A controversial University of Colorado professor says he will not be silenced or apologize to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Ward Churchill spoke to an overflow crowd of more than 1,000 Tuesday night on the CU campus in Boulder, the Rocky Mountain News reported.
"I'm not backing off an inch. I owe no one an apology," he said, sparking a standing ovation from many in the audience.
It was Churchill's first public talk since being caught up in controversy over a 3-year-old essay he wrote about the Sept. 11 attacks. In that piece, he likened "technocrats" at the World Trade Center to Nazi Adolf Eichmann.
In his speech, Churchill insisted he never advocated or endorsed the nearly 3,000 deaths from the Sept. 11 attacks. He said he was trying to explain how American foreign policy decisions can yield a disastrous payback.
Churchill's remarks in the original essay have drawn criticism from Gov. Bill Owens, state legislators and members of Congress. The board of regents is investigating his past writings, which could lead to a call for his firing.
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