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‘Permanent denouncement,’ according to the YAF

The Department of Media Study at the University of Buffalo has put up what the Young America’s Foundation calls a “permanent denouncement” of conservative pundit Michael Knowles.

In an “acknowledgment statement,” the UB department says it “stand[s] in solidarity with the transgender community and others who have been the target of Michael Knowles’ rhetoric and threats of eradication and genocide.”

Sounds serious.

But as noted by The New Guard, the “eradication and genocide” hysterics come from early last year when Knowles (pictured) told an audience at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, there should be a “complete eradication of transgenderism from public life.”

According to the Daily Wire, Knowles had “argued that gender ideology was built on false premises about the human condition and that it could not be imposed or indulged in any context without granting those premises, which undermined the foundations of society itself.”

Knowles also said transgenderism is a “preposterous ideology” that threatens “the good of society.”

But despite Knowles “expressing concern for the well-being of trans-identifying individuals” and specifically noting he was referring to ideology, not individuals, many on the left accused him of “calling for the mass killing of trans people.”

MORE: UW-Madison backs down on $4,000 Knowles security fee after legal threat

Which now includes the U. Buffalo Department of Media Study, allegedly “led by an award-winning, internationally-active faculty who continue to probe media and its social implications in the widest context.”

The anti-Knowles statement also claims the department is all in favor of free speech and expression BUT:

“While we are committed to the free and open exchange of ideas, we are also committed to inclusiveness, social justice and respect for all. There is no space for hate speech as there can be no open exchange of ideas without inclusion, justice, and respect.”

After Knowles’ speech last year, the U. Buffalo student government passed a resolution which disallowed campus student groups to be associated with “outside organizations” — which directly affected the Young America’s Foundation.

Interestingly, the resolution offered exemptions for certain groups —  such as those in the “Academic, Engineering, or Sports Councils,” and organizations “whose sole purpose is to engage in inter-collegiate competition.”

On its website, the UB Dept. of Media Study also takes itself to task for having too many white faculty members, followed by a rather extensive “Action Plan for Diversity.”

It also offers a “land acknowledgement” noting the department “operates [on] the territory of the Seneca Nation,” and that it is “grateful for the opportunity to live, work, and share ideas in this territory.”

UPDATE: According to an August 29 tweet on X by Knowles, the UB Dept. of Media Study has taken down its statement. “After denouncing me for about 18 months on its Media Study Department homepage,” Knowles wrote, “the University at Buffalo has removed its monument to my supposed cruelty less than 48 hours after I observed that its statement was defamatory and actionable.”  

MORE: Couple federally indicted for throwing smoke bombs at Michael Knowles event

IMAGE: Michael Knowles/YouTube

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