Since Sorokin's Aug. 19 article, the NEA myth has been picked up, repeated and further distorted by a number of pundits and reporters. Though it has been discredited in several media outlets by now, two prominent conservatives are still actively spreading it.

In his Sept. 9 column for U.S. News and World Report, columnist John Leo wrote, "'Do not suggest that any group is responsible' for the attacks on the twin towers and the Pentagon, says the NEA's 'Remember Sept. 11' Web site." Then, a few sentences later, he admits that "the no-group-is-responsible text comes from a link to an outside site," not the NEA's, and offers the feeble defense that "the link is clearly presented as part of NEA's recommended treatment of 9/11." Appearing on CNN's "Lou Dobbs Moneyline" on Sept. 4 to discuss the column, Leo spread the smear that the NEA believes America deserved to be attacked, using extremely vague language to make this grave charge with no evidence. It's "always hanging in the background that somehow America invited this somehow," he said, "as if you got punched by a stranger on the street. It's somehow it's your fault for making more money or being more successful. And I think that's the aura of the NEA's philosophy." Then, in his newest column, Leo went after the NEA without providing any sort of context, slamming its "strange reluctance" to "identify the attackers (hint: Radical Muslim extremists did it)."

In reality, however, the NEA has identified the terrorists several times. Chase told the NEA board of directors on Oct. 5, 2001, for example, that "the terrorists attacked America because they despise our way of life ... they despise our values. We will defeat this enemy not by arms and law alone, but also by holding fast to the values that define us as Americans." Newberry, appearing on CNN's "Talkback Live," Aug. 19, said, "The enemy here is Osama bin Laden. The enemy here is al-Qaida." And in Chase's letter to the Washington Times on Aug. 20, the NEA president said, "We stand by our belief that the entire Muslim community cannot be held responsible for the actions of Osama bin Laden and the Al-Qaeda terrorists."

But perhaps worst have been the attacks on the NEA in the nationally syndicated comic strip "Mallard Fillmore," written by Bruce Tinsley. In a series of typically glib and aggressive strips last week, Tinsley attributed the NASP quotes to the NEA twice (with a footnote each time citing Sorokin's original story), called the NEA a "sick joke," portrayed Chase as saying "we told teachers to stress 'historical intolerance' instead of blaming others for the attacks," and satirized a teacher's using the NEA guidelines as handing out additional lessons called "Nazis ... Bad guys or just misunderstood?" and "Cancer ... Why it's America's fault."

In reality, however, the "sick joke" is the one being played on us.

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