Academic wackjob of the day

Daniel McGowan, Professor Emeritus of Economics at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, just wrote an article at Counterpunch vilifying Elie Wiesel.

He also is a supporter of "RighteousJews.org", where a "righteous Jew" is anyone who wants Israel to be replaced with Palestine and who thinks that the idea of a Jewish state is unforgivably racist, while any number of Muslim states are just fine.

He is obsessed with Deir Yassin, thinking it is on par with Jewish suffering throughout history, and is working to build a memorial.

He wrote a letter to the editor pretending to condemn Wafa Idris' suicide bombing but concluding "The most chilling thing about Wafa Idris and her final act as a Palestinian martyr is the energy, hope, and pride she has given her people, and the realization by others that Israel's helicopter gunships, F-16s, and atomic weapons cannot stop those who will follow her in their struggle for human rights."

We have here another example of someone who toiled anonymously in academia but found some measure of fame by bashing Israel, and the feedback loop goes on, making him want to say more and more outrageous things for his newfound terror-supporting audience.

And his obscure college has a web page praising him and his activities as well, because his fame extends to them.