Chicago Sun-Times' Neil Steinberg is back

Neil Steinberg is a very good newspaper columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. Two months ago he was arrested for hitting his wife during an argument. He was drunk when that happened. Since then, Neil has spent a lot of time in rehab.

Here is his "I'm back" column from today's Sun-Times.

Steinberg was an instigator, but not in a purposeful fashion, in the Thomas Klocek-DePaul free speech battle.

From the FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) web site.

This is our understanding of the facts based on university documents, press reports, and information provided by Professor Klocek. Please inform us if you believe we are in error. On September 15, 2004, Professor Klocek was at a student activities fair held at DePaul’s Loop campus, and approached tables set up by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and United Muslims Moving Ahead (UMMA). Professor Klocek picked up an SJP handout which decried Israeli policy in the Palestinian territories, and engaged in a debate with the students at the table. During this debate, Professor Klocek cited an article by Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times that quoted the general manager of the Al-Arabiya television network as saying, “It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.” A heated but strictly verbal argument ensued, during which time Professor Klocek argued that a Christian viewpoint, not merely a Muslim or Jewish one, should be considered in dealing with the issue at hand. The argument concluded when Professor Klocek walked away from the SJP and UMMA tables and thumbed his chin at the students in what he believed to be an Italian hand gesture meaning “I’m outta here.”

Technorati tags: Neil Steinberg Chicago Sun-Times Journalism DePaul Thomas Klocek SJP