New calls for Wisconsin prof's dismissal

MADISON, Wis., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Renewed calls for the firing of a controversial University of Wisconsin lecturer in Madison have been made along with accusations he is anti-Semitic.

The outcry arose Tuesday when a television report on Kevin Barrett said a required textbook for students in his introductory class on Islam features 15 essays co-edited by Barrett, some of which contain harsh criticism of Israel and compare U.S. President George Bush to Adolf Hitler, the University of Wisconsin Badger Herald reported Thursday.

Previous calls for Barrett's firing, for his claiming the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks were a sham, went unheeded by the university's Board of Regents, which defended his right to freedom of speech and academic thought.

Both Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and his challenger, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., renewed their calls for Barrett's termination.

Doyle spokesman Matt Canter said the governor thinks Barrett should not be allowed to lecture, the Badger Herald said.

"He thinks that this is crazy and this material is offensive and it has no place in our classroom," Canter said.

Green said it was "appalling" taxpayers funded Barrett's teaching.

"The UW needs to fire Mr. Barrett immediately and put an end to this embarrassment," Green told the newspaper.