After President Trump took out Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force and the world’s No. 1 terrorist, he sent a message to the nation’s leaders via Twitter.
“Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets,” the president wrote Saturday on Twitter. “We have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!”
That prompted a response from Babson College adjunct professor Asheen Phansey.
“In retaliation, Ayatollah Khomenei should tweet a list of 52 sites of beloved American cultural heritage that he would bomb,” Phansey said in a Facebook post. “Um… Mall of America? …Kardashian residence?”
Hilarious, right? Not to Babson College, which quickly canned him.
“Babson College conducted a prompt and thorough investigation related to a post shared on a staff member’s personal Facebook page that does not represent the values and culture of the College. Based on the results of the investigation, the staff member is no longer a Babson College employee. As we have previously stated, Babson College condemns any type of threatening words and/or actions condoning violence and/or hate,” the college said in a statement.
Phansey apologized for the post, saying it was just a joke.
“I am sorry that my sloppy humor was read as a threat,” he said. “I am completely opposed to violence and would never advocate it by anyone.”
Phansey also said he is “disappointed and saddened that Babson has decided to abruptly terminate my 15-year relationship with the college just because people willfully misinterpreted a joke I made to my friends on Facebook.”
“I would have hoped that Babson, an institution of higher education that I love and to which I have given a great deal, would have defended and supported my right to free speech. Beyond my own situation, I am really concerned about what this portends for our ability as Americans to engage in political discourse without presuming the worst about each other,” he said.
Phansey’s full statement, via CBS-Boston:
“I am disappointed and saddened that Babson has decided to abruptly terminate my 15-year relationship with the college just because people willfully misinterpreted a joke I made to my friends on Facebook. I would have hoped that Babson, an institution of higher education that I love and to which I have given a great deal, would have defended and supported my right to free speech. Beyond my own situation, I am really concerned about what this portends for our ability as Americans to engage in political discourse without presuming the worst about each other.”
Trump later recanted on his call to hit cultural sites in Iran.
“You know what, if that’s what the law is, I like to obey the law,” Trump said Tuesday in the Oval Office. “But think of it: They kill our people, they blow up our people, and then we have to be very gentle with their cultural institutions. But I’m OK with it.”
