Kevin Barrett

:"The name Kevin Barrett may also refer to Kevin "Buzz" Barrett, a former cast member of ZOOM,"Kevin James Barrett (born February 1959) is a former university lecturer and 9/11 conspiracy theorist. [cite news |first = Justin|last = Pope|title = 9/11 Conspiracy Theorists Thriving|url = http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2279929|work = ABC News > U.S.|publisher = ABCNews Internet Ventures|date = 2006-08-06|accessdate = 2006-08-21] He is a member of the Scholars for 9/11 Truth [ [http://www.scholarsfor911truth.org/WhoAreWe.html Scholars for 9/11 Truth - Who Are We?] ] and is a founding member of the Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance (MUJCA), established October 30, 2004 [ http://www.911blogger.com/2005/10/mujca-1st-anniversary-event-in-madison.html ] with the stated aim of improving "interfaith dialogue, coexistence, and understanding" in light of the events of 9/11. [ [http://www.mujca.com/essay.htm Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance] ] Barrett first received national attention when he introduced Dr. David Ray Griffin at Griffin's lecture in April 2005, in Madison, Wisconsin to 450 people. The talk was shown on C-Span's Book TV. [ [http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=5677&SectionName=&PlayMedia=No Book TV - The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions ] ] Barrett became controversial in 2006 when he held a one-semester appointment as an associate lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [http://www.news.wisc.edu/12701.html "Provost review clears Barrett to teach class on Islam"] University of Wisconsin-Madison press release, July 10, 2006]

In the fall of 2006, Barrett taught an introductory class called "Islam: Religion and Culture", an undergraduate course for which he had formerly been a teaching assistant since 1996. Before the semester began, he announced his plans to devote a week or two of the sixteen-week class to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack and the War on Terrorism. Controversy erupted when it became known Barrett was planning to discuss conspiracy theories in his lectures. [ [http://www.wkowtv.com/index.php/news/story/p/pkid/24346 Curriculum in "UW Instructor Defends Plan to Teach 9/11 Conspiracy Theory in Class", "WKOW 27 News", July 10, 2006] ] An internal university probe of his performance as a teaching assistant found that "although Mr. Barrett presented a variety of viewpoints, he had not discussed his personal opinions in the classroom" and that the department-approved syllabus, which included a section on the war on terror, had been followed. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/education/01madison.html?ex=1312084800&en=dbabebbbc8494d64&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss "A Skeptic On 9/11 Prompts Questions On Academic Freedom", "New York Times", August 1, 2006] ]

Since leaving the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Barrett has remained in Madison as an increasingly vocal activist on 9/11 truth issues. In the 9/11 truth movement, Barrett is known for flamboyant self-promotion, frequently immoderate statements, and his inclusive "big tent" philosophy on 9/11 theories, which some researchers consider irresponsible and harmful to credibility. On October 22, 2007, Barrett disrupted a talk by conservative pundit David Horowitz for several minutes, causing a major disturbance. [ [http://www.badgerherald.com/news/2007/10/23/horowitz_rips_left_d.php "Horowitz rips left, defends war", October 23, 2006] ] Barrett was driven from the hall by chants of "Asshole! Asshole! Asshole!"

A few months later, Barrett resigned as head of MUJCA.

In May 2008, Barrett announced his intentions to run for Congress in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district as a Libertarian. [cite news |publisher="The Capital Times" |location=Madison, Wisconsin |title=Controversial Barrett 'supports the truth,' backers say |first=Samara Kalk |last=Derby |url=http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/292988 |date=2008-06-24] Though Sean Haugh, the Political Director of the National Libertarian Party, quickly asked Wisconsin Libertarians not to nominate Barrett, and stated that he (Haugh) would "go out of my way to disassociate him from the national LP," [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lpwi/message/23483 Yahoo! Groups ] ] after endorsement by former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura [ http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/27869284.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUjc7YUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU ] Barrett won 59% of the vote in the primary on September 9, easily defeating his challenger Ben Olson III. [ http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8980070&nav=menu239_12_1_7 ]

Early life

Barrett was born in 1959 to Peter Barrett, an Olympic athlete (sailing: silver medal in Finns in 1964, gold medal in Stars in 1968), one of the founders of North Sails (then and now a world leader in sail-making technology) and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater professor in business and accounting. [ [http://cache.zoominfo.com/cachedpage/?archive_id=0&page_id=137504038&page_url=%2f%2fwww.boylecomm.com%2fcollections%2fnews%2findex.cfm%3fnewsid%3dmatthe0902&page_last_updated=11%2f9%2f2001+4%3a41%3a20+AM&firstName=Peter&lastName=Barrett, LifeLines — Peter Barrett] ] In 1988, says Barrett's book "Truth Jihad," while living in Paris, Barrett hoaxed the French press by posing as a nonexistent Hollywood film director, "Christopher Maudson," for the benefit of some wannabee rock stars. In the early 1990s, Barrett received master's degrees in both English literature and French from San Francisco State University and married a Moroccan-born Muslim woman. [http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/topstories/index.php?ntid=92026&ntpid=0 What Makes Kevin Barrett Tick?] "The Capital Times", July 22, 2006.] He converted to Islam in 1992, having been a former Unitarian. [http://www.mujca.com/myth_of_911.htm The Myth of 9/11 - An American Muslim Speaks Out] ] [ [http://www.brianrwright.com/Coffee_Coaster/03_Book_Reviews/2007/070711_Truth_Jihad.htm 911 Truth Jihad: My epic struggle against the 9/11 big lie ] ]

Barrett returned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995. The United States State Department gave him a Fulbright Scholarship in 1999 to study a year in Morocco. He received a Ph.D. in African languages and literature with a minor in folklore from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004, focusing his dissertation on the topic of Moroccan legend. [ [http://www.uc.wisc.edu/docs/2005_honors.pdf University of Wisconsin-Madison Fulbright Scholar (students), 1998-2005] (PDF File)] Barrett has taught English, French, Arabic, American Civilization, Humanities, African Literature, Folklore, and Islam at colleges and universities in the San Francisco Bay area, Paris, and Madison, Wisconsin.

Controversy

Barrett first drew attention to his views by writing letters to the editor of the "Madison Capital Times" and "Wisconsin State Journal", in which he claimed that Muslims had nothing to do with the attacks: "As a Ph.D. Islamologist and Arabist I really hate to say this, but I'll say it anyway: 9/11 had nothing to do with Islam. The war on terror is as phony as the latest Osama bin Laden tape." [ [http://www.unknownnews.org/060214a-Barrett.html Bin Laden tapes are as phony as Sept. 11's connection to Islam] ] Barrett has also claimed the 2005 London bombing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings] , and the 2004 Madrid bombing, were committed by U.S. or western military intelligence and not Islamic terrorists.

Following a June 28, 2006 talk radio segment on WTMJ, Barrett's views came to the attention of Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, U.S. Representative Mark Green, and State Representative Stephen L. Nass. After conducting a 10-day review of Barrett's past teaching and plans for the class, UW-Madison Provost Patrick Farrell determined that Barrett was fit to teach. Barrett told the Provost that his course will spend one week examining current issues, such as viewpoints on the war on terror which will be based on the discussion on readings representing a variety of viewpoints.

On July 11, 2006, Barrett appeared on the television show "The O'Reilly Factor", and the show's host, Bill O'Reilly, said about Barrett, "This guy would have been gone at Boston University, my alma mater, in a heartbeat. The Chancellor there, John Silber, would have--would have--this guy'd be in the Charles River floating down, you know, toward the harbor." In response, Barrett filed a complaint with the FCC. Barrett has written a largely autobiographical book covering the controversy, entitled "Truth Jihad: My Epic Struggle against the 9/11 Big Lie," published by [http://www.waronfreedom.org Progressive Press] in early 2007. The book alleges that Barrett has had precognitive dreams. He also edited "9/11 and American Empire" (vol. 2) from Interlink Books, published in Dec. 2006.

Barrett taught the Fall 2006 class he'd been hired for, but took a sabbatical the following term. In May 2007, he announced that he had applied to teach during the Fall 2007 semester.

In Fall 2006 Kevin Barrett began hosting a talk show twice a week on the Genesis Communications Network called "The Dynamic Duo," and another talk show, hosted weekly on Republic Broadcasting Network, titled "Truth Jihad Radio." The topic of both shows is mainly conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11.

Barrett's controversial views on Jews and Zionism came under focus in late 2006 when statements from an email exchange were documented in which he stated, "As a rational person who is not a specialist in the subject of WWII, but who has studied the history of Zionist Big Lies vis-a-vis Palestine, I cannot possibly dismiss the arguments of people like Green, Irving, and even Zundel." [ [http://www.oilempire.us/mujca.html Muslim Jewish Christian Alliance for 9/11 Truth: Holocaust denial, no planes and a State Department grant, oilempire.us] ] [ [http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2007-02-22/news/kook-congress/ Kook Congress] ] Some activists have also commented on a pattern of public statements by Barrett suggestive of violence toward reporters and journalists, such as, "journalists who act as propagandists for war crimes may one day find themselves on the scaffold," and "anybody who has drawn a paycheck from the major mainstream journalistic outlets in the past should be up on the scaffold for the crimes of high treason and crimes against humanity." [ [http://www.truthmove.org/forum/topic/621?replies=5 "Kevin Barrett: 'I am not a hardcore nonviolence activist'"] , Truthmove.org Forum, August, 2007]

Recent History

In April 2007, Barrett did a series of speaking engagements in Michigan, Chicago, and Wisconsin with William Rodriguez, whose failed Rodriguez v. Bush lawsuit [ [http://rodriguezlawsuit.googlepages.com/ rodriguezlawsuit - William Rodriguez v. U.S.A ] ] [ [http://mujca.com/rodriguez.htm William Rodriguez Rescue Hero ] ] had accused President Bush of complicity in the 9/11 attacks. Barrett's press release credited Rodriguez with rescuing ten people from the burning World Trade Center on 9/11, and with saving hundreds of lives. [ [http://www.mujca.com/rodriguez.htm William Rodriguez Rescue Hero ] ] The month after this tour, Barrett announced to the press his intention to fly to Morocco to "apprehend accused 9/11 hijacker Waleed al-Shehri." [ [http://www.911blogger.com/node/8162 Barrett Heading to Morocco to Apprehend Suicide Hijacker | 911Blogger.com ] ] Unable to locate his quarry, Barrett had to content himself with penning dispatches from cafes, and a humorous airport story. Barrett began promoting Captain Eric May and his numerological predictions of upcoming "false flag" (faked) terrorist attacks, none of which ever came to pass. In early August Barrett spoke at a conference in Madison, "The Science of 9/11: What's Controversial, What's Not" that featured the notion that TV reporting of the World Trade Center attacks was faked. [ [http://www.oilempire.us/911scholars.html Scholars for Truthiness ] ] [http://www.911inquiry.org/911scholars_conf_2007.htm]

In late August a dispute erupted between Webster Tarpley and several women in the anti-war movement after Tarpley issued the "Kennebunkport Warning" of impending false flag attacks. Jamilla El-Shafei, Cindy Sheehan, Dahlia Wasfi, and Ann Wright denied that they had signed the warning. Tarpley said they had, and was quite unpleasant about it. Barrett refused to distance himself from the Tarpley group, even when its members accused respected 9/11 activists of being government agents after they took the side of the peaceniks.

In early October, Barrett accompanied William Rodriguez on another midwestern speaking tour. About this time, Barrett started the website "WhereTheyLive.org — Confronting the elite and their agents WHERE THEY LIVE" which stated as its mission the publishing of home addresses of people Barrett considered evil-doers. [ [http://www.wheretheylive.org/ WhereTheyLive.org — Confronting the elite and their agents WHERE THEY LIVE ] ] Though the website espoused nonviolent principles, Barrett's simultaneous promotion of the "War on War Week," [ [http://www.columbus911truth.org/index.php?s=waronwar Search for waronwar at Columbus911Truth.org ] ] a series of demonstrations that were to feature firecrackers and "V for Vendetta" disguises, led some activists to express concern about the vigilante overtones involved, and after a west-coast 9/11 group voted to deny funding, [ [http://www.communitycurrency.org/9-11.html#UP Questioning the War on Terrorism ] ] the project flopped. Barrett expressed a fascination with the stylized violence of the V for Vendetta movie in an interview on internet radio, adding the claim that apartheid had been ended in South Africa through threats of violence, and stating that political power grows from the barrel of a gun. [ [http://questioningwar-organizingresistance.blogspot.com/2007/10/november-5th-unmasking-state-sponsored.html Questioning War- Organizing Resistance: November 5th- Unmasking State Sponsored Terrorism Show with Barrie Zwicker, Kevin Barrett, Sherry Clark, and John Leonard ] ] [http://mp3.wtprn.com/Brouillet/0710/20071022_Mon_Brouillet2.mp3]

In November, the internet activist "Col. Jenny Sparks" issued a humorous but firm request that Dr.Barrett rein himself in, saying he was "hurting, not helping" the 9/11 truth movement. She asked that Barrett silence himself on Jews and the holocaust, stop predicting imminent false-flag attacks,stop promoting TV-fakery theories, stop threatening people with execution, and stop using material from a fringe web site. [ [http://coljennysparks.blogspot.com/2007/11/kevin-barrett-front-and-center-please.html Col. Jenny Sparks: Kevin Barrett-front and center, please ] ]

Later that fall, Barrett resigned as head of MUJCA.

In March, 2008 the blogger "Arabesque" wrote an essay complaining that Barrett had hurt the 9/11 truth movement's credibility "with damaging associations, discrediting theories, and controversial statements." [ [http://arabesque911.blogspot.com/2008/03/kevin-barrett.html Arabesque: 9/11 Truth: Kevin Barrett ] ]

In April, after Barrett allegedly asserted that no Israelis had died on 9/11, several 9/11 activists were inspired to declare Barrett "fired" from the 9/11 truth movement. [ [http://truthaction.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1887&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=135 truthaction.org :: View topic - Kevin Barrett promoting disinfoFest 2007 ] ] [ [http://coljennysparks.blogspot.com/2008/04/its-official-kev-youre-fired.html Col. Jenny Sparks: It's official: Kev, You're Fired ] ]

In May, 2008, Barrett's blog at the popular forum "911blogger" was deleted. Over 100 of his posts, and hundreds or even thousands of comments, were removed. Barrett's posts had been poorly received at 911blogger, receiving an average rating of 6 stars out of a possible 10. [ [http://www.911blogger.com/blog/UserBlogRatings User Blog Ratings | 911Blogger.com ] ]

On May 22, Barrett published confidential email correspondence with Noam Chomsky, after Chomsky had asked him to keep the emails private and after Barrett had promised he would do so. Barrett's reason for doing this, he said, was because Chomsky had implied that he was a liar. [ [http://www.barrettforcongress.us/chomsky.htm Noam Chomsky Does Not Want You to Read This ] ]

Barrett introduced architect Richard Gage at Gage's presentation of "9/11: Blueprint for Truth" at the University of Illinois Chicago campus on May 30, 2008. Gage's presentation claims that the World Trade Center was destroyed not by airplanes and fire, but by controlled demolition with incendiaries and/or explosives. [ [http://www.dupage911truth.org/ Page Title ] ] Gage is the founding member of "Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth," which counts more than 400 architects and engineers among its registered supporters. [ [http://www.ae911truth.org AE911Truth ] ]

Congressional campaign

Barrett announced in May 2008 his plans to run for Congress as a third-party challenger to incumbent Rep. Ron Kind in the November 2008 election. On May 14, 2008 Barrett sent an email to supporters claiming to have received the endorsement of WTDY talk radio show host John "Sly" Sylvester. The endorsement claim was the source of controversy with some saying Sly did not endorse, some saying it was tongue and cheek, and some saying he did endorse but it wasn't in the Podcast. [ [http://www.dane101.com/current/2008/05/15/election_2008_kevin_barrett_to_debate_rep_ron_kind_wtdy_talker_sly_endorses_barrett Election 2008: Kevin Barrett to debate Rep. Ron Kind? Likely. WTDY talker Sly endorses Barrett? Not so much.] ] Also on May 14 Sean Haugh, the Political Director of the National Libertarian Party, asked the Wisconsin Libertarians not to nominate Barrett, and stated that he (Haugh) would "go out of my way to disassociate him from the national LP." Michael Badnarik, Libertarian presidential candidate in 2004, has signed the 9/11 Truth Statement, [ [http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20041026093059633 911truth.org ::::: 911 Truth Statement ] ] and Haugh said he had no problem with 9/11 Truthers in the Libertarian party, but Barrett's "calls for mass murder" and "qualified statements of support for the preeminent Holocaust deniers in North America" put Barrett "beyond the pale." [ [http://wigdersonlibrarypub.blogspot.com/2008/05/i-spent-week-talking-to-libertarians.html Wigderson Library & Pub: I spent the week talking to Libertarians ] ]

Arrested for Domestic Abuse

According to the Wisconsin State Journal and the Associated Press; Kevin Barrett, 49, was arrested in Madison on Tuesday afternoon September 16 after police said he violated a Sauk County court order forbidding contact with his family. He reportedly turned himself in and was released from the Dane County Jail after posting $500 cash bail. On Friday September 12th, Barrett was charged with disorderly conduct in Sauk County Circuit Court after being accused of hitting his 13-year-old son at home on the morning of the Sept. 9 3rd District Libertarian primary, which he won. His wife, Fatna Bellouchi, had obtained a temporary restraining order against Barrett. [ [http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/breaking_news/305149 Kevin Barrett Arrested] ]

Barrett won the Libertarian primary and will challenge Democratic incumbent Ron Kind in the 3rd Congressional District.

References

External links

* [http://peacejihad.com// Campaign Website]
* [http://www.news.wisc.edu/barrettissue/index.html The Kevin Barrett case at UW-Madison]
* [http://www.mujca.com/ Barrett's website: The Muslim-Christian-Jewish alliance for 9/11 Truth]
* [http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/top/index.php?ntid=89540&ntpid=2 Wisconsin State Journal article on the Nass/Barrett Controversy]
* [http://www.channel3000.com/news/9493372/detail.html Channel 3000: "Official: UW-Madison Will Allow Controversial Instructor To Teach"]
* [http://mu-warrior.blogspot.com/2006/07/kevin-barrett-james-fetzer-911.html Kevin Barrett & James Fetzer: 9/11 Moonbats in Milwaukee]
* [http://www.oilempire.us/mujca.html Muslim Jewish Christian Alliance for 9/11 Truth: Holocaust denial, no planes and a State Department grant]
* [http://www.waronfreedom.org/radio.html Log of Barrett's Radio and Road Appearances]
* [http://mp3.rbnlive.com/Barrett07.html Truth Jihad Radio archives] , Barrett's weekly radio show
* [http://www.gcnlive.com/Programs/DynamicDuo/Program.html The Dynamic Duo] , Barrett's radio show on The Genesis Communications Network, cohosted with fellow 9/11 activist Jim Fetzer
* [http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/2631 Campus Watch] What Makes Kevin Barrett Tick?
*YouTube|id=qzIzoD-MhIE|title=Kevin Barrett 911 whistleblower on hannity and colmes July 6, 2006