UCLA faces new free speech controversy over social media post – JONATHAN TURLEY

UCLA is facing a new controversy over free speech after its director of race and equity, Jonathan Perkins, tweeted that he (like many) hoped Judge Clarence Thomas would die rather than die. recover from his recent illness. UCLA recently disciplined a student for controversial statements, but defended Perkins’ right to express such hateful views. Ironically, Perkins’ office has long published anti-free speech positions to justify censorship and speech codes.
Perkins is an attorney (with a JD from the University of Virginia) and previously worked in the General Counsel Office at Harvard University.
When news of Thomas’ hospitalization spread, Perkins said: “No one wants to openly admit [we all] I hope Clarence Thomas dies. Everything you need to tell yourself. He further called objections to wishing others dead ‘stupid’ while adding a racist attack: ‘Uncle Thomas is a sexist sign who is committed to sharing his and his wife’s misery with us all. traitor.”

It was a sweet statement, of course, but I still support the right of Perkins and other professors and students to be able to speak freely on social media. It was a personal point of view expressed outside of school.
However, this was not the approach taken by UCLA in other controversies. Last year, UCLA athlete Chris Weiland has been fired from the cross country and track and field team after a video of him making racist, sexist and homophobic comments surfaced on social media. The comments were heard as Weiland spoke with his mother.
Avery Anderson, director of athletics and cross country at UCLA, reinstated Weiland after a suspension, but protests later led to his firing.
The UCLA Black Student-Athlete Alliance released a statement that:
“UCLA was aware of a blatant incident of racism, homophobia, and sexism and has taken very minimal action regarding it. … We do not feel safe with this person on campus, and we demand that the UCLA athletics acted immediately and removed this student from the team.
Anderson responded to this and other objections by reversing his decision:
“It has become clear that his continued involvement in the team is incompatible with the culture of mutual support and respect that we encourage. I realize now that the decision to reinstate him was the wrong decision and today’s action is the best for the well-being of our team.
UCLA professors have also been the subject of investigations and protests over their private speech or their class politics denounced as racist. A professor is currently suing UCLA.
There are no such protests or actions against Perkins’ hateful and racist comments.