Trinity Prof says “whiteness is terrorism” & Obamas are “white knee grows”

Nearly two years ago, we wrote about Johnny Eric Williams, a Trinity College professor who called white people “inhuman a-holes” who need to “die”. This was in the aftermath of the Scalise shootings in Virginia.

“It is past time for the racially oppressed to do what people who believe themselves to be ‘white’ will not do, put end to the vectors of their destructive mythology of whiteness and their white supremacy system. #LetThemF–ingDie,” the associate professor of sociology said June 18, 2017, in a series of Facebook posts. “The time is now to confront these inhuman assholes and end this now.”

This past Easter, he tweeted, “Whiteness is terrorism” and referred to Barack and Michelle Obama as “white kneegrows.”

In a second tweet Sunday, Johnny Eric Williams, who is black, wrote: “All self-identified white people (no exceptions) are invested in and collude with systemic white racism/white supremacy.”

Earlier this month, the tenured sociology professor wrote “‘White’ kneegrows really need a lot of therapy and a good ‘ol ass kicking,” in a Facebook post. When asked whether he was referring to Candace Owens, the black conservative commentator and political activist, who is from Connecticut, Williams said it wasn’t just her.

Johnny Eric Williams, associate professor of sociology at Trinity College wrote, “I’m referring to her other and less brazen but more insidious dangerous ‘white’ kneegrows like Barry and Michelle Obama and many other white kneegrows you encounter daily,” Williams posted.

In an emailed response to the Harford Courant, Williams said “there are many socially defined black folks who have internalized whiteness — as a way and knowing and being in the world. They like others who believe themselves to be ‘white,’ act on these ideas in ways that create and sustain systemic white racism.”

The officials at the college want it both ways. They say they find his words offensive but also claim they are protected by the First Amendment. About this latest offense, they wrote:

A Trinity spokeswoman said in an email Tuesday: “Yes, we know about the tweets by Professor Williams, which were made in the context of his academic scholarship on issues of race. A discussion of the tweets followed on a closed Facebook group of some Trinity alumni. In that thread, an alumnus reports having reached out to ask Professor Williams about the tweets. Professor Williams then shared a broader scholarly context for the statements, as well as some relevant publications on the concept of whiteness. The context provided by Professor Williams speaks for itself.”

So that makes it okay? Really?

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