Posted For: Rotorblade
A Georgetown University professor who holds the Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization sparked criticism online after responding dismissively to concerns about so-called “rape gangs” and their alleged connection to Islam.
Professor Jonathan Brown reacted on social media platform X to comments about the issue in the United Kingdom. His responses, which have since been deleted, included telling critics to “get over it,” according to reporting by the Daily Caller.
The exchange began after Rupert Lowe, an independent member of the British Parliament, wrote that investigations had repeatedly found a link between the grooming gangs and a specific religion.
“There is a link between the rape gangs and one particular religion – we have seen it again and again and again at our inquiry,” Lowe wrote. He added that the religion involved was Islam and said the country needed to acknowledge that reality.
Brown responded directly to the claim with a brief message telling Lowe to “get over it.” He later repeated the same phrase when another user criticized his comment as “absurdly evil.”
The remarks drew criticism from some students at Georgetown. Shae McInnis, president of the university’s College Republicans chapter, condemned Brown’s statements in comments to the Daily Caller.
McInnis said Brown’s remarks reflected a pattern of controversial statements made without regret. She referenced an incident last June in which Brown wrote online that Iran should carry out a symbolic strike on U.S. military bases.
“Comments like these reflect a worldview fundamentally at odds with Georgetown’s core values and are a disgrace to our academic community,” McInnis said, adding that the university should remove him from his position.
Brown was suspended after the post about Iran. Many readers interpreted the message as support for an attack on American forces in the region. The College Fix previously reported on the controversy.
Brown later deleted the message and said it had been misunderstood. He maintained that his intent was to encourage de-escalation and a limited response that would prevent a wider conflict.
The professor has faced criticism in the past as well. In 2017 he drew backlash for comments viewed as defending slavery and non-consensual sex involving slaves within historical Islamic contexts. Brown later apologized and said he does not support those practices.
Brown did not respond to requests for comment.
Georgetown’s Islamic academic center has also faced accusations that some of its leadership figures have previously expressed support for extremist groups.