AU ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR FACES BACKLASH OVER COMMENT ON CHARLIE KIRK – HERE'S HOW AARHUS UNIVERSITY IS RESPONDING

Outrage was sparked when Andreas Beck Holm, an associate professor in philosophy at Aarhus University, responded on 11 September to a Facebook post about the murder of political activist and commentator Charlie Kirk with the following remark:

“As far as I understand from the media portrayals, Kirk was about many things, but to put it mildly, not about democratic conversation and sound arguments. Rather, he engaged in populist falsehoods and ruthless manipulation in a way that appealed to the most underdeveloped segment of young American incels. Of course, he shouldn’t have been killed. But there is no reason to outright turn him into Gandhi, and I have no qualms about claiming that the world is a better place without him.”

The comment from the associate professor of philosophy was made in a comment thread on a post by Jakob v. H. Holtermann, who is an associate professor of legal philosophy at the University of Copenhagen.  Holtermann highlighted Kirk's democratic talks at universities under banners reading ‘Prove Me Wrong’. A challenge that Holtermann calls democratic in its essence and “peaceful and trusting despite all serious disagreement.”

“It is hard to imagine a greater declaration of moral bankruptcy; a more definitive monument to one's own human and democratic inadequacy, than to respond to such a challenge with mute violence by killing its sender," Jakob v. H. Holtermann continued. 

But Andreas Beck Holm, who, as an associate professor of philosophy at the School of Culture and Society, deals with democracy, among other things, didn’t agree with everything in Jakob v. H. Holtermann’s post. 

Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten got hold of the comment and wrote an article on September 11th about Andreas Beck Holm's comment (in Danish). The newspaper’s post about the news on Facebook currently has 1,600 comments, and on Sunday, September 14, the newspaper had to close the comment section due to "threats, personal attacks and violations of the law." Among the comments, there are both those who agree with the associate professor and those who criticise his position. 

“I FULLY STAND BY WHAT I SAID”

In a written response to Omnibus, Andreas Beck Holm first of all states that he spoke as a private individual when he wrote the comment on Facebook. 

"People have been quick to accuse me of ‘rejoicing’ or ‘celebrating’ Kirk’s death. It’s even been alleged that I have 'celebrated' it. Of course, none of that is correct, and there is no evidence whatsoever to claim it,” Andreas Beck Holm writes. 

This is a non-issue, he believes, and he sees the case most of all "as a sad demonstration of Jyllands-Posten’s incredibly poor journalistic standards." 

“I fully stand by what I said and am happy to explain what I meant. "But the matter has never been about what I actually meant, solely about what my words could be twisted and manipulated to mean," the associate professor writes.

He believes it should be okay to be critical of Charlie Kirk – even though he has just been killed. 

"I completely agree that the timing of my statement can be discussed. But first of all, I don't believe the same rules apply to public figures as to private individuals – in my opinion, it should be okay to discuss what they actually contributed with during their lifetime, even if they have just died. And second of all, Kirk's Danish supporters were very busy portraying him as a martyr for democracy. "This is simply wrong, and I think it’s unreasonable to demand that, out of respect for the murdered person, such a false narrative be left unchallenged."

“You can't help but be sad that two young children will grow up without their father It just doesn't change the impact their father's work had on American society. I've said it many times, but I'll say it again: I am, of course, opposed to political violence. Unlike Kirk," Andreas Beck Holm writes. 

MINISTER COMMENTS ON THE MATTER

The debate has also reached the home of the Danish parliament, Christiansborg. Member of the Danish People’s Party, Mette Thiesen, has asked the minister three parliamentary questions about Andreas Beck Holm's comment on Facebook. One of them concerns whether the minister considers it “appropriate for the credibility of universities” that a university associate professor would “so openly express joy over Charlie Kirk’s tragic death.”

Another member of the Danish Democratic Party, Mikkel Bjørn, recommends in Jyllands-Posten that in the future, AU should pay attention to "whether the people it hires to teach democracy also carry democratic values ​​in their hearts, or whether they carry the opposite.”

At the request of Jyllands-Posten,Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund (M) also comments on the matter. She calls Andreas Beck Holm's comment "downright distasteful.”

"You can agree or disagree with Charlie Kirk's political views, but I think it is downright distasteful to speak in that way about a man who has just been killed," the minister writes in an email to Jyllands-Posten.

On social media, several users express that they have contacted Aarhus University to make them aware of the associate professor's comment. One of those who received a response has published the email from AU, in which the university writes that it does not regulate what employees write or think as private individuals on social media. 

"We can state that public employees have freedom of expression on equal terms with other citizens, even in cases where the expressions may be perceived as controversial."

DEAN: AU DOES NOT REGULATE WHAT STAFF WRITE OR BELIEVE AS PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS

In the comments section of posts on Facebook and X, the fact that Andreas Beck Holm is employed as a researcher and lecturer at the university is highlighted by several people. 

Omnibus has contacted Marie Vejrup Nielsen, head of school at the School of Culture and Society, where the associate professor is employed, to ask how the management views his statements. She does not wish to be interviewed, but refers to a statement from Dean of Arts Maja Horst, which was also sent to Jyllands-Posten:

“Andreas Beck Holm has, as also stated in your article, spoken out as a private individual in a comment on Facebook. Aarhus University does not regulate what staff write or believe as private individuals on social media. "As a public employee, he has freedom of speech like other citizens, even if the statements may be perceived as controversial," Maja Horst says. 

In 2022, AU adopted a declaration on freedom of expression for students and employees at the university. This includes, among other things: 

Aarhus University’s staff must be free to engage in public and political debate within the limits of the law. This also applies to scientific and scholarly debate within their fields. Through their participation, staff contribute to ensuring that important decisions in our society are made on the basis of knowledge. 

WAVE OF DISMISSALS IN THE US FOLLOWING COMMENTS ABOUT CHARLIE KIRK

In the United States, where the murder took place, tensions have been so high that there is currently a wave of dismissals. The dismissals occur after employees have more or less praised the killing of the conservative activist, writes CNN in an article that lists a number of examples. On Tuesday, US Vice President JD Vance called for people who celebrate the killing of Charlie Kirk to be "called out," according to the BBC. He urged people to contact the employers of those who celebrate. 

At Middle Tennessee State University, the vice dean of students has been dismissed, USA Today writes, after she wrote on her Facebook profile that it “looks like old Charlie spoke his fate into reality.” Hate breeds hate. ZERO sympathy.” The university's president explained in a press release that the vice dean's comment was "inappropriate and insensitive" and "undermines the university's credibility and reputation."

This text is machine translated and post-edited by Cecillia Jensen