At least a dozen human lives have been lost.
Millions have been forced to abandon their homes and all their earthly possessions.
Family members and friends are missing, nowhere to be found by rescuers.
Desperate Texans cling to rooftops, hoping to be saved from the rising flood waters.
But the whole disaster is probably just karma for those Republicans who voted for President Trump in 2016.
At least that’s what a former assistant professor at the University of Tampa claimed in a tweet that stunned the Twittersphere Sunday.
The assistant professor, Kenneth L. Storey, posted a tweet suggesting Texans deserved Hurricane Harvey devastation for voting for Republicans such as President Trump.
And now Storey is out of a job.
Storey, who taught sociology and had worked at the university since 2011, posted the following tweet Sunday before later deleting it: “I don’t believe in instant Karma but this kinda feels like it for Texas. Hopefully this will help them realize the GOP doesn’t care about them.”
One follower, a fellow Floridian, replied to Storey’s tweet: “Lots of good people in Texas Ken. May want to rethink this one.”
That’s when Storey replied: “Well, the good people there need to do more to stop the evil their state pushes. I’m only blaming those who support the GOP there.”
The Floridian follower added, “I guess since we’re a red state we deserve some bad karma too, right.”
Storey responded, “Yep, those who voted for him (President Trump) here deserve it as well.”
Storey’s comments inspired the Twitter hashtag #FireKenStorey. And Facebook users blasted the assistant professor for his comments.
“Don’t think this is a school we will be looking at for my daughter anymore,” said one Facebook user, the Tampa Bay Times reported Tuesday.
Another, an alumnus, wrote, “Good thing I already paid you, because I’ll never send the school another dime again.”
Storey has deleted his Twitter account. He apologized on Monday, saying: “I never meant to wish ill will upon any group. I hope all affected by Harvey recover quickly.”
Outraged people called and emailed the university to demand his firing.
Amid all the outrage, the university apparently decided it was time to cut ties with Storey.
“We condemn the comments and the sentiment behind them, and understand the pain this irresponsible act has caused,” University of Tampa spokesman Eric Cardenas told the Times.
According to the report, Storey was added to the Professor Watch List site, which seeks to “expose and document college professors who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom.”
He later claimed his tweets were addressing Republican “denial” of climate change.
“I was referring to the GOP denial of climate change science and push to decrease funds from agencies that can help in a time like this,” he told ABC Action News. “I hope all affected by the storm are safe and recover quickly. I also hope this helps the GOP realize the need to support climate change research and put in place better funding for agencies like NOAA and FEMA.”
