for the U.S. military/intelligence complex?
For the History Professors:
8. The U.S. entered major conflicts in the 20th Century only after being provoked. There is evidence that some of these provocations were either "false-flag attacks" (Sinking of the RMS Lusitania, the Gulf of Tonkin Incident), or were allowed to happen (Pearl Harbor).[xii] Given this history, how is it possible that 9/11 could not also be a false-flag attack to launch the global "war on terror" and justify the invasion of Middle Eastern states?
9. How is the Bush Family, going back to grandfather Prescott Bush and his involvement in building Hitler's Nazi regime, not a crime family?[xiii]
For the BU Administration:
10. Within hours of the attacks on 9/11, the Bush Administration blamed Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. There was no investigation carried out before this claim was made. Did BU demand an official independent investigation into the events of 9/11 before or after this claim was made? If not, why not?
11. If I am mistaken, and BU is indeed a legitimate "university," I would like BU to explain to me how my reasoning is flawed.
If I do not receive a response from Boston University regarding this letter, or this letter is dismissed or ridiculed in any way, I will consider this a violation of the role and purpose of a university. Furthermore, if I am dismissed from Boston University as a consequence of this letter and the decision stated in this letter, I will also consider this a violation of the role and purpose of a university and I will take appropriate action against Boston University.
Sincerely,
Christian Tutschka
[Letter, references and comments at <http://www.studentforchange.blogspot.com>www.studentforchange.blogspot.com
Note: Tutschka spoke with BU Physics Professor and Associate Dean Scott Whitaker about the letter on the morning of April 2. Attending the meeting was Margaret Ross, a psychologist and director of Behavioral Medicine at the BU Student Health Services. Whitaker and Ross were concerned by what Tutschka meant by "appropriate action."
"I assured them that I am nonviolent and my actions would be legal and civil," Tutschka said.
According to Tutschka, Ross commented that she was interested in the 9/11 issue and invited the protesting student to come talk to her about it at a later date. He also recalled that Whitaker evaded taking a position on questions concerning 9/11 or the impeachment issue.
We found this letter and the institutional actions that prompted it to be extremely revealing of a major mechanism of control in this country: Higher education. Tutschka posed legitimate questions to relevant department heads at BU and they chose to remain silent about a series of events that have justified the mass murder of innocents, the wanton destruction of property and nations, the displacement of millions of people and escalating public debt.
Tutschka's point is well made: When government fails to check and balance its abuses, then the nation's "power centers"-universities, churches and trade organizations-must step in to do the checking and balancing. For any of these institutions, in this case an accredited university, to fail us in this critical regard, they become accessories to the crimes alleged.
This courageous and principled, 27-year-old graduate student has inadvertently created a model for us all to follow.
· Based upon the FACT that 9/11 was not adequately investigated and the government's explanations for the tragic events of that day are not supported by the laws of natural science, the evidence or witness testimony;
· based upon the FACT that the government's unsubstantiated explanation for 9/11 justified its preconceived desire to wage a general war on terrorism and target specific countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran;
· based upon the FACT that the war on terror has been used to justify the most comprehensive government trespass on civil liberties in our nation's history;
· based upon the FACT that the Bush administration has used it's war on terror to justify unprecedented levels of public indebtedness that is destroying our nation's economic stability...
...we should send open letters to the churches, schools, professional organizations, labor unions and civic clubs and compel them, as our country's power centers, to take a public stand on these issues for the good of our nation and our world. In the absence of these organizations taking a stand for truth, justice and the law, we should discontinue our membership. Others will see the logic and may be compelled to discontinue their membership in these organizations as well.
The Bush administration and its corporate friends in oil, chemical, pharmaceutical, agribusiness, military industries and the media is encouraged to continue its campaign to justify the spread of death, destruction and misery, based upon the lies of 9/11, because our power centers remain silent.
At this time, our choice is to demand that the organizations to which we claim membership publicly demand investigations and indictments of these matters where appropriate. If they fail to do so, we must be prepared to sever our ties to them-at whatever cost.
Christian Tutschka, an intelligent and passionate young man with a bright future, made that choice. He decided that is was more important to make a stand for his country's future-the future of his generation-than it was to silently tolerate these heinous crimes in hopes that this spreading evil won't affect him. The best way we can honor his decision is by duplicating his efforts. (DWH)