TYPICAL ACADEMIC MINDSET ON GUN VIOLENCE

David Guth is a Kansas University journalism professor. On Monday he tweeted:

#NavyYardShooting The blood is on the hands of the #NRA. Next time, let it be YOUR sons and daughters. Shame on you. May God damn you.

Prof. Guth then used his blogsite Snapping Turtle to defend his God-damning tweet. He said:

I am angry, frustrated, sad and determined. The news of the senseless slaughter today at Washington's Navy Yard has me again questioning how we can let this madness continue.

Frankly, I don't care if I am criticized for being too quick to judge, too harsh in my criticism or too strident in my tone. The time has passed for niceties and tact.

The blood spilled today is on the hands of the National Rifle Association. I don't care how the NRA tries to spin this. One fact is undeniable: The NRA has championed a gun culture that is shredding our nation's moral authority like armor-plated bullets ripping through flesh.

Let’s see now. Guth God-damns the NRA and wants the next victims of a mass shooting to be the sons and daughters of NRA members. How did the university react? KU officials defended the professor’s right to express his personal opinions, “but those opinions do not represent the university.”

If you think this is atypical of the academic mindset on gun violence, I think you are wrong. Guth’s emotional and vitriolic comments on the navy yard shootings may not represent KU, but I’ll bet they represent the opinions held by many, if not most, faculty members throughout academia.

UPDATE: PACOVILLA follower ‘kl2008a’ wrote:

Earlier today I sent an email to the Chancellor of the University of Kansas asking if they condoned Guth’s comments in wishing the murder of innocent people and wishing to file a formal complaint against Guth? I also encouraged others (via Facebook) to do the same.

Here is Chancellor Gray-Little’s response to my email:

Thank you for writing to me regarding the repugnant comments made by a member of our faculty on his personal Twitter account. The comments were inflammatory and in no way represent my views or the views of the University of Kansas.

In order to prevent disruptions to the learning environment for students, the School of Journalism and the university, I have directed Provost Jeff Vitter to place Associate Professor Guth on indefinite administrative leave pending a review of the entire situation. Professor Guth’s classes will be taught by other faculty members.

What I ask is that you not allow the comments by a lone professor impugn an entire university, and the thousands of students, faculty and staff who are part of our community.

Sincerely,

Bernadette Gray-Little
Chancellor

EDITOR’S NOTE: Everyone should appreciate that kl2008a sent his message to Chancellor Gray-Little. There really should be no place in academia for creeps like Guth.

Her response to Guth's tweet was certainly more appropriate than that of the KU officials who defended his right to express his personal opinion.

Now watch for Guth's fellow faculty members to come to his defense by screaming that Gray-Little violated his First Amendment Rights and that she violated his rights under the Principles of Academic Freedom, which by the way, specifically prohibit faculty members from spewing forth the vile comments he made.