United Methodist commission calls professor’s remarks ?insulting’
Aug. 3, 2006
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The Rev. Chester Jones |
By United Methodist News Service
A speech given by a professor at a United
Methodist-related school was "insulting and denigrating to our African
American and Latino brothers and sisters," said the Rev. Chester Jones, top
executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race.
Richard Lamm, a professor at the University of Denver and former governor of
Colorado, spoke during an immigration overpopulation conference in
Washington last week. He also made some of the same remarks during an
earlier speech on multiculturalism at the Vail Symposium.
In a statement released by the commission, Jones said Lamm argues that
African American and Latino "cultures" are the reasons for the
"underperformance" of these communities.
"It is appalling to hear or read that a professor in one of our church
related institutions believes that the secret to destroy America is through
the promotion of an American society that is bilingual-bicultural,
multicultural, diverse, and open to differences," Jones said.
"Reading his speech, I was not sure if Mr. Lamm was being profoundly
sarcastic or plain nativist, or simply racist. Clearly he is all of the
above, his speech was written in a deeply sarcastic style, in order to show
how his nativist and racist perspectives are part of America’s mainstream."
In the statement, the Commission on Religion and Race calls for the
University of Denver to develop a strategy "that counters the racist and nativist views" expressed by Lamm
and to "diligently promote with professors and students the real values of a
diverse and culturally sensitive society."
Jim Berscheidt, a university spokesman, said Lamm "has the right to express
his point of view, he is a tenured faculty member." Berscheidt pointed out
Lamm’s book, Two Wands, One Nation, was published outside the university.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.
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