UCLA administrators said they intend to shut down the UCLA White Student Union Facebook page, in a statement released Tuesday to some student organization leaders.
Officials said in the statement they think the page misrepresents UCLA and could mock student groups that advocate for equity. The page was created several weeks after the Afrikan Student Union protested against what they called a lack of administration action to improve the campus climate.
The UCLA White Student Union Facebook page, which was created on Nov. 20, invited students of European descent to join the group and take advantage of privileges afforded to people of their culture, according to the page.
Janina Montero, vice chancellor of student affairs, said in an email statement that people unaffiliated with UCLA probably manage the Facebook group. Montero added identical Facebook groups have surfaced at other universities, such as UC Berkeley.
Those who post as the page’s owners shared a photo of a student BruinCard in an attempt to verify they are UCLA students.
Starting mid-November, posts on social media encouraged people to create white student unions for different universities, regardless of whether they attend the school. At least 30 white student unions affiliated with universities have been created as of Tuesday, according to the Washington Post.
UCLA spokesperson Rebecca Kendall said in an email she thinks the page is intended to provoke students rather than to promote healthy dialogue on campus issues. Kendall added UCLA supports students’ First Amendment rights, but does not support efforts that ridicule the work of student activists.
Those who post as the UCLA White Student Union declined to comment.
UCLA officials said they are working with Facebook representatives to take down the page, but did not specify a course of action.
Compiled by Nicholas Yu, Bruin senior staff.
Regardless of what you think about their message, those behind WSU have the right to express themselves this way. While I categorically disagree with their message, a move by the administration to penalize WSU members and attempt to force them to remove their page would be a textbook example of a public entity policing content; such actions could never withstand constitutional scrutiny.
University campuses must stop this sort of policing of speech, which is obnoxiously offensive to our Constitution. You — yes, you — are not entitled to be shielded by speech you don’t like. Let’s learn how to communicate and have dialogue. Let’s stop plugging our ears.
I think Rebecca Kendall is confused about the First Amendment. “UCLA supports students’ First Amendment rights”. OK. “but does not support efforts that ridicule the work of student activists”. OK, UCLA is free to choose not to support the efforts. It can even make statements against the WSU, calling it divisive and not representing UCLA’s values. But as a government agency, it cannot _suppress_ the speech of the WSU based on the content of that speech.
This is basic civics. Every University-educated citizen should certainly know this aspect of the Constitution. I would think a spokesperson for the University of California would know of the University’s attempts in the early 1960s to suppress the free speech rights of students advocating for civil rights for persons of color. Does she think that was constitutional?
“But as a government agency, it cannot _suppress_ the speech of the WSU based on the content of that speech” sure they can. Mosques and muslim organization are heavily monitored and suppressed for radical speech. They can and have imprisoned radical american muslims in guantanamo without trial.
In the last 10 years, white extremist had killed much more americans than islamic extremists.
Apparently, it’s worse:
“Officials said in the statement they think the page misrepresents UCLA and could mock student groups that advocate for equity.” [my emphasis].
That is called “prior restraint”, a particularly oppressive form of censorship. And it’s not only suppression of speech — it’s the suppression of the speaker. Based on race!
Now, that’s offensive!
The Administration jumped the gun here. If the UCLA White Student Union actually publishes offensive material, incites hate and so on, the University would have an infinitely more justifiable complaint.
Just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should. And the WSU will get plenty of backlash. In my opinion, rightfully so.
But they do have freedom of speech, and they should not be shut down by UCLA or anyone else.
I say let them be heard, and let them pay the consequences of being insensitive and ignorant.
Based on what they’ve written online, they seem to be very sensitive.
Also, if the students’ goal is to get rid of the “racist campus climate that we face at UCLA,” then they should’ve created a student group that was along the lines of “All Races Student Union.”
Starting a white group is obviously done to provoke other races and will not being people together.
“Starting a white group is obviously done to provoke other races and will not being people together.”
That’s because you hate whites. The reaction only shows how wrong people like you are.
Actually, my husband’s white, and I’m Chinese but I was raised here and am very American (i.e., “white”).
I support “All Lives Matter.” To many supporters of Black Lives Matter, that means I’m pro-white people. But I just think that we’re all Americans and that we all need to unite and support each other. Division is going to tear our country apart.
Also, it’s illogical, biased assumptions like yours that ruin any chance of us as Americans coming together. I make my decisions and my thoughts on facts, and I try to be as fair and unbiased as possible.
But some people just have so much “passion” on an issue that they can’t open their minds to other views and ideas.
So no, I do not “hate whites.” I love whites. I love blacks. I love Asians. I love people, and I hope that we stop dividing ourselves and start uniting and conversing in a civilized and open manner.
An asian women who is pro white rights. What else is new? What’s with asian women prostrating themselves to serve white men? It is like gold digging but with racial institutional power.
And you have just given us our best example of hateful, biased and unfounded racism. Bravo!
I don’t support minorities who wants to serve as part of the white system.
I don’t know where you got the idea that I want to “serve as part of the white system.” I have stated that I support all races, and I did not say I support a white system anywhere in my comments. I said I support free speech. And I do not think the white student union is a good idea and do not support it, but they have the right to form and say what they want.
I support all races and all individuals because I know that each person is unique and different and should not be defined solely by the color of their skin.
There are serious issues with racism and opportunity in this country. No doubt about it. But you need to unite people, not divide them. Start a movement for different races and cultures to hang out together, get to know each other, and understand and accept their differences.
Let’s speak up for free speech and fairness to all individuals no matter their race, sex, income, etc. Let’s also speak up for open-mindedness and discussion.
I leave you with these great quotes from a great man, Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
No, but you support the black racists who demand everything be given to them and will play the race card even when their demands are met.
Sounds like you are the racist then.
You liberals are the racists. You want segregation and “safe spaces.”
Safe spaces because every other location for discourse is dominated by a rich white male view point.
Black racists like you need to read about the President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
Right wingers do safe spaces all the time. Places where they can make a big echo chamber and shoot everyone else down. Look no further than trump rallys. The biggest safe space in the world.
I am also not black.
And the trees moving makes the wind blow……
Also, I’m a strong, independent Chinese woman and am very proud of myself and my accomplishments. I fell in love with a man, not for his skin color, but for who he is as a person.
You are free to stereotype me and put me down, but I’ve encountered enough racism throughout my life (from all sorts of people: black, Hispanic, Armenian, etc.) to be able to brush it aside. I do hope that sometime in the future, you’ll be able to change your views and treatment of others based on their race.
Jejune (…look it up) would be a compliment describing your discordant and disconnective verbal embroidery. This woman expresses true liberation while you are a racist and prisoner spewing false assumptions and stereotypes.
Also, as I mentioned previously, there is nothing wrong with having a “White Student Union.” I would NOT shut them down. I fully support free speech and opposing ideas.
What I said is that you can tell by reading the facebook page that it was obviously set up to provoke supporters of black lives matter. You will not solve any racism issues by creating a bigger divide.
When minority unions are formed entirely to counter the disadvantageous of being a minority and not having proper access to institutional power, white right groups are 180 degrees contrary to our society moving towards equality.
I don’t believe in equality and neither do you.
The crymob Fascists demand “multiculturalism” just with no whites.
Liberal hypocrisy reigns supreme.
May your loved ones get terminal cancer and die from it. Good conservatives are dead ones.
Good liberals are dead ones. May you get raped and no one believe you because of all the rape hoaxes.
A good conservative is a dead one. Chris Kyle is a GOOD CONSERVATIVE POS who was thankfully shot to death.
You just took that way too far.
Kyle defended your rights to whine like the putty you are, scumbag! Plus, you make it sound as if he was shot for his views, which is not the case at all.
GD, you are a Libt@rded pos! Someone merely points out the rampant (and obvious) liberal hypocrisy and you say that?