Art Institute of Washington professor John Griffin: Republicans should be ‘lined up and shot’ over health care vote

John Griffin, a professor from the Art Institute of Washington, called for Republicans to be “lined up and shot” for voting to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA) in the House of Representatives, according to a report and screenshot released by Campus Reform.

Griffin shared the Washington Post report on the vote with the remark that “They should be lined up and shot. That’s not hyperbole; blood is on their hands.”

Check out the screenshot below.

photo LaDawna Howard via Flickr

Here’s his “apology” which is laced with justification.

It’s been pointed out to me that language I had used in reference to the House of Representatives was inappropriate, especially from someone of my profession.

This is true. It is inappropriate. And I apologize for using them. But it also speaks to the fear so many feel right now in this country.

I have a pre-existing condition. One that, without the proper treatment, will eventually kill me. The feeling of helplessness and fear that came from watching Congress’ treatment of Americans in situations like mine, and worse, led to my lashing out on social media in a way that was rash, untoward, and anathema to the way I wish to conduct myself.

I regret my words. I regret the fear that stoked them.

I will continue to fight for what I think is just; but not with such thoughtless rhetoric, words have meaning. I ask for your forgiveness.

Griffin basically defended his hate speech: the language is inappropriate and it’s “regretful” to call for murder, but he must fight on.

It is noteworthy that the new AHCA WOULD cover pre-existing conditions, from: The Week

Rules pertaining to pre-existing conditions have been a major point of critique for the House version of the AHCA, which may yet be substantially altered by the Senate. But, as The Washington Post explained in a fact-check piece Saturday, [Speaker] Ryan is correct: The AHCA allows states to seek a waiver so that a person who lives in one of those states who “has a lapse in health coverage for longer than 63 days; has a pre-existing condition; and purchases insurance on the individual or small-group market” can “face insurance rates that could be based on their individual condition, for one year.”

After that year, rates would once again be based on a community assessment, and states that avail themselves of the waiver must also offer a high-risk insurance pool to alleviate the financial burden.