Two professors from California's public university systems have recently drawn criticism for their public remarks, which included profanity and calls for violence. The incidents have reignited debate about the conduct of academics and the mission of higher education in the state.
Melina Abdullah, a professor of Pan-African studies at Cal State Los Angeles, spoke at the La Defensa del Pueblo Summit in Pasadena. During her remarks, she reportedly used profane language to describe an ICE agent, shared the agent's hotel address, and encouraged harmful actions against them. "Sometimes it’s just do this s–t. You see the devil right there, f–k him up… F— him up. F— him up. I’m sorry, I’m already on the motherf—king list," Abdullah was quoted as saying.
In a separate event, Butch Ware, an associate professor of history at UC Santa Barbara, spoke at the Marxism Conference in Chicago. Ware reportedly discussed the concept of war and readiness, stating, "Y’all ain’t dreamed big enough yet. Some of these clickety-clack revolutionaries have never been in a f—ing gunfight, but some of us that grew up in the hood know what guns are like… Y’all ain’t nowhere near ready for a war in the streets. You better get ready for both kinds of war, and if you stay ready, you ain’t got to get ready."
The commentary in the New York Post, which reported on these incidents, suggests that such public behavior by academics is unbecoming of their roles. The article posits that universities should focus on teaching students critical thinking rather than activism and argues for more selective hiring practices. Critics of these remarks contend that professors should serve as role models and that taxpayer funds should not support instructors who promote violence or engage in profane public displays.
While acknowledging that not all professors fit this description, the source implies that the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems should re-evaluate their hiring priorities, potentially moving away from a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in favor of what it describes as more "serious, sober, scholarly professors."