Professors on Charlie Kirk's Watchlist Reflect on His Death and Legacy
Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, professors previously targeted on his "Professor Watchlist" are reflecting on his legacy and expressing concerns about their safety and the current climate of distrust in higher education. The watchlist, launched after the 2016 election, aimed to "expose and document college professors who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom."
Matthew Boedy's Perspective on Kirk's Death
Matthew Boedy, an English professor at the University of North Georgia and a long-time member of Kirk's watchlist, expressed concern about Kirk being portrayed as a martyr. He discussed this in an interview with Here & Now's Sarah McCammon. Boedy fears such a portrayal could further exacerbate existing divisions in the country.
"Martyrdom certainly honors the person, but it has a terrible track record, and that's why I suggest it's dangerous for our country, because in our country right now there are divides all over the place — in churches, in pews, in families — and so to have one side say martyrdom and one side, ‘I'm sorry for his death, but he's not a martyr,’ it really can ignite things in a terrible way.”
Boedy had been preparing a Sunday school presentation about Christian nationalism and Turning Point USA's strategy to influence culture. He now grapples with how to address Kirk's death in that context, focusing on the relationship between Christianity and democracy. The professor also reflected on the irony of being targeted by Turning Point for speaking out against gun violence, only to have Kirk be assassinated by a gun on a college campus.
The "Seven Mountains" Strategy
Boedy explained the "Seven Mountains" strategy, a concept within some Christian right circles aimed at "taking back America for Jesus." This involves placing Christians in leadership positions across seven key areas: government, entertainment, and other influential cultural institutions. Some view it as leaning towards a theocracy, while others see it as striving for a dominant Christian culture, a concept implicitly linked to Kirk's vision of Western civilization.
Maryland Professors Targeted and Their Reactions
Several Maryland professors who appeared on Kirk's watchlist have spoken out about their experiences and concerns following his death. Nathan Connolly, a history professor at Johns Hopkins University, stated that he feels "less safe" after Kirk's murder, fearing it will "ripen murderous fruit."
Connolly and his late wife, Shani Mott, were placed on the watchlist due to a lawsuit they filed alleging racial bias in a home appraisal. This led to hateful messages and a sense of vulnerability.
Christabel K. Cheung, a cancer researcher and associate professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, faced harassment after being labeled as promoting "racial ideology." She received hundreds of threatening emails and had to remove personal information from her faculty page.
Stacey Patton, a research associate at Morgan State University, also received abusive messages threatening violence after being placed on the watchlist for similar reasons. Campus security offered her an escort due to safety concerns.
Drew Daniel, an English professor at Johns Hopkins University, experienced a similar wave of hostility after being labeled a "terror supporter" and antisemite for signing a letter condemning violence against Palestinians. He fears increased classroom surveillance and the chilling effect on academic freedom, particularly for professors at public colleges in Republican-led states.
"Charlie Kirk’s legacy is empowering classroom surveillance and encouraging young people to harass professors that they disagree with. I don’t see Charlie Kirk’s actions with the professor watch list as at all consistent with a belief in free speech.”
These professors highlight the real-world impact of Kirk's watchlist and express concerns about the current climate of distrust and hostility towards academia.
