By Justin Sweitzer, Editor-in-Chief Following the emergence of posters promoting the altright organization Identity Evropa, members of the KU campus community shared varying thoughts on how the situation should be handled, with prominent leaders asking students to be respectful of rights to free speech while encouraging an inclusive environment for KU students.
Some, however, did not share Cunningham’s beliefs, as many students took down the posters shortly after their emergence. Some professors even offered extra credit to students who took the posters down.
“As your Student Body President, I want to extend myself as a resource for you to approach with concerns. Our student body should continue to respect one another and support our diversity,” said Gallagher in a Feb. 8 statement to students. “I want to ensure that we maintain a positive campus climate; we all play a role in achieving that.”
otry and racism.
Communication design professor Vicki Meloney offered extra points to students who transformed the posters into an “anti-hate piece of artwork or typographic In a statement addressing the posters, KU President message,” such as a collage or origami, according to a Kenneth Hawkinson stressed that all students have a Facebook post from KU communication design profesright to free speech, but that the university will not sup- sor Karen Kresge. port discriminatory language or practices on campus. In retaliation, some replaced Identity Evropa’s handiKU Student Government Board President Molly Galla- work with posters of their own, as some bulletin boards gher echoed Hawkinson’s sentiments, offering herself across campus featured posters sporting the slogan, as a resource to concerned students. “Good Night Alt Right,” proclaiming a rejection of bigActivists on campus, however, believe the best course of action is to make use of campus resources and organize in an effort to continue to foster diversity at KU.
“It was deeply troubling that our campus was targeted in particular. However, the students from our marginalized communities have stood strongly against bigotry, While the organization has been accused of holding prejudice and hate,” said Nykolai Blichar, KU student white nationalist beliefs, the fact that the posters did not trustee and diversity council co-chair. outwardly express discriminatory or hateful language left the university with their hands tied as to what ac- “I believe the next course of action for students is to tions could be taken. Due to the absence of such lan- stay engaged on campus by being involved with groups guage, Identity Evropa was afforded the same rights as like Diversity Council and our many diversity-related organizations.” any other campus organization to share their beliefs. Kaleigh Cunningham, president of the KU chapter of Blichar stressed that it’s important that the university Young Americans for Liberty, said that while she dis- commits to creating a campus climate generated around agrees with the Identity Evropa’s ideological stances, diversity and inclusion. Kevin Mahoney, a professor of English at KU and “While the posters placed around campus last week founder of the left-leaning blog Raging Chicken Press, are hurtful and immoral, it is that group’s right to voice offered a similar their opinion. We cannot stop hateful people from ex- assessment when discussing the situation saying that isting, but what we can do is challenge their ideas with it’s more important to strengthen campus bonds than to go after a particular group. that of our own,” said Cunningham. “Freedom of speech allows for the sharing and compe- “Why don’t we think about creating the community tition of ideas and creating a space where hateful speech that we want to let each other know that we have each is not allowed, creates a breeding ground for it outside other’s backs,” Mahoney said. of that area. In order for one to combat these ideas, we must know of their existence.” the group has the right to express them on campus.