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YARDREPORT@YARDREP0RT · Sep 8, 2026

In the comments of @harvardrepclub's recent Instagram post announcing @nickshirleyy's visit to campus, UC Irvine and…

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Summary

A lecturer at UC Irvine and Chapman University named Matthew Goldman is accused of endorsing political violence in social media comments, including apparent support for violence against conservative speaker Nick Shirley and celebrating assassinations of political figures like Brian Thompson and Henry Kissinger. The post argues his conduct is incompatible with his teaching responsibilities and calls for his termination.

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  1. #1

    In the comments of @harvardrepclub's recent Instagram post announcing @nickshirleyy's visit to campus, UC Irvine and Chapman lecturer Matthew Goldman endorses a potential act of violence against Shirley, just before the one-year anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. A thread 👇

  2. #2

    According to his currently public LinkedIn profile (linkedin.com/in/matthew-gol…), Goldman is a lecturer at UC Irvine, where he is also an instructor of record in UCI’s Composition Program. He is additionally a lecturer at Chapman University, where he designs and teaches multiple first-year composition courses.

  3. #3

    UC Irvine’s website confirms that Goldman teaches composition courses there, while Chapman currently lists him as a lecturer in English. (humanities.uci.edu/matthew-goldman)

  4. #4

    On his currently public Instagram page (instagram.com/goldman_writes/), one can find further apparent endorsements of political violence. One post depicts the character Luigi from Mario Brothers pointing a gun at Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO assassinated by Luigi Mangione in New York City on December 4, 2024. Goldman’s post, made five days later, bears the caption: “Let’s not pretend as if America isn’t the greatest country on earth.”

  5. #5

    In another post, Goldman shared a meme reading “Henry Kissinger!!! Fucking Finally!” following Kissinger’s death, adding the caption “Hahahahahahahaha”

  6. #6

    The significance of this rhetoric extends beyond Nick Shirley. Goldman is an instructor entrusted with teaching students—including, inevitably, students on the Right. Publicly joking about or appearing to celebrate political assassination of his political opposition is incompatible with his responsibility, particularly at a moment when conservative students and speakers on college campuses have every reason to take threats of political violence seriously. Harvard students should not have to wonder whether a university lecturer is cheering on violence against a speaker invited by their classmates. Nor should students at Chapman or UC Irvine have to wonder whether an instructor responsible for evaluating their work regards violence against their political opponents as something to be celebrated.

  7. #7

    Matthew Goldman should be swiftly terminated from his teaching positions at UC Irvine and Chapman University and face public accountability for his conduct.

  8. #8

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