A Texas professor posted a gruesome statement on social media calling for every last police officer and capitalist to be “strangled.” Following a massive backlash, the educator released a statement pleading for “security.”
As a teacher of fringe abstract courses such as “Philosophy of Race and Racism,” “Multicultural Philosophy,” and “Philosophy of Horror and Macabre,” Nathan Jun is no stranger to controversy. The Midwestern State University professor admits his teachings have been a point of contention for the entirety of his 12-year career at the Texas campus.
Jun has never attempted to hide the fact that he is churning out social justice warriors in his classroom. He has taken his personal philosophy to the streets in support of Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and other radical movements. However, the self-described anarchist may have gone too far in his bid to oppose what he sees as systemic oppression.
In a since-deleted Facebook post, Jun expressed his disdain for the vast majority of his fellow Americans and called for a grisly end to tens of millions of people. According to the College Fix, Jun admitted that he wants to see law enforcement officers, capitalists, and politicians brutally murdered in an anarchist takeover.
“I want the entire world to burn until the last cop is strangled with the intestines of the last capitalist, who is strangled in turn with the intestines of the last politician,” Jun wrote on Facebook.
Unsurprisingly, Jun’s comment immediately sparked a backlash that quickly reached the ears of campus officials. In an attempt to quell the outrage, MSU issued a statement assuring citizens that the university was aware of the professor’s words, adding that they fell within the protections of his freedom of speech.
“As a public university, we recognize and protect individuals’ free speech rights under the First Amendment so that ideas and information may be freely exchanged and examined without the threat of censorship or retaliation,” a statement shared Friday on KFDX-TV said. “Occasionally individuals will express opinions that may be offensive and even shocking, but are nonetheless entitled to First Amendment protection. When our faculty members speak or write as citizens within the confines of the law, they are free from institutional censorship or discipline.”
Although Jun’s right to wish death upon American citizens was openly defended by his employer, the professor wasn’t quite satisfied. In an open letter to his supporters, Jun claims that he now fears for his own life after allegedly receiving hundreds of death threats.
“As of this morning I have received more than 300 death threats by phone, email, text, and private message,” Jun sent out in a message.
Jun added that his house had been vandalized for possibly the fifth time in the last few months. However, the ultimate hypocrisy was exposed by Jun’s subsequent requests. Near the end of the message, Jun pleaded with his supporters to contact university officials and “demand” they provide him with the “security” he now feels he needs to ensure his “safety.” Additionally, he complained that he had to relocate to a hotel because he felt unsafe.
“At this point there [are] ways you can help,” Jun continued, “first, by sending a brief email to Dr. Suzanne Shipley, President of Midwestern State University and Dr. James Johnston, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs to demand that they honor their pledge to refrain from discipling [sic] or otherwise retaliating against me in response to my private utterances; take steps to ensure my safety and security; and publicly condemn the violent, racist attacks that have been leveled against me.”
Bizarrely, Jun is demanding the university provide him with protection seemingly from the same law enforcement officers he wants dead. Furthermore, he insists that he should be allowed to repeatedly stir up outrage at the expense of the university’s funding and reputation without consequence.
“I do long to live in a world in which we no longer have cops, which we no longer have capitalists and which we no longer have politicians. Because those are my political beliefs and I own them and I make no apologies for those beliefs.”
While Jun undeniably has the right to speak freely, he certainly doesn’t have the right to escape the consequences of his words. Although he shouldn’t have to fear threats of violence for doing so, some believe that Jun’s own comments should be considered a call to violence as well, which isn’t protected under by constitutional rights.
