DAILY SOUTHTOWN

Sunday, November 10, 2002

Saint Xavier professor's remarks rankle the military

By Stephanie Gehring

Staff writer

Despite apologies from a Saint Xavier University professor and the

university's president, military personnel are demanding Peter Kirstein,

professor of political science and history, be fired for showing disrespect

to the military in an e-mail he sent to a U.S. Air Force Academy cadet last

month.

Kirstein, a military critic and pacifist, received an e-mail from a U.S. Air

Force Academy cadet seeking help in advertising the academy's upcoming

assembly, an annual undergraduate forum on the academy's grounds.

Kirstein's response set off a firestorm of emotions at the academy and among

military personnel.

In his first e-mail to the cadet, Kristein wrote, "You are a disgrace to

this country and I am furious you would even think I would support you and

your aggressive baby killing tactics of collateral damage."

Richard Yanikoski, president of Saint Xavier University in Chicago's Mount

Greenwood community, said Kirstein's response was unprofessional, and the

university is handling the situation responsibly.

"He is entitled to his anti-military views and entitled to be a pacifist,"

Yanikoski said. "As a professor, he is not entitled to use harsh language of

the kind he put in his original e-mail. He has no history of doing that and

he has apologized."

Yanikoski said the professor quickly apologized to the cadet and to the

academy and both apologies were accepted. Kirstein could not be reached for

comment.

In his e-mail of apology to Capt. Jim Borders, Kirstein wrote, "I did not

mean to impugn (the cadet's) character. I should have written him in a more

thoughtful and contemplative manner. As one who believes in nonviolence and

the avoidance of conflict, I could have been more circumspect and creative

in my communication with him."

A spokeswoman for the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., referred

all inquiries on the matter back to Saint Xavier, 3700 W. 103rd St.,

Chicago.

Borders, who is in charge of the academy's assembly, could not be reached

for comment. He sent out an open letter in an attempt to diffuse the

situation.

"I am pleased to say that a 'cyber-episode' which started poorly has evolved

into a more professional and academic discussion," Borders wrote.

In fact, Saint Xavier plans to send several students to the assembly in

February, Yanikoski said.

But the initial e-mail from Kirstein, who has been at the university for 28

years, quickly made its way around the world.

"With the whole country senstive to the possibility of war in Iraq, emotions

were aroused. Peter's emotions were aroused, and now a great many people's

emotions are aroused," said Yanikoski, who served in the U.S. Air Force from

1969 to 1973.

As a result, hundreds — possibly 1,000 people — have contacted the

university, Yanikoski said.

Yanikoski said many have called for Kirstein's firing, but he doesn't

believe that is the proper response.

"There will be consequences, but that is not one of them," he said.

He declined to say what action would be taken against Kirstein.

Meanwhile, Yanikoski said some military personnel have made threats against

the university.

"The majority of the military have been very respectful, but approximately

one-quarter of them have threatented to get the CIA and FBI involved, shut

down all giving to the university, threatened to contact our alumni, to set

up a Web site critical of the university, and it gets worse from there,"

Yanikoski said. "We hope reason will prevail."

Yanikoski said students voted Kirstein the university's professor of the

year in 1997 "because of the quality of his teaching and his very attentive

manor to relating to students."

Yanikoski said the e-mails or information gleaned from Web sites don't

accurately portray Kirstein.

"This is perhaps what is most unfortunate in this incident," Yanikoski said.

"He's a complex, very dedicated professor who happens to have views critical

of the military."

Stephanie Gehring may be reached at sgehring@dailysouthtown.com