UPDATE: The school has released a statement condemning Smith’s comments, and the professor has apologized.
A professor of Theology at Creighton University–a Catholic institution–slammed pro-police demonstrators on Twitter last week, calling a “Back the Blue” rally a “white supremacist rally.”
Zachary B. Smith tweeted an article titled “‘Back the Blue’ rally in Omaha to show support for law enforcement,” while providing his own commentary: “Lemme fix this headline for you, @OWHnews: ‘White supremacist rally in Omaha to showcase Midwestern racism.”
The tweet faced condemnation from a conservative group on campus, and the school issued a statement denouncing Smith’s tweet. His Twitter account appears to be deactivated as of Monday morning.
According to Creighton’s website, Smith also teaches in the school’s honors program and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the women and gender studies department.
“Views expressed by a Creighton University faculty member on his personal social media account concerning the Back the Blue event are not those of the University,” the school’s statement read. “Additionally, the faculty member regrets his statement and sincerely apologizes for the offense it has caused.”
This supposedly-enlightened professor’s disdain for those who respect some of the country’s bravest heroes is rooted in intolerance and bigotry against conservatives. Labeling anyone you disagree with as a “white supremacist” or “racist” will only cause more division, and minimizes actual incidents of racism. This professor’s views on pro-police demonstrators is concerning–and should give conservative students pause before deciding to sign up for one of his classes.
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