Campus jazz trumpet instructor Ellen Seeling sent Mike Cernovich, a conservative author and media persona, a controversial Facebook message Friday in response to his denial that date rape exists.
Seeling sent a private Facebook message to Cernovich criticizing his statements regarding date rape, using many expletives. In October, Cernovich released a controversial article on his website discussing date rape that said “the entire concept of ‘date rape’ is damaging to men and women.”
“I think that you’re a prick who claims date rape doesn’t exist,” Seeling said in the Facebook message. “If yes, f*** you up the a** with a poisoned broomstick c***s***. We s*** in your mouth.”
Seeling said that last week she saw a screenshot of a tweet Cernovich made stating there’s no such thing as date rape. She then decided to message him privately.
“That really pissed me off,” Seeling said. “I am so tired of these rape advocates not having any repercussions for what they say. It was the last straw.”
Cernovich is the author of several books, including “Danger and Play: Essays on Embracing Masculinity” and “Gorilla Mindset: How to control your thoughts and emotions, improve your health and fitness, make more money, and live life on your terms.”
Cernovich calls himself a “troll” on his website and often tweets about women and gender equality. In a January 2016 tweet, he said, “Women follow the strong men, and the weak men follow the women. It is and always will be that way.”
Seeling alleged that Cernovich called her frequently after receiving the Facebook message and released her number, encouraging people to harass her. Although she is not proud of her language appearing in print, Seeling said she does not regret sending the message.
“Language is language,” Seeling said. “This language is protected free speech and it was harsh. It was meant to be harsh.”
Seeling said she believes Cernovich and the alt-right have an agenda against UC Berkeley and were looking for an excuse for conflict.
Campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof said in an email that Seeling does not speak for the campus and that the campus does not police employees’ actions as private citizens that are unrelated to campus.
“Ms. Seeling has made no mention of her affiliation with the University in posts she has authored as a private citizen,” Mogulof said in an email. “When acting in their private capacities, University employees have the same rights and responsibilities as any other member of the public.”
Cernovich said in an email that the campus’s statement is a “disgrace” and that “no one has the right to make death threats.”
Seeling insisted that her message was not a threat of any kind — neither rape nor death — but instead called it a “huge insult.”
“I insulted him in my best New York jazz insult,” Seeling said. “My purpose was to make him feel impotent. Nothing in that insult is illegal or threatening.”