'Combat Teams'?

Hi all,

Here are some new controversies to chew on:

A Colorado University (search) professor has written an essay contending that the terrorists who hijacked planes on 9/11 were not terrorists, but "combat teams", adding, "The most that can honestly be said of those involved on Sept. 11 is that they finally responded in kind to some of what this country has dispensed to people as a matter of course." Here's what this professor, Ward Churchill (search), says of those killed: "As for those in the World Trade Center (search), well, really, let's get a grip here, shall we? True enough, they were civilians of a sort. but innocent? Gimme a break." He further describes the victims as "little Eichmanns", referring to Adolph Eichmann (search) (who carried out Hitler's plan to exterminate Jews).

Now Professor Churchill has been invited to speak next week at Hamilton College (search) in New York. As we often hear from a certain colleague of mine: what say you?

Also, a Michigan company has fired four employees who refused to quit smoking. I don't mean smoking in the office, I mean smoking on their own time! Weyco Inc. (search) instituted a new policy banning all tobacco use by employees then terminated these four workers after they refused to submit to a smoking breath test.

What do you think of that? We all know that generations of smokers have ended up adding to our health care costs, and apparently Weyco is within its legal rights to do what it did. Still, what do you think about a company trying to control its employees' behavior when they're not at work? Send me your comments at: dayside@foxnews.com.

As for Friday, I have to be out (Juliet Huddy is filling in, so be gentle), but “DaySide” will be focused heavily on the upcoming elections in Iraq. I've gotten some very interesting e-mails and photos from soldiers over there, and Juliet will have them for you.

Also, I wanted to pass on a Web link for those of you who feel frustrated by the limited (and sometimes biased) information you're getting from the mainstream media on Iraq. Go to www.centcom.mil and on the site you will see that you can sign up for a daily newsletter of events in Iraq. I find it very helpful, and you might too. This is the military's own effort to get out positive stories.

Now, the news on Ahmad al Qlooshi (search), the Muslim college student flunked by his prof on his final and told to get psychotherapy for his pro-American views. Lots of you took a hard look at both the exam question and Ahmad's answer, and responses were mixed.

E-mail No. 1:

I read this young man's essay.It was very good. I liked it. I guess this means I need to make an appointment with a shrink.
— Charles Johns, Lake Placid, FL

E-mail No. 2:

The question is appallingly one-sided.. the ultimate 'agree with me' question. The answer, meanwhile, is a ludicrous mishmash of platitudes that are completely out of place in an academic context. I'd suggest failing the student and firing the professor.
— Edward Green, Oxford (From Linda: There were many e-mails along this line.)

E-mail No. 3:

What is this prof SMOKING!!! Send his sorry (expletive) to North Korea (search) for a couple of years and have him do a report on their democracy and see how quick he wants to come back HOME.
— Patrick Haas, Stafford, VA

As for the two boys in Florida arrested for drawing pictures of themselves killing a fellow student...

E-mail No. 4:

Linda— arresting 9 year olds for something they drew is the most stupid thing I have ever heard, here they are letting hard criminals out of jail on technicalities and arresting children for drawing pictures. — Petty Butcher, Gardena, CA

Finally, some comments on the "Choose Life" license plates in South Carolina...

E-mail No. 5:

"Connecticut has a license plate that says "Save the Sound". It costs more and the proceeds go to an environmentalist fund. Why is that okay, but "Choose Life", a much more important issue, is not?"
— Jessica Johnson, Avon, CT

—Linda

Watch "DaySide with Linda Vester" weekdays at 1 p.m. ET

Send your comments to dayside@foxnews.com.