What did Laura Mullen say? Wake Forest professor resigns as controversial 'shoot up your dance party' post sparks backlash

A Wake Forest professor named Laura Mullen recently resigned from her position amid massive backlash over one of her social media posts. She reportedly showed support for Hamas in her post, which was shared on October 7. The same has since been deleted.

Mullen's post, according to the Winston-Salem Journal, stated:

“So it’s kind of a Duh, but if you turn me out of my house, plow my olive groves under and confine what’s left of my family to the small impoverished state you run as an open-air prison, I could be tempted to shoot up your dance party, yeah, even knowing you will scorch the Earth.”

The statement drew condemnation from various quarters, with parents demanding the professor's termination. Mullen, who held the Kenan chair of the humanities in the English and creative writing department, faced backlash not only for her alleged support of Hamas but also for what was perceived as a threat of violence.

The North Carolina University's Chabad chapter reacted to this by saying:

"Students and parents alike have expressed concern for their safety in reaction to her hateful words."

Moreover, the student board also denounced Laura Mullen's post, stating:

“As Jewish students, we are alarmed and appalled that she is willing to make a joke of the massacre at the Supernova Music Festival that killed over 250 Israeli civilians.”

---

Laura Mullen resigned citing personal reasons

Despite initially defending her post as "raw, direct, and poetic," Laura Mullen eventually resigned, citing "personal reasons." In an interview with the Wake Report, claimed that the university had abandoned her.

This came after Wake Forest University affirmed the right to individual freedom of expression but acknowledged that the professor's alleged post had caused significant anxiety and fear within the community. The university emphasized that statements condoning violence are contrary to the values of the institution.

Mullen compared her situation to an isolated gazelle in an animal film, stating:

"[the University statement] is like if you watch animal films and you isolate one gazelle, that’s the one that gets eaten. They kind of threw me to the wolves"

Mullen attempted to provide context to her original post, explaining that she intended for it to be thought-provoking.

“When 9/11 happened, I was asking myself and others, ‘What did we do to make people want to come and do that to us?’ That is how my mind works," she said.

Laura Mullen clarified that she doesn't condone terrorism and emphasized her concern for innocent people globally. Contrary to reports of students expressing fear and anxiety, Laura Mullen claimed that she did not receive any backlash from students.