A University of Wisconsin-Madison student is looking to bring a pro-white advocacy group to campus.
The founder says a group of its kind is missing from the university.
The new group, the Madison American Freedom Party, is using #UWAltRight to recruit students. The term and idea of the group has received backlash on social media.
Daniel Dropik, the founder of the group, said members are looking to fight against racial double standards he feels negatively affects students of Western European descent on campus.
“The idea is that we want to support people who feel like there is an issue with anti-white racism,” Dropik said.
The disadvantage, Dropik said, can be found in the lack of representation for white students on campus. Dropik said in his recruitment video the group believes explicit white racial and political advocacy will reduce the amount of hate crimes on campus.
“It’s about equalizing the balance of power. Whether or not people agree there are a lot of white people on campus who really think things are unfair,” he said.
The recruitment video is not sitting well with students like UW-Madison grad student and member of the Black Liberation Action Coalition, Jaquie Forbes.
“Anti-white racism is not even a thing. To be a racist you have to have institutional power and privilege. People of color do not have institutional power and privilege,” Forbes said.
Students also highlighted the concerns of how the group could influence the racial climate on campus.
“People are already scared on this campus and feel like racism is a huge issue. So, to have this group is making it worse as opposed to making it more inclusive,” UW-Madison grad student James Gelckner said. “It’s also harming for white students as well. I think just having this type of racism on campus is dehumanizing to all students whether there are students of color or white students.”
Students say Dropik’s group is promoting racial exclusivity while groups on campus are trying to fight for a more inclusive environment after a number of racial-bias incidents were reported on campus last year.
“He is not trying to make an environment that is more comfortable for black people by dismantling racist systems. He is trying to create an environment that provides a platform for racist ideas to exist,” Forbes said.
According to Dropik, the group’s mission is to not divide the community. He is encouraging those who have concerns to contact him, but he asks that individuals keep an open mind to the group.
