A Michigan professor has been placed on leave after posting a disturbing rant online calling for students to kill “racist, homophobic, or transphobic” speakers on campus. English and film studies professor Steven Shaviro was suspended with pay by Wayne State University in Detroit, and the administration referred his comments to law enforcement. While the controversial educator appears to have deleted his Facebook comments since being placed on leave, concerned students were able to capture screenshots.
“So here is what I think about free speech on campus,” Shaviro wrote on his Facebook page.
Although I do not advocate violating federal and state criminal codes, I think it is far more admirable to kill a racist, homophobic, or transphobic speaker than it is to shout them down.
Subscribe to Florida Jolt Newsletter!
In a lengthy post, the Yale-educated professor argued that “right-wing groups” only invite speakers to campus to provoke a reaction, justifying extreme action to rid controversial speakers of campus grounds.
When right-wing groups invite such speakers to campus, it is precisely because they want to provoke an incident that discredits the left, and gives more publicity and validation to these reprehensible views than they could otherwise attain. The protesters get blamed instead of the bigoted speaker; the university administration finds a perfect excuse to side publicly with the racists or phobes; the national and international press has a field day saying that bigots are the ones being oppressed, rather than the people those bigots actually hate being the victims of oppression.
The professor concluded by writing,
In short, every time protesters shout down a racist or transphobic speaker, they are indulging their own moral sense of validity at the expense of actually strengthening the very bigots against whom they are protesting.
Shaviro’s comments immediately drew backlash from the university. Despite attempts to scrub his social media of controversial posts, university officials confirmed that Shaviro had been suspended indefinitely with pay. The university’s president, Dr. M. Roy Wilson, said that Shaviro’s rant had also been referred to law enforcement.
“We have on many occasions defended the right of free speech guaranteed by the Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but we feel this post far exceeds the bounds of reasonable or protected speech. It is, at best, morally reprehensible and, at worst, criminal,” Wilson said.
Join your fellow patriots and subscribe to our Youtube Channel.
Several high-profile conservative speakers have been attacked on campuses in recent weeks. On March 14, protesters at the University of California, Davis, donned all-black clothing. He clashed with security in an attempt to disrupt a speaking event with Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk. Video captured protesters shattering glass and even using pepper spray.
NEW VIDEO: Violent leftwing agitators just smashed through windows outside of the event venue here at UC Davis. Reports are that some of this group made their way into the building before police successfully removed them. Pray for peace and safety for all involved. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/IbZd2v9pRn
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 15, 2023
In another widely-publicized incident, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Kyle Duncan was shouted off Stanford University’s campus by a crowd of angry law students. Duncan was called a “liar” and “scumbag” by students, with several witnesses claiming to have heard a protester calling for Duncan’s daughter to be raped. A faculty member that intervened on behalf of the protesters to shut Duncan down was later reported to be on leave.
Other stories you may want to read:
[Video] Intense Footage Released of Hero Cops Taking Down Nashville Shooter
- Chuck Millar Stands Out as Palm Beach Gardens’ Most Seasoned Leader - February 24, 2025
- Navy Vet Thomas Turkin Fights for a Better Boynton - February 10, 2025
- Rebecca Shelton’s Vision to Revitalize Boynton Beach - January 29, 2025