Submission: UCLA professor must dissociate organization from allegedly racist ties

I recently came across UCLA research professor and president of Californians for Population Stabilization Benjamin Zuckerman’s response to an alumnus’ call to leave hate out of the immigration debate in the United States. Zuckerman’s response claims xenophobia and racism have nothing to do with Californians for Population Stabilization, and rather that the organization’s campaigns against immigration are to protect low-income Americans and further prevent the increasing rate of income inequality.

However, the fact Zuckerman is a decision-maker for an organization that uses environmental concerns to peddle hateful propaganda – propaganda that demonizes so many Angelenos, including UCLA students – is shameful. Although Zuckerman insinuates in his submission that serving on the board of an organization before becoming its president is not relevant, and that he is therefore in no way responsible for Californians for Population Stabilization’s hiring of Parker Wilson, a reported white nationalist, there’s proof that Zuckerman’s actions and his past need to be answered for.

In light of the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the summer, let’s call out white supremacy when we see it. We have to.

Since Zuckerman wasn’t exactly forthcoming about his and Californians for Population Stabilization’s work, I decided to do some digging myself. After some not-so-light reading, it is my opinion, based on Californians for Population Stabilization’s well-documented associations with racist extremists and its efforts to demonize immigrants, that the goal of the organization Zuckerman heads is to remove from the U.S. – and prevent the future entry of – individuals who do not meet its preferred racial, cultural and religious profile.

Californians for Population Stabilization was co-founded by the late Garrett Hardin and is funded by population-control advocates and white nationalists such as Dr. John Tanton, who funded the organization over the years through his foundation, US Inc. The organization is also largely donated to by the Colcom Foundation. All of these individuals and organizations advocate for mass roundups of our undocumented brothers and sisters and for radical cuts to legal immigration levels.

Zuckerman was an ally to Tanton, the white nationalist architect of the modern anti-immigrant movement in the U.S. In fact, they both attempted to push the Sierra Club, an influential environmental advocacy organization, into advocating for anti-immigrant policies, but were rejected.

“I’ve come to the point of view that for European-American society and culture to persist requires a European-American majority, and a clear one at that,” Tanton once wrote.

Tanton also authored a paper titled “The Case for Passive Eugenics.” Some friends Zuckerman has.

Additionally, Zuckerman co-edited a book titled “Extraterrestrials: Where Are They?” with Michael Hart, a well-known white nationalist. Hart is the author of the virulently racist book “Understanding Human History,” which focuses on alleged differences in intelligence between various ethnic and racial groups.

Californians for Population Stabilization itself is not bereft of these racist tangles. The organization’s staff includes Joe Guzzardi, a media director and senior writing fellow for the group. Guzzardi also contributed to the white nationalist website VDARE.com. Californians for Population Stabilization also encourages its members to oppose permanent legislation that would protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients.

The organization’s finances also reflect its troubling stance. From 2011 to 2015, it received nearly $3 million from the Colcom Foundation, one of the largest donors for anti-immigrant causes in the U.S. The group’s founder, Cordelia Scaife May, was a friend of Tanton. Both shared an admiration for population control and have helped found and fund many anti-immigrant organizations in the U.S. for several decades.

Many Californians for Population Stabilization campaigns have attacked immigrants over the last four years. In an attempt to dodge accusations of racism and foster resentment toward immigrants, Californians for Population Stabilization evokes civil rights figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in their online propaganda and television ads. For example, one ad titled “Were High American Unemployment and Wage Depression Martin Luther King’s Dream?” was pegged to King’s birthday.

Californians for Population Stabilization encourages its members to oppose permanent legislation that would protect DACA recipients. In fact, an action alert on the group’s website asks supporters to demand their elected officials oppose the DREAM Act.

Mr. Zuckerman, I have two proposals for you:

First, Californians for Population Stabilization was once a recipient of the now-folded Pioneer Fund, a white-supremacist outfit devoted to racial purity through eugenics. In order to prove that you stand against xenophobia and hatred, I urge you to pledge to donate the money Californians for Population Stabilization received from this vile group to a Los Angeles charity – specifically an organization that empowers Los Angeles immigrant communities.

And second, release a statement clearly stating the U.S. government should not deport the 220,000 DACA recipients living in California – some of whom attend UCLA. Only then can you really claim Californians for Population Stabilization does not dabble in racism and xenophobia.

Mora received a political science bachelor’s degree from UCLA in 2015 and is a co-founder of UndocuMedia, a nonprofit organization that employs digital tools to inform immigrants in the U.S.