Parkland Shooting Survivor Kyle Kashuv Loses His Place at Harvard After Racist Text Messages Surface

Sometimes, life comes at you fast. And Kyle Kashuv, the pro-gun teen who was among the survivors of the mass shooting at Parkland, Fla.โ€™s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, seems to be learning that lesson the hard way. Suggested Reading Three Friends Were Headed To A Beyoncรฉ Concert, But One Dies On the Way. Guess…

Sometimes, life comes at you fast. And Kyle Kashuv, the pro-gun teen who was among the survivors of the mass shooting at Parkland, Fla.โ€™s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, seems to be learning that lesson the hard way.

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On Monday, Kashuv shared his astonishment that Harvard had rescinded his admission because of his use of racial slurs in texts he sent two years ago, HuffPost reports.

The texts included repeated use of the word โ€œnigger,โ€ including the uhm, observation: โ€œlike im really good at typing nigger ok like practice uhhhhhh makes perfect son??!!โ€

HuffPost reported last month on the existence of the racist messages, for which Kashuv, now 18, apologized, saying: โ€œWe were 16-year-olds making idiotic comments, using callous and inflammatory language in an effort to be as extreme and shocking as possible.โ€

But in a case where actions seem to have had consequences, Harvard apparently decided to nix Kashuvโ€™s acceptance into the Class of 2023.

In a series of tweets Monday, Kashuv posted what he said was an image of the letter heโ€™d received from Harvard announcing its decision, which read in part: โ€œWe are sorry about the circumstances that have led us to withdraw your admission, and we wish you success in your future academic endeavors and beyond.โ€

https://twitter.com/KyleKashuv/status/1140605179311656962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Kashuvโ€”whoโ€™s had speaking engagements before National Rifle Association forums and, according to HuffPost, once had a leadership position with Turning Point USA, a college Republican group with what HuffPost referred to as a โ€œwhite supremacyโ€ problemโ€”called out Harvardโ€™s decision as shortsighted, tweeting:

โ€œThroughout its history, Harvardโ€™s faculty has included slave owners, segregationists, bigots and antisemites,โ€ he said. โ€œIf Harvard is suggesting that growth isnโ€™t possible and that our past defines our future, then Harvard is an inherently racist institution. But I donโ€™t believe that. I believe that institutions and people can grow.โ€

Harvard wouldnโ€™t comment on the specifics of Kashuvโ€™s admission decision, but told HuffPost:

Asked to confirm the letterโ€™s authenticity, a Harvard spokesperson said the college doesnโ€™t comment on individual cases, but provided a list of reasons the school might rescind admission, including โ€œbehavior that brings into question their honesty, maturity or moral character.โ€

Meanwhile, conservative punditry practically had a conniption fit upon learning of Kashuvโ€™s fate, with reactions that bordered on the insanity a notion that probably could be best summed up as, โ€œIf itโ€™s wrong to say โ€˜nigger,โ€™ I donโ€™t want to be right.โ€

As commentator Ben Shapiro opined, according to HuffPost:

โ€œHarvardโ€™s auto-da-fe sets up an insane, cruel standard no one can possibly meet.โ€

Yeah, itโ€™s sooo hard to avoid saying that racial slur. Just impossible, right?

Straight From The Root

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