Archived 2005 Letter: Ken Bonetti in Support of Ward Churchill

This page preserves an archived item from the former ColoradoPeace.org website, published February 3, 2005. It is presented here as historical material only. Nothing below should be read as a statement of current events, present affiliations, or ongoing availability.

Context of the Archived Letter

The source is a letter attributed to Ken Bonetti, described in the document as an Advisor in Economics and International Affairs at UCB. It was addressed to the Regents of the University of Colorado and concerned Professor Ward Churchill. The letter appeared on the ColoradoPeace.org site in early February 2005, during a period of public controversy over Churchill's writings.

Summary of the Letter's Arguments

In the archived text, Bonetti characterizes Professor Churchill as the target of a campaign intended to intimidate academics at the University of Colorado and elsewhere. The letter argues that dismissing Churchill over an essay would contradict stated commitments to freedom and liberty. It also contends that the essay examined the origins of the September 11 attacks and challenged a narrative of an innocent nation attacked by people hostile to American freedoms.

The letter further asserts that United States government policies over the preceding fifty years caused widespread suffering abroad, citing Iraq and sanctions as examples, and refers to harm attributed to US client governments. Bonetti acknowledges that these claims are difficult for many Americans to accept. He urges the Regents to reconsider their earlier criticism of Churchill, to abandon any plans to take action against him, and to affirm the university's mission of advancing knowledge and free inquiry. The letter also asks that Churchill be invited to resume a departmental chairmanship.

Nature of the Archived Material

• The document is an opinion letter, not a news report or official university record.
• Claims within the letter reflect the author's views as expressed in 2005 and are not independently verified here.
• References to roles, titles, and institutional positions describe the 2005 document and are not assertions about any person's present status.
• The original publication date shown in the source is February 3, 2005, while the archived path references February 2, 2005.

Archival Note

This entry is a restrained historical summary of a single archived letter. It does not endorse its arguments, confirm its factual assertions, or imply any continuing relationship among the individuals or institutions named. Readers should treat the material as a snapshot of a 2005 debate preserved on a now-defunct website.