So just below you have the Juan Cole and MEMRI story. After MEMRI threatened Cole with a lawsuit, he cried foul, suggested that Academic Freedom was at stake, and blasted the ethernet with his blog and emails suggesting people should contact MEMRI and complain.
Now, Martin Kramer notes that two years ago, Cole was eager to sue him and Daniel Pipes for far less than Cole did to MEMRI.
By the way, Cole has just been elected as head of MESA (Middle Eastern Studies Association). This academic association, to which many active scholars studying and teaching modern Middle Eastern history, politics and society belong, seems to have taken a turn to the left in recent times. At least that’s what a couple of my sources, who were just at their annual meeting held in San Francisco, tell me. I guess Cole’s election cements that notion.
PS Check out MEMRI’s Reform section, it’s fascinating and clearly proves part of Cole’s claims to be false. 😉
Juan Cole is decended from German lineage. (Kohl)
He is married to Shahin, a Pakistani woman 29 years his juior. For some reason his parents, John Herbert Cole, and Laura Katherine McIlwee named him Juan Ricardo.
Here’s a discussion I’ve been having about him.
Perusing Cole’s website I came accross a clue to his far-out and far-fetched theories. He is a Science fiction buff. Links include:
o      Northwest Science Fiction Resources
o      Science Fiction and Fantasy Books on the Web
o      Science Fiction Resource Guide
o      Science Fiction Resource Guide: Writer’s Resources
o      Science Fiction and Fantasy Net
o      Science Fiction Links
o      Ultimate Science Fiction Web Guide (6,000 links)
o      University of Michigan Fantasy and Science Fiction Home Page