Feb 23, 2005 12:38 pm US/Mountain
Lawmaker Criticizes School For Inviting Churchill
HONOLULU (AP) ―
A Hawaii lawmaker is speaking out against Ward Churchill.
The University of Colorado professor spoke last night at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.
Elected officials, including Colorado's governor, Bill Owens, have called for Churchill's firing because of an essay that compares some victims killed in the World Trade Center to Adolf Eichmann, a high-ranking Nazi official who orchestrated the extermination of European Jews.
Hawaii state Senator Fred Hemmings is criticizing the University of Hawaii for allowing Churchill's speech. The Republican says the issue isn't about partisanship or free speech, but rather about fraud, deceit and hate speech.
Earlier, Hemmings said the school's decision could threaten grants and other funding to the university.
About two dozen campus groups and departments expressed support for Churchill's appearance, including the Center for Hawaiian Studies and the William S. Richardson School of Law.
But about 20 students protested outside the campus auditorium last night before the speech.
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