An assistant professor at Mississippi College is the subject of widespread criticism due to a post she shared on social media following the shooting death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
Ashley Krason, an assistant professor in the school’s Modern Language Department and coordinator of the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program on the Clinton campus, is facing backlash and calls for her to be fired for something she shared on Facebook after Kirk’s death.
Krason wrote, “This is the only thing I’ll share publicly on the subject,” above a post she had shared that equated Kirk’s killing to a “Greek tragedy, full of irony and self-fulfilling prophecies.” The post further stated that Kirk, a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, “lived his life advocating for gun rights without concern for gun deaths,” and “died from gun violence,” insinuating that Kirk’s killing was the result of the political views he espoused.
Kirk is believed to have been shot to death by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson at a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Robinson has since been charged with aggravated murder, though the shooting remains under investigation and the focal point of efforts to calm tensions in a heated American political climate.
The post did not receive a warm reception from some students, their parents, former Mississippi College alumni, and concerned bystanders. Just as many condemned a University of Mississippi staffer who shared insensitive content online after Kirk’s passing, and was ultimately fired for it, folks also called Krason out for her take on the matter.
Detractors shared a countering social media post, one that urged the Christian college to prohibit “any evil” from its faculty. The post also called into question the assistant professor’s faith, challenging her ability to have empathy for Kirk’s family while also parroting a belief that the Turning Point USA founder’s death was a consequence of his own choices. Krason brands herself as a Christian and attends a local church in Clinton.
“Mississippi College, we call on you, as Christians, to not allow any evil from any of your faculty. This is a professor and a proclaimed Christian! You can’t say you pray for his family, but say that it was a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy,'” a social media post reads. “No matter where you stand politically, you cannot say that this is a ‘consequence of his own choices’ or that he was ‘foretelling’ his death. That is absolutely disgusting.”
Krason has not publicly weighed in on the backlash her post received. However, in a message addressed to officers of the Kissimmee Tribe, a student group at Mississippi College, she dismissed negative online comments about her as “very cruel rumors” while also advising the officers not to engage with anybody criticizing Krason on social media. Krason, who serves as the tribe’s sponsor, encouraged the officers to post positive things about her instead.
“You may or may not have seen things posted online about me today. It has been a very difficult day dealing with some very cruel rumors. If you see anything on social media or if you hear anything from your friends, please don’t engage. (Or if you feel the need to talk about me publicly, I would appreciate it if it were only positive things – ha!),” Krason’s message to the tribe’s officers reads.
“Also, before you believe anything you see, please ask me personally” she continued. “I don’t think I’ve seen a true statement yet, so I’d like to share my heart with you if you are concerned or feel tempted to believe anything about me that you don’t know for a fact to be true.”
Officials at Mississippi College have not yet responded to a request for comment from SuperTalk Mississippi News regarding the sentiments Krason shared online and if the school plans to take any action regarding the assistant professor’s employment status. Krason also did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.