Student's proposed Caucasian Club meets some resistance

[Vesayen]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/09/17/state1600EDT0196.DTL

Student's proposed Caucasian Club meets some resistance

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

(09-17) 16:07 PDT OAKLEY, Calif. (AP) --

A Freedom High School freshman has run up against opposition in her quest to start a Caucasian Club for white students.

A local NAACP leader says Lisa McClelland's proposed club smacks of racial division, a charge the 15-year-old denies. McClelland says she and some of her friends simply feel a bit slighted since other school clubs cater to specific cultures and races, such as the Black Student Union and the Asian Club.

"It's not racist because we're not excluding anyone, and we're just trying to solve the issues of racial disparity," McClelland said. Her ethnic background is American Indian, Latino, Dutch, German, Italian and Irish.

So far McClelland has gathered 245 signatures from an array of students, adults and others on and off campus in support of the formation of her Caucasian Club. She's looking to gather additional signatures before submitting the petition to Freedom High principal Eric Volta this week.

The high school has dealt with thorny racial issues in the recent past. In 2001, a black teacher found a noose made out of a shoelace hanging on the doorknob of his classroom. Tensions mounted again last year when a roped noose was found dangling from a redwood tree on campus.

Darnell Turner, vice president of the East County chapter of the NAACP, spoke out against the 2002 incident and says McClelland's Caucasian Club sounds like a bad idea at a time when the campus is trying to heal fresh emotional wounds.

"It will not allow us to heal that divide that we've tried to overcome in the past couple of years," Turner said. "If her motivation is to bring harmony, as she alleges, this is not the way to go."

Some of McClelland's classmates, however, support her effort.

"It'd be tight because they can learn more about their history," said 14-year-old Tyleisha Crooks, a fellow freshman at Freedom who is black.

Elliott Perez, 14, a sophomore at Freedom who is Latino and white, also said the school could benefit from McClelland's club.

"I think it's fair for white people to have their own club, because every other race has their own club," he said.

Both Crooks and Perez signed the petition in support of the formation of the Caucasian Club.

Oakley is located about 50 miles east of San Francisco.



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On the Net:

https://www.libertyuhsd.k12.ca.us/Freedom/

[MrFun]

I can understand the legitimacy and purposes that minority-affiliated groups have, as long as they welcome non-minority people.



What I do not understand, in spite of this gal's explanation/justification, is the real purpose/function of the Caucasian Club.

[JohnT]

Poor, oppressed Whitey, man it just breaks my heart.

[MrFun]

exactly, JohnT

Now there would be something wrong with minority clubs that purposely exclude whites -- but even with this Caucasian Club willing to include minority group members, what is the FREAKING purpose??

[Vesayen]

I'm sure if a Caucasian tried to join the Asian American club, the Latin American club or the African Student club they would be welcomed with open arms, right?

It would go over just a bit better then Hillel going to a Muslim Alliance meeting.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Vesayen
I'm sure if a Caucasian tried to join the Asian American club, the Latin American club or the African Student club they would be welcomed with open arms, right?

It would go over just a bit better then the Muslim Alliance crashing a hillel meeting.

I don't know about other college campuses, but a black student where I went for undergraduate school invited me to the Black Student League meeting one time, as a way to ask me to join.

I turned the offer down politely though, explaining that I have other obligations that would not allow me to get involved in yet something else.

[Vesayen]

The point is that if your going to make clubs for distinctions on race, EVERY race should be allowed to make such clubs-saying "We'll they'll accept anyone, not just that race!" Well if thats the case why do such clubs exist?

[Ben Kenobi]

It would go over just a bit better then Hillel going to a Muslim Alliance meeting.

Or a man going to the 'Woman's Centre' in our uni.

What about freedom of association Mr. Fun? Don't the crackers have the rights to be bigots amongst themselves?

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Vesayen
The point is that if your going to make clubs for distinctions on race, EVERY race should be allowed to make such clubs-saying "We'll they'll accept anyone, not just that race!" Well if thats the case why do such clubs exist?

Of course students should be allowed to create a Caucasian Club -- one of things about United States, is that people have the freedom to implement dumb ideas and put them into practice.

[Boris Godunov]

I was a member of my college's black student group. They threw the best parties. Being Finance Committee Chair, I did want to partake of the fruits of the funds I allocated... nyahahaha.

The women's issues group had a few male members, too. I don't know if any gentiles were in Hillel, but we were certainly made more than welcome at their events and holiday dinners. Damned Kosher dining hall always had the better food...

[Ben Kenobi]

is that people have the freedom to implement dumb ideas and put them into practice.

One need only examine the proliferation of gay pride groups across the nation to verify your hypothesis.

[Dinner]

All of the race based groups are dumb but if you're going to allow one then you have to allow all.

[DaShi]

Are they crazy?!!! You can't have a caucasian club. All white people are racist. Everyone knows that.

[Elok]

Eh, racial pride is stupid regardless of who has it. If white geniuses like Benjamin Franklin should make me proud of my race, by the same reasoning shouldn't the case of Jeffrey Dahmer make me ashamed of myself?
I imagine those are some fun meetings anyway. Aside from lifting white spirits so oppressed by not hearing of the great accomplishments of their forefathers (other than almost every prominent figure in American and world history prior to 1950 or so), what do they do? Plan rhythm improvement day? Maybe thinking up slogans. "Aryan Blondes: yes, we do have superior amounts of fun."
Edit-Heh, after I posted this, I got the quote: "every absurdity has a champion to defend it." Fo Gigure.

[Solly]

I don't see the point in clubs or societies like that. Sports clubs or interests clubs (like walking, debating) is all you need.