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Drexel Professor Under Fire For 'White Genocide' Tweet

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Drexel University professor has been summoned to a meeting with school officials after he tweeted, "All I Want for Christmas is White Genocide."

George Ciccariello-Maher, who is white, is an associate professor of politics at the Philadelphia university. His online biography says his academic specialties include "race and racism."

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Drexel condemned the Twitter message as "utterly reprehensible" and "deeply disturbing." The school says in a statement it's "taking this situation very seriously" and has contacted the professor to meet.

Ciccariello-Maher tells The Associated Press by email Monday that the Christmas Eve tweet was meant to be satirical. He says he was mocking what he called the "imaginary concept" of "white genocide," which he says was invented by white supremacists. He says Drexel's statement "sends a chilling message."

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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