WeRoar Clemson

Jonathan Beecher Field, a Clemson University English Professor, recently shared a post by author Rebecca Solnit that appears to downplay or contextualize the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA in a troubling way.

The original post by Solnit critiques Kirk's debating style as "bullying" and links to an essay titled “No, I Will Not Debate You,” with the tagline “Civility will never defeat fascism.” Posted shortly after Kirk's death, the post by Solnit discusses Charlie Kirk’s shooting in the context of mass shootings and trans issues, while arguing that debating people like him is pointless theater.

Solnit’s post states: “And of course he was shot as he was answering or not answering a question about mass shootings--which are a very specific kind of violence, mostly perpetrated by white men--with a misleading ‘counting or not counting gang violence,’ which is a very different kind of violence.”

By sharing this, Field seems to endorse the idea that engaging with opposing views is futile and timing it amid a national tragedy raises questions about celebrating or rationalizing violence against political figures. Clemson community and beyond: Is this the kind of rhetoric we want from our educators?

Time for accountability.

Field Post: https://www.facebook.com/jbfield/posts/pfbid0Q2wj4t9vkQe8wWNdSbhD86VFE7wfhsZUoFS1RcgJQMTP7HoXYZVLXoo78n1ogUpkl

Solnit Post:
https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.solnit/posts/pfbid02gHY2atNa5Wfxx3UXfQVepXSjv8rx1y5pTswBjPKYxiHyxkx1gyP5uz8npmPM2NQql

Essay:
https://longreads.com/2018/09/18/no-i-will-not-debate-you/?fbclid=IwY2xjawM2Na9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqZhi4ocmtKCv8mmJ94dMRKagHCX9iRt6JwUhxybF3rB8KivRL0mf2SY1JN3_aem_pENmwwjFgLeF28YZUddLuQ

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