Things are not always as they seem

Out of the 27 amendments the first may arguably be the most controversial. However, when people resort to shock tactics they are quite often looking for a response. In the case of the professor it is unclear as to his true intentions. The student stated in an interview that she was certain that the professor was serious as the context of the entire class reflected his demeanor in that fashion. Of course what with the world being what it is today, there had to be some fancy foot work immediately for damage control, hence the recanting. So when all is said and done was it really a serious set of statements, or some thinly veiled attempt to spark discussion in an institute of higher learning?