Associate professor in the history and politics department at Drexel University George Ciccariello-Maher ignited a Twitter firestorm on Sunday when he tweeted that he was trying not to "vomit or yell" when he witnessed a fellow passenger aboard his flight give up a first class seat to a uniformed soldier.
"Some guy gave up his first class seat for a uniformed soldier. People are thanking him. I'm trying not to vomit or yell about Mosul," he tweeted.
Some guy gave up his first class seat for a uniformed soldier. People are thanking him. I'm trying not to vomit or yell about Mosul.
— George Ciccariello (@ciccmaher) March 26, 2017
"Mosul" refers to the Iraqi city where the U.S. military coalition is currently investigating reports that military airstrikes reportedly killed up to 200 civilians.
Ciccariello-Maher, who is not new to stirring controversy on Twitter, has over 20,000 followers. He made headlines on Christmas Eve in 2016 when he attempted a satirical joke about "White Genocide," the Philly Voice reported. The tweet, which has since been deleted, says, "All I want for Christmas is White Genocide."
While Drexel did not suspend him, the university did make a public statement condemning his tweet, calling it "utterly reprehensible" and "deeply disturbing."
"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 statement said.
Ciccariello-Maher's Sunday tweet received lots of backlash from the military community and people from both sides of the political aisle. One of the most popular responses on his tweet came from retired colonel and Townhall columnist Kurt Schlichter.
"You tried not to vomit or yell? No, you just sat there quietly like a little bitch.Ignored, irrelevant, wishing you were a man. @ciccmaher," Schlichter tweeted.
You tried not to vomit or yell?
No, you just sat there quietly like a little bitch.
Ignored, irrelevant, wishing you were a man.@ciccmaher— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) March 29, 2017
Ciccariello-Maher is a writer and a self-proclaimed "radical political theorist," according to his website.