Peter N. Kirstein

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Peter N. Kirstein, Ph.D. is a professor of history at Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois. He completed his doctorate at Saint Louis University. Kirstein is also a liberal known for his anti-war views and animate lectures, presenting himself as a pacifist with his motto, “Resist War. Demand Academic Freedom. Defend the Vulnerable.” He gained notoriety for denouncing a military cadet a little over a year after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.

[edit] Post 9/11 Controversy

Kirstein gained attention from the media when an email surfaced revealing that he made derogatory comments to a United States Air Force Academy cadet in late October 2002. The cadet initially wrote to Kirstein seeking advice and permission to distribute information relating to an event at the United States Air Force Academy to the Saint Xavier community. Kirstein refused calling him a "disgrace to this country" and denounced the military's "aggressive baby-killing tactics of collateral damage." The professor went on further saying that the cadet is "worse than the snipers," an "imperialist," and held him and United State's foreign policies partially responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.

A public outcry from those sensitive to the 9/11 terrorist attacks demanded that Kirstein be reprimanded by Saint Xavier's administration. Saint Xavier University forced Kirstein to apologize and suspended him until the administration could determine an immediate course of action, concluding that he'd be put on sabbatical pending further review. Some people were critical of the administration's decision to force the professor into sabbatical, while others viewed the reprimand as a slap on the wrist. Nevertheless, Kirstein was allowed to return to his teaching position and maintains it to this day.