A former president of a white supremacist group at the campus of Towson University has proposed a plan to create a 'white student union.'
Matthew Heimbach, a U.S. History major who was the president of the local chapter of national right wing organization Youth for Western Civilization before it was disbanded in March 2012, has said that he wants to create a 'safe space' for white members on the campus.
"We essentially want to replicate what every student union does on campus," he said to the student newspaper, The Towerlight.
"You have a Black student Union who promotes black heroes; we want to do the same thing."
His opinion in the student newspaper reads:
"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."
The student's attempt at creating such a group has not gone too well with many, mainly because of his association with the YWC. Many members of the YWC were involved in other conservative campus groups like Young Americans for Freedom and college Republican chapters, reports Huffington Post.
In addition, The Baltimore Sun also noted that the group had sparked controversy with its public displays against Islam, same-sex marriage and multicultural education.
Not surprisingly, before its disbandment, former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) was named honorary chairman who defended the YWC on several occasions.
Heimbach claims that 17 people have shown interest in joining the new 'white pride' group as of now and hopes that the number will increase and have begun distributing fliers across the campus.
The new group hasn't filed any paperwork to become a student group, according to Student Government Association President Brandy Hall, although the group's leader has reportedly met with SGA Adviser Chris Rindosh.
Victor Collins, the university's assistant vice president of student affairs for diversity, said to the Baltimore Sun that the group should be treated like any other campus groups as long as its members meet the requirements and comply with Towson's rules.
Though he supports the group's First Amendment rights, he said, he does not agree that Towson's campus is prejudiced against whites.
"They think they are a parallel comparison to the Black Student Union," Collins said. "In my observation in American society and history, I don't know if white students have been discriminated against or denied access to intuitions. This is a predominantly white institution. I don't understand why they have to [form]."
Towson University leaders may think otherwise, but the white pride group is expected to draw unwanted attention in coming days.