Image Credit: Cumberland University & Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
An English professor at Cumberland University (CU) has been given the boot following public outcry over remarks he made in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
In one post, Dr. Michael Rex wrote, “Crying about a Nazi getting shot while staying silent about the school shooting in Colorado today is peak Republican.”
Six hours later, he followed up with, “On Charlie Kirk: Thoughts & Prayers. Oh, AND Kharma is a beautiful bitch.”
After a number of Tennessee politicians urged Cumberland University (CU) to take action against Rex for his inappropriate speech, and a few hours into a protest held at the campus in Lebanon, University President Dr. Paul Stumb announced that Rex, who was a faculty member, along with another staff member, were no longer employed by the university.
“After a thorough and thoughtful review process, I would like to confirm that a member of our faculty, Dr. Michael Rex, and a member of our staff, Mr. Max Wood, both of whom made inappropriate comments on the internet related to the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk, are no longer employed by the University,” wrote Stumb. “This decision was not made lightly. We understand the importance and impact of this action, and we want to emphasize that we conducted a comprehensive investigation prior to making our decision.”
Rex taught a number of courses including British Literature, First Year Composition, Creative Writing, and Queer Theory.
Students that stopped to speak to protestors on Friday revealed that Rex is a self-proclaimed witch and regularly spoke of casting hexes on students.
According to one alumna who spoke with The Tennessee Conservative, Rex also told students that he suffered from a severe mental health diagnosis for which he was unmedicated by choice.
Before he made his Facebook profile private, Rex often posted mildly threatening witchcraft related content against those he disagreed with politically. He was also very outspoken about supporting typical leftist issues.
Interspersed with his woke rants, Rex frequently shared pictures of his baking projects, and was transparent about his past, including the parental abuse that he suffered as a child. Even his health was not off limits as he talked openly about his ongoing health struggles that include diabetes, and dialysis treatments that he administers at home.
The Tennessee Conservative spoke to several alumni who reported that Rex had terrorized students for years. Despite saying that it was fine to disagree with him, those that spoke out in his classes with conservative ideas were often berated and many were afraid to truly share their convictions for fear of backlash.
In 2016, when Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton at the ballot box, one alumna said that Rex showed up for class in black clothes, rather than his usual flamboyant style of dress, in a “foul mood” and was extremely rude when a student offered a “good morning” to him.
“If you are even remotely less liberal than him then his classes are not for you,” wrote one former student on a review website for university professors.
Despite all of this, some former students described him as tough but fair, albeit eccentric.
Rex, who hailed from the United Kingdom, sometimes even treated students to holiday treats like English Mince Pies before Christmas break.
Before he was fired, Tennessee politicians, at the local, state, and federal level spoke out against Rex and the university’s handling of the matter.
Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) said, “The radical left has infected our universities – cultivating an environment of hate an violence. This professor’s comments are unacceptable and proof of the sickness festering in higher education.”
State Representative Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville-District 45), who is running for Congress in Tennessee’s 6th District, called on CU to fire Rex. “This is appalling and an individual like this has no place near a young person’s education,” wrote Garrett.
Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn wrote, “This person should not be allowed within ten feet of university students – let alone allowed to instruct them. Mr. Rex has tried to walk these comments back, but the damage has been done. He should be fired immediately.”
Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell, who graduated from CU said that his pride for his Alma mater had turned to shame with the words of Rex and competitive video gaming “eSport” assistant coach Max Wood.
“Over many years, Necole and I have supported Cumberland with our time, talents and financially. However, these statements do not reflect our core values and beliefs. As long as Michael Rex remains employed at Cumberland, we will no longer provide that support,” wrote Bell.
Wood, who called Kirk a “Pedophile supporter,” later deleted his post and the following day, apologized.
After being reprimanded by the university on Thursday, Rex also deleted his offensive posts, and put up a hasty apology instead with several misspelled words.
“No one deserves to be murdered,” wrote Rex.
“Yesterday, a famous man was shot in a public space. I made a post about it. I did not think about the pain and anger that my words would create. My comments were not meant to celebrate nor to foster political violence and for any traums my words caused, I am truely sorry.
I did not think about the ramifications of my words nor did I intend to cause anyone any pain.
To Mr. Kirk’s family, I am deeply sorry if what I posted added to their horrifying hurt. To his followers and those in my own community who felt offended by my commenys, I apologize sincerely.”
His apology did little to appease local residents who continued to call for his termination, citing how Middle Tennessee State University was quick to fire their Assistant Dean of Students after comments she made about Kirk on Facebook.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
7 Responses
Yes indeed, people are losing their jobs for saying anything derogatory about Charlie Kirk. I guess it’s just another example of “cancel culture,” and it’s going to get worse. GOP Rep. Randy Fine said this about Kirk critics: “I will demand their firing, defunding, and license revocation. If you don’t think I am serious, I got two State University Board Chairman fired for less. These monsters want a fight? Congratulations; they got one.”
On Sunday Lindsey Graham pushed for the repeal of Section 230, a provision of the Communications Decency Act that shields internet companies from liability for what users post. “Section 230 needs to be repealed,” he said. “If you’re mad at social media companies that radicalize our nation, you should be mad.”
Apparently the First Amendment applies only to MAGA world.
Cumberland University is a private university. They have the right to fire anyone they believe is not a good fit for their organization. Free speech is not fully protected in many places of employment. This is how the world works. These people were fired – they weren’t arrested (like people are in Great Britain and Canada for similar words – or simply praying silently near abortion mills).
In terms of the first amendment only applying to the MAGA world, I agree – we shouldn’t be hypocrites and have different standards for one side. However, compare the speech of the right overall with the speech of the left. Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and others shadow banned, de-platformed, and censored folks whose ideas they disagreed with, despite these people speaking in a respectful manner. And it was within the companies’ right to do so – but people didn’t like that cancel culture behavior, and started other platforms like Rumble, Truth Social, etc… Big Tech lost money because of their cancel culture mentality. And now they’ve changed that behavior because they don’t like losing money.
When United States Senators and Representatives cheer when a fellow American is murdered – we have a heart problem. Their free speech is protected – but their voters see who they truly are when they use their speech like that.
In other words – free speech should be protected on both the right and the left- you should be able to say anything you want (as long as it doesn’t endanger people like yelling fire in a crowded movie theater – classic example). However – if your boss doesn’t like the way you’re speaking – don’t be surprised when you get fired.
Listen to some Charlie Kirk videos – he was a good example of how free speech should be used rightly.
Lindsey Graham is wrong. Censorship isn’t the answer.
John Adams famously stated that “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other”.
They, and apparently you, are “any other”.
This so called professor and others who celebrates the death of anyone is mentally ill and should never be indoctrinating/teaching our young adults. If celebrating the brutal murder of someone isn’t enough proof, the fact that Charlie Kirks ideology was the exact opposite of a Nazi reveals a lot about these evil beings state of mind. They are dangerous, Vile, obfuscate the truth to perpetuate violence and a lie and should be no where near any students.
Th Dems are the Nazis. They would end Free Speech and murder their opponents. That’s what every dictator does.
“Education” is terminally infested with lucifer’s evil accursed dimmercraps. They have ZERO business “teaching”.