This according to an even more dubious source.
Because I do a fair amount of publishing and speaking (though much less than I used to) I Google my name every few months just to check up on things. So I did this about a week ago and found that my name had appeared on one of those dreadful right-wing blogs I never read. Pipelinenews.org quoted, are you ready, my Fox News interview. (That'll teach me. I am going to spend the rest of Lent repenting the infamous thirty seconds I gave to Fox.) My quote was, mind you, about as mild as could be and really didn't say much. But the Pipeline took it as an opportunity to refer to me as "a multicultural ideologue."
At first, because I have a finely tuned McCarthyism radar, I was upset. Then I laughed, because I'd been stupid enough to give an interview to a media outlet that is unreliable (Fox) and is treated as a reliable source by an even more unreliable (but scary) outlet (Pipeline) -- and because, well, I suppose I am a multicultural ideologue. I mean, heavens, I teach a course in African American religion and theology! I support my school's international film festival! I just put a map of the Caribbean up on one of my course websites! I'm supervising a senior thesis on Our Lady of Guadalupe! I teach students about the monastic rule of a 6th century Italian named Benedict! I make them read a book on the Sabbath written by a notorious 20th century rabbi! I remind them that the New Testament wasn't written in Jesus' daily language! I chair a regional church anti-racism committee! Where will all this end?
That said, despite what Pipeline implies, I said absolutely nothing in the interview about Palestinians. In fact, I was careful to note in the interview (though I think Fox didn't use that part) that our unfinished work on campus involved being welcoming to persons of many nationalities AND also not stereotyping athletes. (This in the wake of an incident that is often described as "football players" vs. "Palestinians.")
I also just noticed upon reading the piece for the second time that Pipeline also called me a "faux academic." Damn, all those years getting advanced degrees for nothing. ;-) Here I thought I was the real thing.
I'm going to go and do penance now.
yes, of course, you're very dangerous and obviously involved in anti-American activities. that'll teach you. :)
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