Student leaders and faculty members have been contacted by the university regarding actions that allegedly violated the university’s anti-discrimination policy. A member and adviser of one of the student groups said no specific action leading to the violation was given in the report.
Fred Fico, a journalism professor and adviser to the MSU College Republicans, said he and others received a letter from the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives levying the charges. Ben Morlock, chairman of the College Republicans, confirmed the organization received the same letter.
“It’s incredibly unprofessional,” Morlock said. “The fact that the letter was sent out making these serious accusations and included the names of all the people at the top is very inconsiderate of the privacy of the individuals being accused.”
Fico and Morlock both said the letter made general accusations and did not name a specific event or instance in which their group violated the policy.
“One of the horrifying things about this, especially if you’re a teacher, is you could have interpreted this letter as you committed these discriminatory acts in your classroom,” Fico said. “The letter is subject to very broad and very defamatory interpretation.”
Morlock also said the MSU Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF, and their adviser, William Allen, received the letter. Kyle Bristow, YAF chairman, declined to comment.
Last month, YAF brought British National Party Chairman Nick Griffin to campus. In April, YAF and the MSU College Republicans sponsored a speech by Chris Simcox, which resulted in the arrest of five protesters. The letter did not specifically say so, but Doug Schraufnagle, a member of the Young Democratic Socialists, filed a formal complaint with the university regarding the Simcox event.
“The administrators on this campus do more than most universities,” Schraufnagle said. “However, they must take the next step to enforce when free speech is stepped upon.”
Allen could not be reached for comment by The State News on Monday.
“My task with this group is to facilitate their opportunities at MSU to act in forms of self-expression and organizational development in a collegial manner,” Allen wrote in an e-mail sent to The State News in the spring. “I will not hesitate to step in in support of student groups of whatever stripe, as I have always done heretofore.”
Fico said the letter was sent from the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives under the names of Kristine Moore and Paulette Granberry Russell. Moore referred comments to Granberry Russell, who did not return calls by The State News on Monday.
“They made up their minds to charge us, which is totally wrong,” Fico said. “The anti-discrimination policy says it protects freedom of expression and the particular charges against two groups have no merit. The charges against the advisers are utterly without merit because how can an adviser be responsible for the students we advise? We don’t believe the students did anything wrong, but even if they did, the office has no place to do that.”
The State News
Showing posts with label Young Americans for Freedom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Americans for Freedom. Show all posts
November 06, 2007
October 29, 2007
British politician's talk creates uproar
Michigan protesters took offense to his political views, calling them "racist."
British National Party chairman Nick Griffin crossed the pond, but it wasn't all smooth sailing.
Tempers erupted Friday at Michigan State University during Griffin's speech, which was organized by student group Young Americans for Freedom, a conservative youth organization.
University philosophy senior Seth Rompelman learned about the event through Facebook. He said he contacted Michigan State about Griffin's speech because he was worried about safety issues.
"Nick Griffin has a long history of promoting openly racist, fascist politics," Rompelman said. "He has been charged with inciting racial hatred and violence in England."
In March, the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization that tracks hate groups and promotes tolerance, designated the student organization as a hate group.
The speech was intended for Griffin to address the overpopulation of Islamists in Europe, but turned into a question-and-answer session, he said.
"I couldn't really make my speech," Griffin said. "There was a fanatically hostile group of protesters."
Griffin recently spoke at Clemson University and Texas A&M University, where he said the audience was receptive to his message.
He said the speech at Michigan State, however, was heated.
Jon Stonehouse, a Western Michigan University student, said there was a clear division between Griffin's supporters and protesters.
"You could feel the tension the moment you walked in," Stonehouse said. "It was like the 'West Side Story.' "
Michael Stein, a Michigan State student who attended the event, agreed with Stonehouse.
"It should have been moderated," Stein said.
Michigan State student Andrea Norton said Griffin focused on radical Islam in extreme cases.
"I thought it would be kind of interesting to see these radically different views from my own," Norton said.
Stein said while he didn't agree with all of Griffin's comments, he would be concerned if Griffin wasn't allowed to speak.
"College campuses are all about getting to know the other side," he said. "It's all about free speech."
Griffin also said he thought it was "a very naïve and juvenile position" for people to feel he shouldn't be allowed to speak on college campuses.
It is important for all people to be able to speak at colleges, where "young people come with open minds," he said.
A fire alarm in the Veterans Medical Building, where the speech was being held, was pulled during Griffin's speech.
Terry Denbow, the vice president of University Relations at Michigan State, said aside from the fire alarm being pulled, the logistics of the event went smoothly.
"I thought the behaviors were appropriate for a heated discussion," Denbow said.
Denbow also said it is important for colleges to be open-minded, yet have a structured plan when approving guest speakers.
"The presence of someone doesn't necessarily indicate that something bad or good is going to happen," Denbow said.
After the event, a confrontation between protesters and supporters occurred outside the building, Stonehouse said.
"We heard someone scream 'Run, they're coming,' " Stonehouse said. "And you just see this big mob of protesters coming at you."
Griffin said he has been invited to speak at many British universities.
"So far, every single one of those invitations have been withdrawn," he said. "The only place I can speak at a university is in America."
The Minnesota Daily
British National Party chairman Nick Griffin crossed the pond, but it wasn't all smooth sailing.
Tempers erupted Friday at Michigan State University during Griffin's speech, which was organized by student group Young Americans for Freedom, a conservative youth organization.
University philosophy senior Seth Rompelman learned about the event through Facebook. He said he contacted Michigan State about Griffin's speech because he was worried about safety issues.
"Nick Griffin has a long history of promoting openly racist, fascist politics," Rompelman said. "He has been charged with inciting racial hatred and violence in England."
In March, the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization that tracks hate groups and promotes tolerance, designated the student organization as a hate group.
The speech was intended for Griffin to address the overpopulation of Islamists in Europe, but turned into a question-and-answer session, he said.
"I couldn't really make my speech," Griffin said. "There was a fanatically hostile group of protesters."
Griffin recently spoke at Clemson University and Texas A&M University, where he said the audience was receptive to his message.
He said the speech at Michigan State, however, was heated.
Jon Stonehouse, a Western Michigan University student, said there was a clear division between Griffin's supporters and protesters.
"You could feel the tension the moment you walked in," Stonehouse said. "It was like the 'West Side Story.' "
Michael Stein, a Michigan State student who attended the event, agreed with Stonehouse.
"It should have been moderated," Stein said.
Michigan State student Andrea Norton said Griffin focused on radical Islam in extreme cases.
"I thought it would be kind of interesting to see these radically different views from my own," Norton said.
Stein said while he didn't agree with all of Griffin's comments, he would be concerned if Griffin wasn't allowed to speak.
"College campuses are all about getting to know the other side," he said. "It's all about free speech."
Griffin also said he thought it was "a very naïve and juvenile position" for people to feel he shouldn't be allowed to speak on college campuses.
It is important for all people to be able to speak at colleges, where "young people come with open minds," he said.
A fire alarm in the Veterans Medical Building, where the speech was being held, was pulled during Griffin's speech.
Terry Denbow, the vice president of University Relations at Michigan State, said aside from the fire alarm being pulled, the logistics of the event went smoothly.
"I thought the behaviors were appropriate for a heated discussion," Denbow said.
Denbow also said it is important for colleges to be open-minded, yet have a structured plan when approving guest speakers.
"The presence of someone doesn't necessarily indicate that something bad or good is going to happen," Denbow said.
After the event, a confrontation between protesters and supporters occurred outside the building, Stonehouse said.
"We heard someone scream 'Run, they're coming,' " Stonehouse said. "And you just see this big mob of protesters coming at you."
Griffin said he has been invited to speak at many British universities.
"So far, every single one of those invitations have been withdrawn," he said. "The only place I can speak at a university is in America."
The Minnesota Daily
October 21, 2007
Student hate group bringing ultra right wing conservative leader from England
The Young Americans for Freedom at Michigan State University will host a speech by Nick Griffin, the head of the British National Party on October 26 at 7 p.m. according to press release on their website. No location for the speech has been announced.
The British National Party has drawn fire for allegedly being racist. The party has a platform statement which includes stopping all immigration to England.
"On current demographic trends, we, the native British people, will be an ethnic minority in our own country within sixty years. To ensure that this does not happen, and that the British people retain their homeland and identity, we call for an immediate halt to all further immigration, the immediate deportation of criminal and illegal immigrants, and the introduction of a system of voluntary resettlement whereby those immigrants who are legally here will be afforded the opportunity to return to their lands of ethnic origin assisted by a generous financial incentives both for individuals and for the countries in question."
MSU YAF was listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center in April. Its chairman, Kyle Bristow, has been tied to the white supremacy movement and its legal advisor Jason VanDyke has been tied to the Council of Conservative Citizens, a racist outgrowth of the former White Citizens Councils.
Bristow declined to comment for this article.
Michigan Messenger
The British National Party has drawn fire for allegedly being racist. The party has a platform statement which includes stopping all immigration to England.
"On current demographic trends, we, the native British people, will be an ethnic minority in our own country within sixty years. To ensure that this does not happen, and that the British people retain their homeland and identity, we call for an immediate halt to all further immigration, the immediate deportation of criminal and illegal immigrants, and the introduction of a system of voluntary resettlement whereby those immigrants who are legally here will be afforded the opportunity to return to their lands of ethnic origin assisted by a generous financial incentives both for individuals and for the countries in question."
MSU YAF was listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center in April. Its chairman, Kyle Bristow, has been tied to the white supremacy movement and its legal advisor Jason VanDyke has been tied to the Council of Conservative Citizens, a racist outgrowth of the former White Citizens Councils.
Bristow declined to comment for this article.
Michigan Messenger
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