A Drexel University professor is currently being investigated after tweeting out a Christmas joke about white genocide. College officials were less than enthused.

George Ciccariello-Maher, an associate professor of politics at the Philadelphia university, sent the following tweet to 11,00 people on Christmas Eve: “All I Want for Christmas is White Genocide.”



Despite claiming that the statement was meant to be ironic, Drexel officials weren’t buying it.

“While the University recognizes the right of its faculty to freely express their thoughts and opinions in public debate, Professor Ciccariello-Maher’s comments are utterly reprehensible, deeply disturbing, and do not in any way reflect the values of the University,” the school said in a statement, adding that they are “taking this situation very seriously.”

(1/6) Response to Professor George Ciccariello-Maher's Tweet: https://t.co/UfJ01xnk2D — Drexel University (@DrexelUniv) December 26, 2016

(2/6) Drexel became aware today of Assoc. Prof. George Ciccariello-Maher's inflammatory tweet, — Drexel University (@DrexelUniv) December 26, 2016

(3/6) which was posted on his personal Twitter account on Dec. 24, 2016. While the University recognizes the right of its faculty to… — Drexel University (@DrexelUniv) December 26, 2016

(4/6) to freely express their thoughts and opinions in public debate, Prof. Ciccariello-Maher's comments are utterly reprehensible… — Drexel University (@DrexelUniv) December 26, 2016

(5/6) deeply disturbing, and do not in any way reflect the values of the University. The University is taking this situation very seriously — Drexel University (@DrexelUniv) December 26, 2016

(6/6) We contacted Prof. Ciccariello-Maher today to arrange a meeting to discuss this matter in detail. https://t.co/UfJ01xnk2D — Drexel University (@DrexelUniv) December 26, 2016

Ciccariello-Maher called the statement “chilling” and claims that Drexel doesn’t seem to understand that he was mocking white genocide, which he calls an “imaginary concept” made up by white supremacists.

“It is a figment of the racist imagination,” he said. “It should be mocked, and I’m glad to have mocked it.”

Ciccariello-Maher has since made his Twitter private, but according to Metro, he followed up his tweet with another statement that praised the “massacre” of white people in Haiti during the country’s slave uprising and revolution.

After posting the tweet, Ciccariello-Maher, who lists “race and racism” as one of his academic specialities, received numerous death threats from strangers online. Others have had more moderate reactions.

This is extremely embarrassing for Drexel https://t.co/MkCOXq3e0I — naomi lachance (@lachancenaomi) December 26, 2016

Agreed he shouldn't be fired, but have no problem with Drexel investigating—the joke was such that it could easily seem genuine. — Joshua Isard (@JoshuaIsard) December 27, 2016

https://twitter.com/paulengelhard/status/813345683583418368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Drexel caved to make nice with PR & appease white supremacists. White Genocide isn't a thing. Nope. https://t.co/bb5iZ7Z1Wb — Sam White (@samwhiteout) December 27, 2016

A white man mocking "white genocide"…Do the right thing Drexel: defend your faculty. — Michael W. Swanton (@MWSwanton) December 27, 2016

Just so you follow, according to @DrexelUniv, enslaved Black folk killing their masters is "utterly reprehensible, and deeply disturbing". pic.twitter.com/EaKrrxVCNP — Dwayne David Paul (@DwayneDavidPaul) December 26, 2016

What do you think about the situation? Should he should be fired? Sound off in the comments below.