Within days of the 2020 death of George Floyd, which ultimately fueled mass violence and rioting across the nation, University of Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz, Jr., issued a statement suggesting that racial violence in 2020 was little changed from a century earlier and calling for “real, systemic change.”

But Harroz and OU officials took a far different approach to the assassination of prominent Christian and conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which was the latest in a growing string of violent acts committed by individuals fueled by far-left ideology, including several notable school-shooting cases where children at private Christian schools were targeted and killed.

In response to Kirk’s murder, the university simply issued a boilerplate response that was not attributed to any specific person. And, while that brief statement condemned violence, it did not call for greater societal change or introspection.

Furthermore, the university has posted two Harroz comments regarding Floyd’s death on the school’s website. The university has webpages for news releases and for messages and statements from the office of the president.

The comment issued in response to Kirk’s assassination does not appear on the OU website and is not readily available. Apparently, the Kirk statement was provided only to individuals or news entities who specifically requested it.

George Perry Floyd Jr. died in the course of his arrest on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of the arresting officers, Derek Chauvin, was ultimately convicted of murder because he pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for an extended period of time to restrain Floyd during the arrest. Floyd also had a significant amount of fentanyl in his blood at the time, which some have argued contributed to his death.

‘Racism in All of Its Forms, Explicit and Implicit’

On May 31, 2020, six days after Floyd’s death, OU President Joseph Harroz, Jr. issued a statement saying, “Ninety-nine years ago today, blood began to flow down Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre ensued, marking one of the most tragic events in the history of our state and nation. And now, nearly a century later, we continue to live with the same violence and vitriol. The recent killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd are stark examples of black lives lost due to senseless brutality. We know that racism in all of its forms, explicit and implicit, is never more unfair than when it leads to the needless loss of a life. To become the country we know we can be, we must honestly address the issues that underlie these societal divisions and make real, systemic change. I urge our entire OU family to lend support, advocacy, and love to the marginalized black members of our own community.”

On April 20, 2021, following Chauvin’s conviction, Harroz issued a statement saying the news “elicits raw emotions for so many in our community.”

“The tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others have been understandably exhausting for many of us to endure,” Harroz said. “This is especially true for our Black community and other members of color who know and have experienced the sting of racism firsthand. It is an unfair burden to be carried alone, which is why we must stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder as the OU Family.”

He said Chauvin’s trial had “retraumatized so many.”

“Moments like these present an opportunity to stand together for the sake of our community and to continue striving toward a future that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and fosters respect and understanding,” Harroz continued. “We must prioritize this work to enact change and acknowledge where our responsibilities lie in addressing injustice both at OU and across the country as a beacon of hope and understanding.”

In 2021, the University of Oklahoma mandated that incoming students and staff undergo training that informed students the phrase “Boomer Sooner” is steeped in racism and can represent a form of oppression, that OU remains a place of discrimination where students may literally fear for their lives, and that support for racial equality is wrongheaded and “equity” measures that can involve different treatment for different groups based on race and other characteristics should be embraced instead. The training also explicitly told  OU staff to embrace “political correctness” in their communications.

OU stopped mandating the training after the passage of a state law made it illegal for Oklahoma colleges to require students “to engage in any form of mandatory gender or sexual diversity training or counseling” and banned any “orientation or requirement that presents any form of race or sex stereotyping or a bias on the basis of race or sex.”

OU ‘Deeply Saddened’ by Kirk Death

Kirk, 31, was assassinated on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah, where he was hosting an open-air speaking and debate event. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been arrested and charged with Kirk’s murder.

According to reports, Robinson was engaged in a romantic relationship with a man who identifies as a “transgender woman,” and it appears Robinson targeted Kirk because of Kirk’s views on transgenderism.

Kirk advocated for laws that prevent men from accessing women’s bathrooms or playing in women’s sports as “transgender women.” At an event in May, Kirk said, “There are two sexes. That’s it. It’s binary. It’s absolute.”

At the same event, Kirk stated, “Nobody in the history of the species that was born XX or XY and ‘transitioned’ is able to change their chromosomes.” He called it an “insult to women” to claim that a man who chooses to “wear makeup and dress like a woman, undergo surgery” would then “magically become a woman,” calling that worldview the “abolition of women” and “abolition of reality.”

“A civilization that can’t define very basic biological terms and stay close to them is a civilization in moral chaos,” Kirk said, noting that 900 women have lost awards, medals, and sporting events to men who claimed to identify as women.

Following Kirk’s death, OU issued a brief statement in response to requests. That statement, which was not attributed to any specific OU official, stated, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic and senseless violence that took the life of Charlie Kirk and unequivocally condemn it. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, and all who are grieving this loss. The safety and security of our campus community is our highest priority, and we continuously review and implement measures to protect everyone who attends our events.”

The statement did not address the growing embrace of “assassination culture” and political violence, both in broader society and among college students in particular.

A recent survey found that 42 percent of student respondents at the University of Oklahoma said using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases. That was, by far, the highest rate of students supporting violence among the three major Oklahoma universities covered by the survey and was also well above the national average.

The survey found there are roughly 1.84 liberal students for every one conservative student at OU.

For the last two years, less than half of entering freshmen at OU have come from the state of Oklahoma.

Support for Political Violence

Other surveys have also found that support for violence has become relatively common among the far-left in the United States, particularly among college-age and other young adults.

Recent polling by YouGov found 24 percent of individuals who self-describe as “very liberal” say it is acceptable to be happy about a public figure’s death, compared to only 3 percent of those who self-describe as “very conservative.”

Similarly, one in four “very liberal” respondents said political violence can be justified, compared to only 3 percent of “very conservative” voters.

Support for political violence was greatest among young liberals in the survey.

On April 7, the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) issued a brief that warned, “A broader ‘assassination culture’ appears to be emerging within segments of the U.S. public on the extreme left.”

NCRI’s survey of 1,264 U.S. residents showed that among respondents who self-identified as left of center, 50 percent to 56 percent at least somewhat justified murder for Elon Musk and President Trump.

NCRI found that support for assassination was tethered to those who hold “a broader worldview in which violence is seen as a legitimate political response—not just a reaction to individual figures.” NCRI reported that left-wing authoritarianism was central to that belief system, saying left-wing authoritarianism is “characterized by moral absolutism, punitive attitudes toward ideological opponents, and a willingness to use coercion for progressive aims.”

Oklahoma Leaders Laud Kirk

While OU officials have been relatively tight-lipped regarding Kirk’s assassination, several state officials have been far more outspoken about his killing and the cultural moment.

The day of Kirk’s murder, Gov. Kevin Stitt called him “a great American.”

“The world will be a darker place without him here,” Stitt said.

State Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, has filed a Senate resolution to honor Kirk’s life and legacy.

“As a millennial and one of Oklahoma’s youngest state senators, I was deeply inspired by Charlie Kirk’s bold convictions and tireless commitment to engaging young people in the political process,” Seifried said. “His passion helped shape my own decision to run for office, and this resolution honors the powerful legacy he leaves behind.”

Senate Resolution 23 recognizes Kirk’s deep Christian faith and remembers him as an impactful conservative visionary who led with courage and conviction. The resolution also calls on all Oklahomans to denounce political violence.

State Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, announced that he has also filed legislation honoring Kirk.

“Charlie Kirk was a young, bold voice for truth and a faithful servant of Christ, stolen from us by a vile act of political violence,” Jett said. “Now he stands before the Lord, hearing, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Our hearts are with his wife and children as they endure this unimaginable loss.”

Senate Concurrent Resolution 13 is a resolution “recognizing Charlie Kirk as a martyr for truth, faith, and free speech; honoring his unwavering courage in defending American liberties; [and] committing to perpetuating his legacy of courage and faith.”

State Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, is also among those calling for the passage of legislation honoring Kirk.

“Charlie Kirk was a bold defender of truth, an unyielding advocate for free speech, and a tireless champion for America’s founding values. Most importantly to me, he was a faithful evangelist proclaiming Christ crucified to millions,” Deevers said. “Charlie inspired countless young people to stand courageously for liberty without apology. His passing is a tremendous loss not only to Oklahoma, but to our nation.”

 

NOTE: The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) submitted several questions to OU. Those questions regarded the university's statement on Kirk's murder. OCPA asked if the statement on the Kirk assassination was ever posted on the OU website, if it was distributed to anyone other than those who specifically requested comment, and if the statement on Kirk's killing was attributed only to OU as an entity and not to OU President Harroz. OU did not respond to those questions. Instead, the university issued a statement after publication, which read in part: “Any narrative asserting OU’s response to Charlie Kirk’s death was insufficient is flatly false. Under President Harroz’s leadership, our statement unequivocally condemned the violence, expressed condolences, offered support to those affected, and affirmed the University’s commitment to the safety and well-being of all students. Flags were lowered, Student Affairs coordinated directly with impacted student organizations, and student groups held uninterrupted vigils on campus, reflecting OU’s support for its entire student community.”

Photo credit: Lorie Shaull