Profiles in Academic Courage II
By 
The University of Kentucky has placed an employee on paid administrative leave after he posted an “offensive remark” about the death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Brad Van Hook, UK’s key shop manager, commented on a WKYT Facebook post, paraphrasing a quote from American lawyer and civil rights advocate Clarence Darrow, the Herald-Leader reported.
“I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great satisfaction,” Van Hook’s comment said.
UK spokesperson Jay Blanton confirmed Van Hook is under investigation, stating the university referred the comment to “appropriate officials.”
“The statement attributed to him — no matter who made it and what their affiliation is — does not reflect who we are as a community,” Blanton said in a statement. “It is cruel. It is insensitive and it is wrong.”
No one here will be surprised to learn that neither the faculty nor the staff of UK have been offered any useful guidance regarding the bounds of what we can and cannot say about the late Mr. Kirk. “Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius,” seems to be the message that administration would like to send to the right wing internet mob.