[Fdu] Fw: F4P ACTION: Petition to defend academic freedom of Dr. Marc Ellis

[Peter Fitting]

Please join co-chairs Cornel West and Rosemary Ruether signing this petition defending 
the academic freedom of Dr. Marc Ellis, a dissident Jewish voice and Palestine solidarity activist.
Sign petition here:  http://www.change.org/petitions/kenn-starr-clinton-nemesis-and-president-of-baylor-stop-persecution-against-prof-marc-ellis

See video clip of Marc Ellis speaking at OISE-University of Toronto during 2009 cross Canada speaking tour organized by Independent Jewish Voices (IJV): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ3PPAAH9FI
Background (from the petition):

Kenn Starr former Clinton White House nemesis and President of Baylor University, to dismiss dissident Jewish voice Dr. Marc Ellis.

For more than three decades the prophetic voice of Marc Ellis has influenced generations of academics and activists. His dissident voice in the realm of contemporary Jewish identity and his theology of solidarity with Palestinians has been encouraged by numerous scholar-activists including Noam Chomsky, Edward Said, Desmond Tutu and the two of us, Rosemary Ruether and Cornel West.

Unfortunately this voice is now being silenced at Baylor University where Marc has served with distinction for almost fifteen years as University Professor and Director of the Center for Jewish Studies. With the approval of Kenneth Starr, President of Baylor University, Marc Ellis is under internal investigation in what looks more and more like a persecution to silence a Jewish voice of dissent. In short, Baylor is re-writing its rules to dismiss Marc Ellis from the faculty.

We, the undersigned, request President Starr to honor Dr. Ellis' academic freedom and stop all hostility toward him, including any attempt at dismissal. 

Join us signing this petition.  Cornel West and Rosemary Radford Ruether (co-chairs of the committee)
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