The White Student Union (WSU) was an unaffiliated white supremacist organization founded in Towson, Maryland by Matthew Heimbach, at the time a Towson University student.[2] The group advocated for what it sees as the interests of "persons of European heritage".[3] It has been listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League.[4] The organization rejected this label, stating in a blog post that "We do not hate any other race and we do not wish anyone harm".[5] In May 2013 Heimbach said that the group would merge with the Traditionalist Youth Network[6] which Heimbach described as an effort to build "a wide coalition of Kinist, social conservatives, Traditionalist Christians, believers in Right-wing politics, and other factions of the pro-white movement."[7]
| Abbreviation | WSU |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2012 |
| Type | Youth activist group |
| Legal status | Active |
| Purpose | To advocate for and protect European-American heritage and interests[1] |
| Location | |
Region served | Towson University |
Official language | English |
President | Matthew Heimbach |
| Affiliations | White nationalism |
| Website | towsonwsu |
Heimbach continued to be active in white supremacist politics after graduating from Towson in 2013.
History
editThe group's existence caused a series of nationally reported controversies and accusations of promoting racial bigotry and white supremacy. It invited self-described "racial realist" Jared Taylor to speak at one of its meetings, which attracted an attendance of nearly 250.[8] Heimbach said he started the group because of "a culture of crime where primarily it's nonwhites doing it to white students and we perpetually have to live in a system of victimhood."[9] He also said "We'd also want to create a safe space for members who have filed hate/bias reports and who have had anti-white language used against them....Especially the female members who have heard 'cracker' and 'honkie,' and nothing has ever come of it. It’s a support network for a campus that is hostile toward white students."[1][10]
The White Student Union sought but failed to get official recognition by the college, arguing that the college needed to officially recognize the group in order to show that it does not discriminate against white students. A change.org petition was circulated urging the campus not to recognize a "whites only" group.[11] The organization noted in a press release that the petition was based on the false assumption that the WSU would be a "whites only" group, despite the statement on the WSU website that "the organization invites people of all races, colors, and creeds to join together to celebrate European culture."[12]
Activism
editThe WSU received national attention for participating in community watch programs to "raise awareness" about violent crime that is primarily directed at the majority-white student body. Heimbach said that "the goal is not to go out and intimidate, the goal is not to go out and prove something, the goal is just to be an extra set of eyes and ears for the [Towson] community at large."[13] Organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League condemned these patrols as being racially motivated. The Southern Poverty Law Center said that the patrols were "a fairly obvious allusion, it appears, to the terroristic role of the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction."[14]
Earlier examples
editA 1990 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education mentions a number of white student unions created at the time to oppose racial integration and affirmative action; two of the unions obtained official recognition from their colleges.[15]
Hoaxes
editIn 2015, Facebook pages appeared announcing "White Student Unions" at over 25 major United States colleges. These pages were all hoaxes; the groups in question did not actually exist.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Blackshere, Ryann (September 19, 2012). "Towson Student Wants to Establish White Student Union". Bet.com. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
- ^ "Matthew Heimbach". splc.org. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
- ^ "White Student Union". Vice News. vice.com. December 25, 2013. Retrieved 2017-08-14.
- ^ http://blog.adl.org/extremism/hate-app-targets-towson-university Hate App Targets Towson University
- ^ "Weekly Update". Towson White Student Union. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-05 – via blogspot.com.
- ^ "White Student Unions: White Nationalist Minor League?". Southern Poverty Law Center. August 2, 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
- ^ "Towson Community Outreach". towsonwsu.blogspot.com. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via blogspot.com.
- ^ "White Student Union Speaker Preaches Racial Separateness". Northbaltimore.patch.com. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
- ^ "Towson Student Wants White Student Union". Theroot.com. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
- ^ Kingkade, Tyler (September 10, 2012). "Matthew Heimbach Attempts to Form ‘White Student Union’ at Towson University". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
- ^ "Towson U White Student Union Controversy Sparks Creation of Change.Org Petition". Inthecapital.com. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
- ^ "About the WSU". Towson White Student Union. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ^ Wells, Carrie (2013-03-25). "Towson White Student Union to patrol campus looking for crime". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ^ "Racist Maryland Student Leader Vows Patrols Against 'Black Crime'". Hatewatch. Southern Poverty Law Center. March 27, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ^ "New White-Student Unions on Some Campuses Are Sparking Outrage and Worry". Eric.ed.gov. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
- ^ Weill, Kelly (23 November 2015). "Racist Trolls Are Behind NYU's 'White Student Union' Hoax". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 28 June 2016.