A Drexel University professor, already infamous for tweeting, ”All I Want for Christmas is White Genocide,” upped the ante last Sunday, mocking the United States armed forces.
There were some heated responses on Twitter:
Last year, Ciccariello tweeted this on Christmas Eve:
When his tweet prompted outrage, he still wouldn’t apologize, only claiming his tweet was a joke and his critics were “violent racists.”
But on Christmas Day, the day after his racist tweet, Ciccariello followed with this:
Drexel University responded to the “white genocide” tweet by asserting Ciccariello’s comments were “utterly reprehensible” and “deeply disturbing,” adding that they were “taking this situation very seriously.” But four days after the tweet, the university released a statement signed by University President John A. Fry saying Ciccariello-Maher’s comments fell under the category of “protected speech.” The statement read:
Instances such as this one both test and strengthen Drexel’s fundamental dedication to the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression… The University vigorously supports the right of its faculty members and students to freely express their opinions in the course of academic debate and discussion. In this vein, we recognize Professor Ciccariello-Maher’s tweets as protected speech… The University strongly encourages the use of speech —not threats or violence — to counter speech with which one disagrees. In the coming months, we look forward to a constructive exchange of ideas and opinions on the subject of academic freedom and freedom of speech.