Professor Seemingly Wishes Next Mass Shooting on NRA Families (UPDATED!)

UPDATE  6:00 p.m. ET -- The KU public affairs team emailed TheBlaze the following statement from Ann Brill, dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications:

While the First Amendment allows anyone to express an opinion, that privilege is not absolute and must be balanced with the rights of others. That’s vital to civil discourse. Professor Guth’s views do not represent our school and we do not advocate violence directed against any group or individuals.

And here's a statement from Timothy C. Caboni, vice chancellor for public affairs:

The contents of Professor Guth’s tweet were repugnant and in no way represent the views or opinions of the University of Kansas. Like all Americans, he has the right under the First Amendment to express his personal views and is protected in that regard.

But it is truly disgraceful that these views were expressed in such a callous and uncaring way. We expect all members of the university community to engage in civil discourse and not make inflammatory and offensive comments.

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A journalism professor at the University of Kansas on Monday reacted to the shooting spree at the Washington Navy Yard by seemingly wishing the next mass shooting on the “sons and daughters” of those affiliated with the National Rifle Association.

“The blood is on the hands of the #NRA,” David Guth, an associate professor of journalism at the university’s William Allen White School of Journalism, tweeted. “Next time, let it be YOUR sons and daughters. Shame on you. May God damn you.”

From July 2004 to July 2009, Guth served as the associate dean of the journalism school.

Campus Reform, which covers higher education, contacted Guth Wednesday and asked if he regretted the harshly worded tweet.

“Hell no, hell no, I do not regret that Tweet,” he said. “I don't take it back one bit.”

He added: “A pox on our Congress and a pox on the NRA” for not passing stricter gun laws.

“It absolutely appalls me that after Newtown, we could not have come to some kind of sane agreement on something as simple as the number of bullets in a magazine or the availability of assault weapons,” he said.

Image source: Twitter

A few who saw the professor’s anti-NRA tweet called him out for seemingly wishing a mass shooting on the “sons and daughters” of people connected to the gun rights organization.

“God’s justice takes many forms,” he tweeted in response to the criticism.

He later clarified his NRA-related tweet on his personal blog, writing: "I don't wish what happened today on anyone. But if it does happen again — and it likely will — may it happen to those misguided miscreants who suggest that today's death toll at the Navy Yard would have been lower if the employees there were allowed to pack heat."

A Kansas University spokesperson said in an email to Campus Reform that Guth has a right to express his opinion.

“Faculty have their own social media accounts and use those to express personal opinions, but those opinions do not represent the university,” the spokesperson said.

A university spokesperson did not immediately respond to TheBlaze’s request for comment

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Featured image via AP

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