The College Fix

UPDATED

Later put up addendum: Violence ‘must come after the exhaustion of all possible remedy’

A economics PhD student at George Mason University recently penned an essay asking “When Must We Kill Them?” in reference to the Trump administration.

Nicholas Decker, who “aspires” to become a professor and is “interested in reducing poverty around the globe, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa,” writes in his Substack “Homo Economicus” that “evil has come to America” … and it’s Donald Trump.

Trump has, according to Decker, “engaged in barbarism […] arbitrarily imprisoned [his] opponents, revoked the visas of thousands of students, imposed taxes upon us without our consent,” and he “seeks to destroy the institutions which oppose” him.

Decker (pictured) also alleges that “in many cases” Trump has “deprived” individuals of a jury trial, ignored court orders, and “transported us beyond seas to be imprisoned for pretended offenses.”

The doctoral candidate says he doesn’t just want to list all the offenses that any “sensible person” already knows about the administration; the question is what to do about it.

“What remains for us to decide is when we fight,” Decker writes. “If the present administration wills it, it could sweep away the courts, it could sweep away democracy, and it could sweep away freedom. Protest is useful only insofar as it can effect action. Our words might sway the hearts of men, but not of beasts.

“If the present administration chooses this course, then the questions of the day can be settled not with legislation, but with blood and iron. In short, we must decide when we must kill them” (emphasis added).

Decker, who describes himself in his X bio as a “liberal” and “aspie,” advocates for open borders, and features the gay pride and Ukrainian flags, added an addendum to his essay earlier today in which he clarifies “violence is a last resort”:

“[Violence] must come after the exhaustion of all possible remedy. It is not, moreover, appropriate for decisions which are merely unwise or disastrous. It is to be employed only in defense of our Constitution, and of democracy.”

On Thursday evening, the official George Mason University X account tweeted it was “aware” of Decker’s article, condemned it, and noted campus police referred the matter to “state and federal law enforcement for evaluation of criminal behavior.”

FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, noted “the First Amendment—binding on public universities like GMU—protects core political speech consisting of rhetorical hyperbole and the mere endorsement of violence.”

“While unprotected true threats—serious expressions of intent to commit unlawful violence—may be prosecuted, heated rhetoric merely advocating for violence remains protected,” the group posted on X Friday afternoon.

MORE: Assassination chic: Survey shows majority of progressives say political violence justified

UPDATE: Comments from FIRE were added.

IMAGE CAPTION & CREDIT: Self-photo of Nicholas Decker; N. Decker/Instagram. INTERIOR IMAGE: N. Decker/X

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