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Student William Pratt
3/30/03
A Columbia University senior whose Army colonel father is serving in Kuwait took it personally when a professor said the U.S. military should suffer "a million Mogadishus."
Nicholas De Genova called for the defeat of American forces in Iraq during an anti-war teach-in at Columbia's campus in Morningside Heights Wednesday.
And that "appalled and devastated" senior William Pratt, whose father, William H. Pratt, is assigned to central command in Kuwait.
"A Columbia professor wished death upon the father of a Columbia University student and possibly [on the parents of] other students," Pratt said.
"What really pushes me over the edge is when a professor basically wishes for the slaughter of U.S. military men and women who gave him the right to free speech and to make those disgusting comments."
Pratt said he complained to the anthropology department, the public-affairs office and the university's vice provost, seeking an apology from the university and to have De Genova "sent packing."
He also e-mailed De Genova about the comments, but has yet to get a response.
"My father has clearance to attend graduation at Columbia and I dare you to make those comments to him," Pratt wrote. "I doubt you will - you wouldn't know a true hero if you were standing in front of one."
De Genova wasn't at his home or office yesterday.
Calls to the Columbia anthropology department, where the 35-year-old assistant professor works, referred callers to the university public-affairs office, where calls could not get through.
But earlier, a university spokesman distanced the school from De Genova's remarks, saying his statement "does not in any way represent the views of Columbia University."
Pratt said he feels ostracized by the prevalent anti-war sentiment on the famously liberal campus.
The history major and former Lion football player didn't attend Wednesday's teach-in, but said he was roundly booed when he appeared at an earlier rally wearing camouflage fatigues and bearing the Stars and Stripes.
His professors - anti-war all - have been "very supportive" of him, but, said Pratt, he often feels out of place in classes where students are wearing "No War for Oil" buttons.
De Genova's inflammatory call received applause, but some anti-war students disagreed.
"I am anti-war, but people like that associated with my side hurt the peace movement," said sophomore Ben Hooperman, 20. "He's just as racist and bigoted as he's claiming the pro-war side is."
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| French Statue of Liberty Replica Torched Associated Press
 BORDEAUX, France - Vandals in this southwest Bordeaux torched a replica of the Statue of Liberty and cracked the pedestal of a plaque honoring victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.The crowned head of the 8-foot-tall statue was blackened by fire and its eyes were marked with red paint, apparently to symbolize tears of blood, an official at the mayor's office said.
The statue and the Sept. 11 plaque are beside each other in a square near the city center.
The mayor of the southwestern city, Alain Juppe, condemned Wednesday's pre-dawn attack, saying the statue's message is especially pertinent in wartime.
"At a time when the world is living a major conflict, it is more important than ever to remain watchful of the values of peace and liberty," said Juppe, a former prime minister.
The Lady Liberty standing in New York Harbor was a gift from France to the United States commemorating freedom and friendship between the nations. It was made by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and dedicated in 1886.
Today, tensions between France and the United States have flared over the war in Iraq. French people overwhelmingly oppose the U.S.-led conflict and President Jacques Chirac angered many Americans by trying to slow the U.S. drive to war.
In France, vandals have ransacked McDonald's restaurants in Paris and Strasbourg, targeting the fast food chain as a symbol of American influence.
Cafeterias in the U.S. House of Representatives subsequently changed their menus to read "freedom fries" instead of French fries and "freedom toast" instead of French toast.
Lawmakers also introduced bills preventing France from participating in any postwar reconstruction projects.
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The Hypocrisy of Tom Daschle
"I'm saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we're now forced to war. Saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn't create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country."
-Sen. Tom Daschle (Dem) March 2003
We have exhausted virtually our diplomatic effort to get the Iraqis to comply with their own agreements and with international law. Given that... We have got to force them to comply, and we are doing so militarily."
-Tom Daschle (Dem)1998, when President Clinton bombed Iraq
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