Dear Editor:

My name is David L. Tijerina and I am an alumnus of Texas State having earned a BA in PR-mass communications ‘96 and BA Print journalism, 2003, and last week I came across an article that stated that Devion Canty, Jr., had been expelled from the university for mocking the death of Charlie Kirk and using and expletive while doing so. Today, I read an article that stated that Mr. Canty decided to withdraw from the school for his safety and the well-being of the school. Though this situation presented terrible optics for the TSUS during a politically tense period in our nation, I believe expelling him or perhaps pressuring him to withdraw from the university was too harsh of a penalty for him.

I understand his safety may have been at stake, but Dr. Kelly Damphousse, missed an incredible opportunity as the university’s president to demonstrate godly grace toward Mr. Canty and to show the world that he understood the complex dynamics that could lead a black male student to act as Mr. Canty did.

Let no one accuse me of condoning what Mr. Canty did. Despite my not agreeing with Mr. Kirk’s tone and affect in presenting his political stances and his misuse of Christianity for political gain, Mr. Kirk did not deserve to be assassinated for exercising his right to free speech. And his, wife, children, family and friends do not deserve to live through the grief and aftermath of his death. Mr. Canty’s mocking of Kirk’s death was ill advised.

Yet, imagine if Dr. Damphousse, a former police officer, a Presidential Professor of Sociology at the University of Oklahoma, who published research on terrorism and criminal justice, had publicly stated that he understood that Mr. Canty was still developing physically and mentally as a young 20 – something adult, or perhaps younger, just like every other student in their early 20s or younger on the campus.   

I can imagine, that when that occurred, in such a symbolic place for the university, that Dr. Damphousse faced a difficult decision. Afterall, universities across the United States have faced the wrath of the Trump Administration. Perhaps he was forced into a decision he did not really want to make. I don’t know him or what he does or does not believe so I don’t know if he acted based on his convictions. Yet, with millions of dollars at stake and perhaps his own position in jeopardy if he did not act, maybe it was easy to sacrifice one student rather than trying to rehabilitate and to support him. Now, other black students will think twice about coming to the school. Either way, his withdrawal from the school only cements the impact one bigoted man’s disrespectful rhetoric can have on a person.   

I no longer live in Texas, but I still call San Antonio home, and if I lived there, I would be upset that my governor played politics with a young man’s life, when what we really need is real leadership to foster unity in this country.

Prayerfully, Mr. Canty will learn lessons from this experience and let them propel him to greatness.

David L. Tijerina, aka David Lopez Tijerina, is an author, free-lance journalist, writer, and poet. He has been a journalist for the Air Force, an editor at JFK Special Warfare Center and School, has worked as a bureau reporter for The Temple-Daily Telegram, and was the temporary Marketing Communications Coordinator for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ national and international conferences.  While a student at the university he was a staff writer for the University Star and was part of a four-person team that placed second place in series writing at the Texas Interscholastic Press Association competition in 2003, the first year TXST was eligible to compete as a Division-1 school.