by Dr. Eowyn
America’s halls of “higher education” have become totalitarian goose-stepping institutions.
Grace Gottschling reports for Campus Reform, July 30, 2018, that a University of Georgia (UGA) professor felt compelled to issue an apology to those he had “offended” for congratulating his childhood friend on becoming the state’s Republican candidate for governor.
The professor is Charles N. Davis, dean of UGA’s College of Journalism and Mass Communication. His childhood friend is Brian Kemp, Georgia’s secretary of state, who won the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary election on July 24, 2018.
That night, Davis tweeted his congratulations to Kemp:
“I went to high school with GOP guv candidate @BrianKempGA. We played YMCA ball from childhood. Politics be damned. He is a nice guy, always was. Kind to a fault. He’s a friend, always has been, and will be when we’re old(er) and grey(er). That’s how all this should work, people.”
Davis’ tweet was met with a firestorm of accusations and insults. One tweeter wrote:
“You’re a straight white man. Of course he was nice and kind to you. Racists are generally nice to their own kind. Why don’t you say what you really mean. Politics be damned. You’d never vote for a black woman and would much rather vote for the white racist.”
Another tweeter wrote:
“It’s the definition of privilege. ~the dean~ has the luxury of damning politics because no politician is threatening his rights, safety, or survival; he is willing to empower those who would threaten the same of others on account of the candidate being ‘nice’ to him personally.”
Davis first tried to defend himself by explaining, on July 25, that his July 24 tweet was “merely acknowledging a friend”.
Then he deleted both tweets — and the venomous responses — entirely.
On July 27, Davis posted an obsequious tweet apologizing for having “offended” people:
I’d like to apologize to anyone offended by my tweet shout out to Brian Kemp. It was ill-timed and poorly written. I’ve read and learned so much from you all and will endeavor to be more thoughtful.”
Davis denies that his university’s administrators had pressured him to issue his apology. On July 30, he posted this tweet:
“To clarify, neither UGA nor its administration had any role in the retraction of my earlier message. I should not have used a social media account associated with UGA to post a message that some construed as political.”
Below are some responses to his tweet, with which I fully agree:
“It’s a sad day in America when a person has to apologize for congratulating a childhood friend for an accomplishment.”
“Bowing to the Twitter mob is not honorable.”
“…he should be ashamed of his apology and throwing his ‘friend’ under the bus he doesn’t owe anyone else especially me an apology.”
“It was a ridiculous retraction because it was unnecessary. You’re not preparing young people to cope with dissent and damaging the future of basic logic and reason by your absurd surrender. With friends like you who needs enemies.”
“I voted for Cagel, I honestly don’t like Kemp! But people being outraged for you congratulating a childhood friend? Then you getting scared and retracting it? A very sad day for the american people.”
“Your retraction is symbolic of something that is very wrong inside this country’s ‘education’ bubble. Shame on public institutions for putting up with and encouraging one-sided groupthink. The next generation of graduates is in for a rude surprise.”
“It’s a sad day when a protector of the First Amendment allows himself to be bullied against expressing First Amendment right to Free Speech.”
“I am offended that you apologized! You should be teaching our young adults about life and not about destroying it through the rule of mob and forced bullying.”
“Giving in to the unhinged, howling outrage mobs of social media only emboldens them. As a UGA grad, I’m embarrassed for my school but I’m even more embarrassed that you didn’t stand up to them.”
“To apologize for standing up for a lifelong friend is beyond the pale. At some point one has to decide whether adhering to a forced compliance with race baiting activists is worth the sacrifice of self and humanity. Your original post was fine. It is a sad day in this country.”
“You apologized for saying he [Brian Kemp] was a nice guy and a friend. It wasn’t remotely political and was exactly the right kind of message that people need to hear. Your apology however is offensive to anyone who values civility.”
“Grow a pair. At least own it”
“How are you a Dean? Unbelievable. Embarrassed for UGA. Where are all your friends now?”
“It’s a sad state we live in when we can’t give a congratulatory shout out to a long time friend without lunatics calling us a racist. Don’t ever apologize for standing by a friend. You are not a racist and neither is Kemp.”
“The worst part about this whole episode is that you are the Dean of Journalism at a public university. The intent was to get people to be open. Instead of standing up to the Marxist mob, you kowtowed to them. We need you to create leaders & free thinkers & that starts at the top.”
“I find it crazy that a School of Journalism Dean is actually apologizing for exercising his right to free speech. What are you teaching these students about having differing opinions? Group think is a scary thing to be pushing by a teacher of others.”
This tweet is succinct and to the point:
“You caved to the unhinged leftist mob. Spineless pussy”
He does look like a spineless pussy.
The upside of this is that Brian Kemp now knows that the last person he can depend on is his childhood friend Charles Davis, the spineless pussy.
Davis’ wife, children, friends, colleagues and students should also take note. He will throw all of you under the bus at the slightest sign of trouble.
~Eowyn