Controversial Remarks by Student Activist

Following the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk last week, Julia Xu made a post online that suggested a continuation of political assassinations. In her words, “We need to regain our political assassination.”

Xu expressed mixed feelings about free speech, stating, “I feel bad, and I don’t think anyone deserves the right to free speech. Some should be afraid to express their opinions publicly.”

As a sophomore at Oberlin College, studying politics and international affairs, Xu is also involved in several campus organizations, including the Campus Group Advisory Committee and the Gender, Sexuality and Attraction Initiative, which supports queer, trans, and women programming. She identifies with they/them pronouns.

Her comments about Kirk came during a class debate at Utah Valley University, where she was allotted five minutes for her “Hot Take” on a topic. Her views were seemingly influenced by her studies on Mao Zedong, and she spoke positively about the authoritarianism displayed by Chinese leaders.

Xu described Mao’s perspective on free speech, indicating that while freedom of speech exists, it should not extend to those she deems “reactionaries, imperialists, and capitalists.”

Interestingly, Xu’s understanding of Mao does not seem to reflect the darker aspects of his regime, which historians often criticize for causing widespread famine and suffering. Mao passed away in 1976.

In her class, Xu noted that her classmates reacted with shock to her comments. “The worst thing that was said in that class was about Charlie Kirk being a significant figure in right-wing movements, and it’s unfortunate that he passed away,” she mentioned. She added that no productive conversation followed her statements and suggested that male students showed bias toward figures resembling them.

After being approached about her post, Xu responded, clarifying, “I’m not actually defending political assassinations… I hadn’t received agreement from professors or classmates about my views. I was wrong to hint at this in my post. I do not tolerate political violence, and my comments were pointless.”

Xu is also known for her activism in the anti-Israel protests at Oberlin, as revealed on social media.

Following the incident, Oberlin College issued a statement emphasizing that “there is no place for political violence in America.” Carmen President Twiley Amber noted that the views expressed by Xu do not represent those of the faculty or the institution.