Possible Kerry Plagiarism
The New York Sun really knows how to dig up dirt. In the second major news story of the last 24 hours that delivers a blow to Kerry, the Sun reports that 11 passages in Kerry’s 1997 book “The New War” are paraphrased versions of passages in other works, none of which marked as citations.
An academic researcher has found 11 passages in Senator Kerry’s published writings that appear to have been taken from other works without attribution, though experts disagree about whether the copying should be considered plagiarism.
Six of the passages come from Mr. Kerry’s 1997 book, “The New War: The Web of Crime That Threatens America’s National Security.” All bear some similarity to news accounts that preceded publication of the book.
In one instance, Mr. Kerry wrote, “Russian mobsters have been arrested in Germany for extortion, car theft, counterfeiting, prostitution, selling drugs and illegal weapons, and smuggling everything from icons to uranium.”
A 1993 Philadelphia Inquirer article, written by Barbara Demick, said, “Suspected Russian mobsters have been arrested in Germany and charged with extortion, car thefts, counterfeiting, prostitution, gambling, and selling drugs and illegal weapons. They have been caught smuggling everything from religious icons to uranium.” Mr. Kerry’s book contains endnotes but makes no reference to the Inquirer story.
A former English professor and author of two books on plagiarism, Robert Harris, examined that example and others and concluded that many of the instances clearly constituted plagiarism.
“If I had that in a student paper, I’d fail the paper, give them a zero, and make them redo it. On a second offense, I’d fail them for the course,” he said. “This kind of plagiarizing, it’s really unprofessional.”
New York Sun: Researcher Alleges Potential Plagiarism in 11 Passages of Kerry’s Writings
The article continues with quotes from “plagiarism experts” who argue that stealing someone’s words without attribution isn’t that bad, and politicians should be “cut a bit of slack.”
Does this matter to you? Dr. Martin Luthor King Jr. is still revered by many as an American hero, despite the fact that he plagiarized more than half of his doctoral thesis as well as many other writings. Maybe no one cares about honesty in writing anymore.
(hat tip to Captain’s Quarters)
