Stacey Patton, a journalist and college professor, went viral after posting a powerful statement about her experience with Charlie Kirk’s so-called “Professor Watchlist.” She claimed the list targeted academics who challenged conservative ideologies and that she personally faced harassment as a result.
Patton wrote on Facebook to her 215,000 followers, “I am on Charlie Kirk’s hit list. His so-called ‘Professor Watchlist,’ run under Turning Point USA, is nothing more than a digital hit list for academics who dare to speak truth to power.” She said she was added to the list in 2024 after publishing commentary that angered Kirk’s supporters.
Patton described weeks of threats and harassment, including abusive phone calls and messages, some containing racial and sexual slurs. She said the university provided a security escort out of concern for her safety. “Some received death threats. Some had their jobs threatened. Some left academia entirely,” she wrote, highlighting the broader impact of Kirk’s list on women, Black faculty, queer scholars, and others who challenged his views.
Patton criticized the public response to Kirk’s recent assassination. She wrote that tributes and moments of silence fail to recognize the harm he inflicted on educators and marginalized groups. “It is so revolting to watch a bipartisan wave of grief sweep over this hateful racist as if he was a neutral community servant,” she said.
Patton’s post has sparked widespread discussion about the consequences of targeted harassment, the role of political rhetoric in inciting threats, and the need to address both political violence and the harmful campaigns that precede it.
