Jack Minzey of Eastern Michigan University on Civil War-Incorrect Attribution!
Summary of eRumor:
Shortly before his death, Eastern Michigan University professor Jack Minizey wrote about a modern civil war bing fought without guns in a column that has gone viral.
The Truth:
Jack Minzey was indeed an emeritus professor at Eastern Michigan University. He also died on April 8, 2018, as the forwarded email claims. Minzey did not, however, write a commentary titled “This Civil War” that’s been attributed to him.
Daniel Greenfield wrote a delivered the commentary during the South Carolina Tea Party Convention Speech in January 2018. The original is titled, “The Second Civil War,” and mirrors the version later attributed to Jack Minzey word-for-word.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pNImbXnIn4
Shortly after his death in April 2018, the commentary was attributed to Minzey in forwarded emails. Zero Hedge, a blog site that publishes conspiracy-minded commentaries about financial markets and globalization, published one version of the email that included this dramatic intro:
Recently Jack Minzey sent what was to be the final chapter in the long line of books at treatises which he had written. Jack passed away Sunday, 8 April 2018. Professionally, Jack was head of the Department of Education at Eastern Michigan University as well as a prolific author of numerous books, most of which were on the topic of education and the government role therein. This is the last of his works.
The Civil War commentary goes on to describe a “modern civil war” that’s being fought without guns (for now). Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, the commentary goes, is a sign of Democrats rejecting the results of an election. “It means they don’t believe that transfers of power in this country are determined by elections. That’s a civil war.”
It’s unclear how the Civil War commentary came to be attributed to Minzey. It could have been done so accidentally. Or, it could have been done to lend more credibility, and dramatic effect, the commentary. Either way, Minzey did not write it.