Prof Who Said ‘Trump Must Hang’ Now Apologizing Profusely
“now fears for his personal safety”
This guy has changed his tune, big time. An FBI investigation can do that.
The Daily Caller reports:
Fresno State Professor Who Said ‘Trump Must Hang’ Apologizes Profusely, Flees Fresno
The history professor at California State University, Fresno who appeared to advocate for the death of President Donald Trump on Twitter has apologized profusely and taken a temporary leave of absence in an undisclosed location because he now fears for his personal safety.
The professor, Lars Maischak, composed the tweets around the end of February. The tweets called for Trump to “hang” in order to “save American democracy.” “The sooner and the higher, the better.” The only “cure” for racist people is a bullet to their head, the tweets also said. Maischak used hashtags including “#TheResistance” and “#DeathToFascism.”
Maischak says he now deeply regrets composing and publishing the tweets.
“I ask forgiveness of those who felt threatened or offended by them,” Maischak wrote in a statement obtained by the Los Angeles Times. “It was never my intent to harm anyone, nor to encourage others to harm anyone.”
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Comments
How could it have “never been the intent” to harm or encourage others to harm when you say “kill the president”?
Is English his second language? Or is he just an FOS Liberal?
I do believe he is a foreigner…
Not sure where I read it.
Born and raised in Germany.
He didn’t say “kill the president”. (If he had said that it would still be protected speech, so long as it wasn’t both intended and likely to cause a listener to immediately act on it, but as it happens he didn’t say it so that point is moot.) He said the president ought to be hanged; since hanging is typically a method of judicial execution, and is indeed a byword for judicial execution regardless of the actual method, the most obvious interpretation is that he was calling for the president to be tried before a court of law, found guilty, sentenced to death, and executed.
Ever heard of lynching?
Yes, I’ve heard of it. So what? When one says “so-and-so should hang”, the standard and universally understood meaning is by the order of a duly appointed court, not a mob.
In any event, even if he were advocating the president’s lynching, that would be equally protected speech. The first amendment makes no distinction between advocacy of lawful and unlawful acts.
He now fears for HIS safety!? Karma is a b*tch!
You encourage your moronic students to murder Trump but mean no offense? huh?
Wonder if this is more him fleeing, what I am sure would be, a very uncomfortable interview with Federal Investigators?
Nothing concentrates the mind like the prospect of an imminent FBI investigation.
Which is why we ought to be worried about chilling effects.
Let me clarify what I meant. I think he fled because he believed he was going to be subject to an uncomfortable interview with Fed. Investigators. I have not read anywhere that there is any actual “investigation” being done. If he is being harassed or threatened by what is basically a mob, then he needs to be seeking the help of federal investigators.
Also, while I agree with you that his words do not rise to the level of incitement; I also think it is important take note of people who skirt that fine line between incitement and protected speech.
If his apology was prompted by an FBI investigation then we have more to worry about than a leftist being honest; we have a clear breach of the first amendment, with government action having a chilling effect on free expression. It is beyond all possible question that his tweet was protected speech. The first amendment protects the absolute right to advocate anything at all, including the commission of crimes. The Secret Service may investigate only if it is seriously worried that he might be planning to act on his own advocacy, and only if it can do so without having a chilling effect on others who might say the same thing.
Here’s the Democrat take home lesson concerning the first amendment. When they say it, then it is free speech and should be allowed with no limit, but should someone else say it against a liberal then it is terrible for it is now hate speech and has a chilling effect on communications and people.
“Hate speech” is just as protected as any other kind of speech.
In the current PC culture where some label “hate speech” as anything other than their worldview, it requires even more protection than normal. Whether I find it repugnant, disgusting, or evil are irrelevant.
I hope he doesn’t avoid Nevada. They have very aggressive gym equipment there.
“I ask forgiveness of those who felt threatened or offended by them,” Maischak wrote in a statement obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
So if we weren’t offended, he’s not sorry?
This is NOT an apology.