Gannett columnist and University of Tennessee Law professor Glenn Reynolds (AKA Instapundit) tweeted a message to motorists inconvenienced by Black Lives Matter protesters in North Carolina: “Run them down.”
That’s correct, the esteemed professor, widely circulated opinion journalist, and foot soldier in the war on political correctness responded to protests about the low value placed on African-American lives by encouraging drivers to plow through crowds of humans in heavy, gas powered death machines.
Twitter suspended Reynolds, who’s been horrible since his right wing views drew enormous audiences in the early days of blogging. But in case you’re wondering if this is just a misunderstanding — something said a bit too “pithily” as it were, here’s what Reynolds told radio talker Hugh Hewitt.
GR: Well, you know, I actually tried to figure it out. I woke up and just found out my account was suspended, and didn’t know why and couldn’t find an email from them. It’s apparently a tweet I put up last night. They had a thing about how protestors were stopping traffic and surrounding vehicles on the interstate, and I said, perhaps a little too pithily, but it is Twitter, run them down. And apparently, that’s why, I don’t actually know that’s why they did it. but I assume that’s why they did it, because that’s what everybody’s talking about. I’ve heard nothing from Twitter.
HH: Now let me do what I did with Donald Trump last week, ask you to expand. I think I know what you meant. If you are threatened, you can defend yourself. Is that what you meant, Glenn Reynolds?
GR: Yeah, I’ve blogged about that before where we’ve had other interstates blocked and people surrounded by mobs. I’ve always said I would just keep driving.
With Hewitt’s help the Tweet’s reframed as “stand your ground” and Reynolds is prepared to go all Mad Max if necessary.
UT is currently investigating the tweet. Maybe Gannett, where, to nobody’s surprise, Reynolds has been a cheerleader for Donald Trump, might also consider whether or not there’s room in the national conversation for inciting mass homicide.
Gannett owns USA Today and six newspapers in Tennessee including Memphis’ Commercial Appeal.
UPDATE: Dean of UT College of Law weighs in.
UPDATE 2: Twitter’s lifted its suspension and Prof’s returned to the pool.
