Virginia Tech Professor Calls NRA a ‘Terrorist Organization’

Virginia Tech Professor Matthew Gabriele called the National Rifle Association a “terrorist organization” in a May tweet.

The NRA is a terrorist organization.

— (@prof_gabriele) May 18, 2018

Gabriele, a Medieval Studies professor at Virginia Tech University, called the NRA a “terrorist organization” in a tweet on May 18. On social media, progressives often refer to the NRA as a “terrorist organization” as a means of provocation.

In a statement, a university spokesperson refused to comment on Gabriele’s tweet, explaining that the professor’s views do not represent the institution. “Mr. Gabriele’s views are his and his alone,” spokesperson Tracy Vosburgh said. “Any comment on his statement should come from him.”

A report from Fox News highlighted that Gabriele has used Twitter to provoke in the past. “The modern GOP is nothing but white supremacy,” Gabriele wrote in one tweet. In another, Gabriele wrote that President Trump was elected because “his racism spoke” to his voters.

In March, a series of billboards began to appear in Florida with the same slogan: “The NRA is a terrorist organization.” Later that week, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy repeated that sentiment in an interview with a local Fox affiliate.