Ken Berwitz
Melissa Click shut herself in her university office onTuesday afternoon and could be heard sobbing through the door.
A day earlier, the communications professor at theUniversity of Missouri had helped lead a multitude of activists form a circlehundreds of yards long to block reporters from a tent encampment on Mizzou\’sCarnahan Quadrangle, following the resignation of University of Missouri PresidentTimothy M. Wolfe.
A video that went viral Monday evening showed Click callingout for “muscle” to help remove a student journalist from the area.
Click emerged from her office around 5 p.m. Tuesday andreleased a statement apologizing for her actions. She said she had contactedthe journalists involved to also apologize, and regretted that she had shiftedattention from the “students\’ campaign for justice.”
“From this experience I have learned about humanity andhumility,” Click said.
Also on Tuesday, activists who had shouted “Hey, Hey,Ho, Ho, reporters have got to go,” had changed their stance, distributingleaflets urging protesters to respect journalists\’ first amendment rights andto welcome them on the quad.
Still, the focus remained on Click, whose fiery demeanor inthe video seemingly in disregard to free speech, had created a sideshow in astory about campus racism and the power of activism.
Now she was at the mercy of a horde. A petition calling forher firing was circulating. People had posted her phone number and emailaddress on online forums. Some had created a Facebook page titled “Hey,Hey, Ho, Ho, Melissa Click has got to go.” Police reported that she hadreceived death threats.
The Internet Hate Machine was revving its engine, anduniversity leaders had taken notice.
David Kurpius, dean of the Missouri School of Journalism,issued a statement praising Tai and emphasizing that Click is professor in thecommunications department, which is part of the College of Arts and Sciences,not the journalism school.
“Journalism School faculty members are taking immediateaction to review that appointment,” he wrote.
