*Kyle Kashuv, survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, had his admission to Harvard rescinded after his racist and anti-Semitic comments came to light.
Kashuv gained notoriety among conservatives as an outspoken advocate against gun control in the wake of the 2018 Parkland attack that left 17 dead. Unlike many of his classmates who called for stricter gun control, Kashuv, a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment rights, as noted by Forbes, also “successfully lobbied for the federal STOP School Violence Act, which included several school safety measures in lieu of stricter gun control measures,” the publication writes.
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1/ THREAD: Harvard rescinded my acceptance.
Three months after being admitted to Harvard Class of 2023, Harvard has decided to rescind my admission over texts and comments made nearly two years ago, months prior to the shooting.
I have some thoughts. Here’s what happened.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
But in May, a series of racist slurs he made in texts and shared in a Google document were released by the Huffington Post, after receiving them from Parkland students. The Google doc shows Kashuv used the n-word twelve times, including “like im really good at typing nigger ok like practice uhhhhhh makes perfect.” He also referred to black athletes as “n****rjocks.”
Kashuv attempted to delete the document, but it was too late. He posted a Twitter explanation for what he called “callous comments I made a few years ago,” claiming “we were 16-year olds making idiotic comments, using callous and inflammatory language in an effort to be as extreme and shocking as possible. I’m embarrassed by it, but I want to be clear that the comments I made are not indicative of who I am or who I’ve become in the years since.”
You can read his 13-part Twitter rant below (with part one posted via the embed above):
2/ A few weeks ago, I was made aware of egregious and callous comments classmates and I made privately years ago – when I was 16 years old, months before the shooting – in an attempt to be as extreme and shocking as possible.
I immediately apologized.
Here is my apology: pic.twitter.com/eI38ziiQE8
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
But Harvard University ain’t buying it, as Kashuv’s acceptance letter has been rescinded.
In a lengthy thread, he took to Twitter on Monday to detail his correspondences with Harvard, and call out the hypocrisy in their decision.
3/ After I issued this apology, speculative articles were written, my peers used the opportunity to attack me, and my life was once again reduced to a headline.
It sent me into one of the darkest spirals of my life.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Kashuv claims that after he became aware of the “callous” comments he made to fellow classmates, he issued an apology.
4/ After the story broke, former peers & political opponents began contacting Harvard urging them to rescind me. Harvard then sent this letter stating that Harvard “reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission” and requested a written explanation within 72 hours. pic.twitter.com/RfEQCvjgDX
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Like many white, conservative males living in Trump’s America, Kashuv attempted to victimize himself, blaming the media’s coverage of his racist remarks for sending him “into one of the darkest spirals of my life.”
When folks urged Harvard to revoke Kashuv’s admission, the ivy-league university reached out to him asking for an explanation.
5/ I responded to the letter with a full explanation, apology, and requested documents. pic.twitter.com/yWd6FeKWOJ
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
The right-leaning, pro-gun activist called into question Harvard’s ruling against him in light of the university’s “checkered past” of administrative discrimination in the past against people of color, Jews, and women.
6/ I also sent an email to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to seek guidance on how to right this wrong and work with them once I was on campus. pic.twitter.com/3M1UEXXeQm
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Kashuv concluded his whiney rant by noting that he doesn’t know which college he will attend now, as he passed on many opportunities in order to attend Harvard.
7/ Harvard decided to rescind my admission with the following letter. pic.twitter.com/P3bLkF3hHn
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Meanwhile, many conservative are calling on a boycott of Harvard, and folks like Ben Shapiro have denounced the university for how Kashuv has been treated.
Journalist Torraine Walker summed up this hot mess best when he tweeted: “It’s been a full day of “He’s just a child!” excuses from adults who never use that language for an actual child like Tamir Rice. The op-eds are coming next.”
8/ Somewhat ironically, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion sent me this response regarding my apology:
“Thank you for your email. We appreciate your thoughtful reflections and look forward to connecting with you upon your matriculation in the fall of 2020…” pic.twitter.com/YUX67QW3KE
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
9/ After receiving Harvard’s letter revoking my acceptance, I responded by asking for the opportunity to have an in-person meeting to make my case face to face and work towards any possible path of reconciliation.
Harvard responded by declining my meeting request. pic.twitter.com/rdsGU7BhjD
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
10/ Harvard deciding that someone can’t grow, especially after a life-altering event like the shooting, is deeply concerning. If any institution should understand growth, it’s Harvard, which is looked to as the pinnacle of higher education despite its checkered past.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
11/ Throughout its history, Harvard’s faculty has included slave owners, segregationists, bigots and antisemites. If Harvard is suggesting that growth isn’t possible and that our past defines our future, then Harvard is an inherently racist institution.
But I don’t believe that.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
12/ I believe that institutions and people can grow. I’ve said that repeatedly.
In the end, this isn’t about me, it’s about whether we live in a society in which forgiveness is possible or mistakes brand you as irredeemable, as Harvard has decided for me.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
13/ So what now? I’m figuring it out.
I had given up huge scholarships in order to go to Harvard, and the deadline for accepting other college offers has ended.
I’m exploring all options at the moment.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
And then there’s this…
Spot the Difference
Republicans:
“Tamir Rice was 12, that’s old enough to know better! It is his own damn fault he died! BLUE LIVES MATTER!!!”
Also Republicans:
“Why destroy his Harvard life over racism? Kyle Kashuv was only sixteen! He didn’t know it was wrong!”
— This Machine Kills Mayonnaise Misogynoir (@Bravewriting) June 17, 2019
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