Harvard Rescinds Acceptance Of Parkland Shooting Survivor After Racial Slurs Come To Light

Guns rights advocate Kyle Kashuv

Kyle Kashuv, a survivor of the Parkland school shooting, has had his acceptance to Harvard University rescinded after several racial comments posted on social media came to light.

Mediaite reports the messages, which featured several uses of the n-word, prompted Kashuv to apologize last month.

“I want to address this with honesty and transparency,” wrote Kashuv regarding his racist remarks, which he noted was “long before" the February 2017 massacre. “We were 16-year-olds making idiotic comments, using callous and inflammatory language in an effort to be as extreme and shocking as possible. I’m embarrassed by it, but I want to be clear that the comments I made are not indicative of who I am or who I’ve become in the years since.”

But in a letter Kashuv shared on Twitter, Harvard informed the student his admission was being withdrawn.

“[The Admissions Committee] takes seriously the qualities of maturity and moral character. After careful consideration, the Committee voted to rescind your admission to Harvard,” wrote Harvard. “We are sorry about the circumstances that have led us to withdraw your admissions, and we wish you success in your future academic endeavors and beyond.”

Kashuv took to Twitter to lament his situation.

1/ THREAD: Harvard rescinded my acceptance.

Three months after being admitted to Harvard Class of 2023, Harvard has decided to rescind my admission over texts and comments made nearly two years ago, months prior to the shooting.

I have some thoughts. Here’s what happened.

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019

2/ A few weeks ago, I was made aware of egregious and callous comments classmates and I made privately years ago - when I was 16 years old, months before the shooting - in an attempt to be as extreme and shocking as possible.

I immediately apologized.

Here is my apology: pic.twitter.com/eI38ziiQE8

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019

3/ After I issued this apology, speculative articles were written, my peers used the opportunity to attack me, and my life was once again reduced to a headline.

It sent me into one of the darkest spirals of my life.

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019

4/ After the story broke, former peers & political opponents began contacting Harvard urging them to rescind me. Harvard then sent this letter stating that Harvard "reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission" and requested a written explanation within 72 hours. pic.twitter.com/RfEQCvjgDX

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019

Kashuv goes on to say he gave up "huge scholarships in order to go to Harvard, and the deadline for accepting other college offers has ended."

He adds he is currently "exploring all options at the moment."

You'll note Kashuv doesn't share the offending comments. He says they occurred "years ago" when he was sixteen.

I'm not sure a teenager suddenly 'evolved' on the issue of racial slurs in two years. Maybe, but, maybe not.

After 17 people were gunned down at his school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida, Kashuv gained a substantial social media following after appearing on several news outlets (CBS News, Fox News) to advocate for civilian gun use and against gun control laws.

He also traveled to the White House to meet with Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

Conservatives on Twitter are complaining that comments Kashuv made "when he was a kid" (they were two years ago) shouldn't be held against him.

Twitter users posted examples of Kashuv's "callous comments:"

TW: Extreme racist language

Here's some of the racist language 16 y.o. Kyle Kashuv used, resulting in Harvard rescinding his admittance. Colleges take into account a student's entire high school record when making decisions, and using slurs is 100% fair game for consideration. pic.twitter.com/fWssTqHzhl

— Kendally Brown (@kendallybrown) June 17, 2019

The racial slurs in an open Google doc have gotten more attention, but I suspect these texts from Kyle Kashuv may have weighed heavier in Harvard's decision. pic.twitter.com/hu7CYyE1M3

— Angus Johnston (@studentactivism) June 17, 2019

David Hogg put his neck on the line and fought for gun control while getting death threats daily...

Kyle Kashuv sat behind a computer and made racist comments online...

Do you really want to know which teenager deserves to go to Harvard and who doesn’t.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) June 17, 2019

(h/t JoeMyGod)

New Zealand Parliament Bans Assault Weapons

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Less than a month after a white supremacist loon shot up two mosques killing 50 people, New Zealand's lawmakers have banned most automatic and semi-automatic weapons.

Additionally, components that modify existing weapons were prohibited as well.

From NBC News:

All but one member of New Zealand's parliament voted Wednesday to change gun laws, less than a month after shooting attack targeting two Christchurch mosques that killed 50 people.

The gun reform bill passed 119-1 after its final reading in Parliament. It must now receive royal assent from the governor general before it officially becomes law.


Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with 50 murder charges after the attack on two mosques on March 15.

Around 250,000 people in New Zealand own a total of about 1.5 million weapons.

BREAKING: New Zealand's parliament voted 119-1 today to ban military-style semi-automatic weapons. The change comes less than one month after the Christchurch mosque shootings that left 50 people dead. pic.twitter.com/UHxFn7Vuez

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 10, 2019

New Zealand High School Boys Perform Haka In Support & Unity With Muslim Community

As New Zealand continues mourning the deaths of 50 people gunned down by a white nationalist terrorist, dozens of boys from Christchurch Boys' High performed a ceremonial haka dance to show support and unity with the Muslim community.

I've posted hakas on The Randy Report before here.

I always find the fierce commitment to the dance, and the spirit of those performing the haka, to be profoundly inspiring.

According to ABC News Australia, "Tears began to stream down the faces of some people watching as the boys performed the traditional dance."

(h/t JoeMyGod)

Trump Tweets: The New Zealand Shooting Isn't My Fault!!!

Donald Trump

In the aftermath of the Christchurch shooting in New Zealand which left 50 people dead, it was discovered that a manifesto was sent to the Prime Minister of New Zealand as well as media outlets.

In the documents, the accused gunman hailed Donald Trump as “a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose” although he did not support his policies.

Donald Trump has since tweeted angry rebuttals for being 'blamed' for the shooting.

The Fake News Media is working overtime to blame me for the horrible attack in New Zealand. They will have to work very hard to prove that one. So Ridiculous!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2019

Although he tweeted his 'warmest sympathies' and 'best wishes' to New Zealand, he refused to criticize the white supremacist ideology behind the shooting. This has been contrasted with his quick responses to Islamist terror attacks in the past.

New Zealand massacre suspect praised Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose."

Trump has:

1. Advocated banning all Muslims from the U.S.

2. Praised the (apocryphal) killing of Muslims with pigs blood

3. Proposed creating registry of all Muslims

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 15, 2019

Student Blames Chelsea Clinton For New Zealand Massacre?

Chelsea Clinton (image via Twitter)

A video showing a Muslim student blaming a very pregnant Chelsea Clinton for the anti-Muslim massacre of 49 people in New Zealand instantly went viral.

The moment took place at a vigil to honor the victims gunned down at two New Zealand mosques.

Clinton, pregnant with her third child, displays extraordinary composure while an angry student alleges Clinton's recent commentary about anti-Semitic comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar about a pro-Israel lobby, helped cause the massacre in New Zealand.

“This, right here, is a result of a massacre stoked by people like you and the words that you put out into the world,” the student tells Clinton. “And I want you to know that and I want you to feel that deep down inside. Forty-nine people died because of the rhetoric you put out there.”

“I’m so sorry you feel that way,” Clinton replies in the video. “Certainly, it was never my intention. I do believe words matter. I believe we have to show solidarity.”

Another student snaps at Chelsea: “What does ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ mean? What does that mean?”

So, now, it's Chelsea Clinton's fault a violent gun massacre took place in New Zealand???

Here is a pregnant Chelsea Clinton being accosted in public by NYU students blaming her for the New Zealand massacre. You are free to have your opinion, but how you express yourself matters. Note how Clinton never shuts down or stops listening, despite not deserving any of this. pic.twitter.com/V6XcC3lWCB

— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) March 16, 2019

@ChelseaClinton, your grace and composure is a lesson for me daily ❤️🙌

— Esther Choo MD MPH 🙋🏻‍♀️ (@choo_ek) March 16, 2019

I know that on my best day I have 1/10 the grace that she has, but damn I aspire to be more like her. And I wish that people would knock it off with the misdirected anger.

— Miranda Yaver (@mirandayaver) March 16, 2019

The girl in the video shut down her Twitter for a while, but apparently reactivated it today.

It seems she's something of a homophobe and racist. These tweets were culled from her account.

She also appears to be a Bernie Sanders supporter which might explain things a bit more.

"There is no proof the young woman who accosted Chelsea Clinton is a Bernie supporter."

Except she is and there are receipts. Whoopsie doodle... pic.twitter.com/8vuvZc4lEz

— Christopher Bouzy (@cbouzy) March 16, 2019