KU Professor Beaten?????

Don’t know if you have been following this story at the University of Kansas, but the head of the religion department Paul Mirecki, an avowed atheist, had planned on teaching a course on intelligent design. The problem was that he was going to teach it as mythology and a way to “get back” at fundamentalist Christians. He was caught saying some rather disparaging things about Christians in an email.

The course was later withdrawn after significant feedback from the public. (Translation, the alumni called the school and threatened to withhold donations.)

Now comes the really interesting part. Seems Paul Mirecki was allegedly beaten by two men yesterday. Mr. Mirecki claims that the 2 men mentioned the cancelled course while they were beating him.

Now, I am sorry, but something smells here. Here is what was reported:

“ ..... Mirecki reported he was attacked around 6:40 a.m. in rural Douglas County south of Lawrence. Mirecki told the Lawrence Journal-World that he was driving to breakfast when he noticed the men tailgating him in a pickup truck.

"I just pulled over hoping they would pass, and then they pulled up real close behind," he said. "They got out, and I made the mistake of getting out."

He said the men beat him on the head, shoulders and back with their fists, and possibly a metal object.

Wempe said Mirecki drove himself to the hospital after the attack.

Wempe said Mirecki described the suspects as two white men between 30 and 40 years of age. One of the men was described as wearing a red, visor-like ball cap and wool gloves. Mirecki said the men left in a large pickup."

Let’s see, a professor makes some pretty hateful comments in an email and is forced to cancel a class that was designed to attack Christians. Them miraculously, a week later, he is physically attacked by 2 white men.

Here are the parts of the story that seem odd to me.

1. What was he doing on a rural road?
2. If you are a ultra-liberal professor, why would you stop in the middle of nowhere for 2 white males in a pickup truck in the dark at 6:40 am?
3. And after you stopped, why would you get our of your vehicle? Picture this, an ultra-liberal professor stopping on a deserted country road for 2 "potential" rednecks in a pickup truck?
4. Why didn’t he call the police immediately? Surely he has a cell phone. Why wait till you get to the hospital? A 911 call to the police immediately after the attack would have been much more effective at catching the attackers.
5. What type of pick up was it? Ford, Chevy?? It isn’t that hard to tell, even for a liberal professor.
6. What color was the pickup?
7. If the course had already been cancelled, why would someone want to hurt you?

Another possibility, maybe the men who beat him were really atheists that wanted the course taught, and they were mad at him for caving to the "fundies". (Fundies was the term the professor used in describing fundamentalist Christians.)

Time will tell whether this was a real attack or simply a disgraced professor trying to gain some sympathy.

Update:
Go Here and Here for more discussion of this topic.


By the way, we now have two stories from the good professor. First he was driving to breakfast. Then we get the added tidbit that he was taking a long, pre-dawn drive to "clear his mind".... blah, blah, etc, etc."

Sounds like the beginning of a really bad movie......

Start the "Deliverance" music, cut to the Kansas rednecks in standing in front of their 4x4 Chevy fullsize pickup with Confederate Battle Flag on the window and Christian Cross sticker on the front bumper——

"Boy you gotta pretty mouth, too bad it only wants to talk about that there evolution crap. I thinks me and my cousin here will punch you and hit you with a metal object. That'l learn you a lesson, city boy. (Thump, thump) Take that for Jesus, boy!!!"


By the way, wonder when the movie rights will be sold. You heard it here first!!!

Update 12-8-05 - I am not the only one with doubts about the good professor's story. Here is the money quote from the article:

"Mirecki lives in a subdivision about two miles south of the Lawrence campus. Given the time of day, around 6 a.m., and the place of Mirecki's residence, skeptics are hoping that the Douglas County Sheriffs ask Mirecki to which breakfast establishment he was driving. Most places open at that time of day and would be in Lawrence proper. Mirecki's trip to town is all along well-lit streets. "

And finally, the good professor has resigned as head of the religion department. I wonder how an atheist became head of the department in the first place. Kinda like a Christian Scientist becoming the head of surgery.


Dec 15, 2005 = See my updated comments here.