Kevin James Barrett (born February 1959) is a former university lecturer and 9/11 conspiracy theorist. He is a member of the Scholars for 9/11 Truth and is a founding member of the Muslim-Jewish-Christian Alliance (MUJCA), established October 30, 2004 with the stated aim of improving "interfaith dialogue, coexistence, and understanding" in light of the events of 9/11. Barrett first received national attention when he introduced Dr. David Ray Griffin at Griffin's lecture in April 2005, in Madison, Wisconsin to 450 people. The talk was shown on C-Span's Book TV. Barrett became controversial in 2006 when he held a one-semester appointment as an associate lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In the fall of 2006, Barrett taught an introductory class called "Islam: Religion and Culture", an undergraduate course for which he had formerly been a teaching assistant since 1996. Before the semester began, he announced his plans to devote a week or two of the sixteen-week class to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack and the War on Terrorism. Controversy erupted when it became known Barrett was planning to discuss conspiracy theories in his lectures. An internal university probe of his performance as a teaching assistant found that "although Mr. Barrett presented a variety of viewpoints, he had not discussed his personal opinions in the classroom" and that the department-approved syllabus, which included a section on the war on terror, had been followed.
Since leaving the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Barrett has remained in Madison as an increasingly vocal activist on 9/11 truth issues. In the 9/11 truth movement, Barrett is known for flamboyant self-promotion, frequently immoderate statements, and his inclusive "big tent" philosophy on 9/11 theories, which some researchers consider irresponsible and harmful to credibility. On October 22, 2007, Barrett disrupted a talk by conservative pundit David Horowitz for several minutes, causing a major disturbance. Barrett was driven from the hall by chants of "Asshole! Asshole! Asshole!"
9/119119-11September112001WTC7WTC7WTC7WTC7
