Caucasian club started...draws anger

miller8966

By Valerie Richardson

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

A 15-year-old girl's effort to start a Caucasian Club at her California high school has won her some support -- and an avalanche of anger.

Freshman Lisa McClelland gathered about 250 signatures from students and adults to start a club at Freedom High School in Oakley, Calif., that would focus attention on European heritage and history.

Her campaign has won the support of many students, not all of them white, who say such a group would be no different from the school's other ethnic clubs, which include the Black Student Union, the Latinos Unidos and the ALOHA club for Asian-American students.

"I applaud Lisa McClelland. She should be allowed to be proud of her heritage and want to know more about it just like anyone else," said one student on the high school's e-mail forum. "What a bunch of hypocrites when people start using the word 'racist.' Why isn't the Latino club racist? Or the Asian or African-American club?"

But the Caucasian Club has run into opposition from those who accuse the club of fueling racial tension.

Darnell Turner, vice president of the East County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he fears the club could morph into a white-supremacy group after Lisa graduates.

"I think she's doing this for the right reasons, but what's going to happen when she graduates? What's it going to turn into?" said Mr. Turner, who added he was speaking for himself and not the NAACP.

He suggested that she change the name to the European-American Club so that the focus would be on heritage, not race.

Lou Calabro, president of the European-American Issues Forum, said he spoke with Lisa on Wednesday when she called to ask for advice.

Since then, he's become an informal adviser for the would-be club. On Friday, he sent letters to two civil-rights organizations requesting an investigation of the school administration.

In the letters, he accused Principal Eric Volta of "resisting the formation of the club" because it "would upset the alleged current positive feelings at the school," said Mr. Calabro in a letter to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.

He cited e-mail he received from Lisa on Friday describing her difficulty in finding an adviser for the club and threats from other students. She also said that teachers are allowing students to place fliers around campus criticizing her campaign.

"She's scared," said Mr. Calabro, who said he receives three to five letters a month from students interested in starting such clubs. "One white football player called her [obscene epithets]. Others are calling her names. She's only 15, so naturally she's upset."

miller8966

I personally think its great and that we should support and be proud of our heritage.

LikeAnOcean

miller8966 wrote:

I personally think its great and that we should support and be proud of our heritage.

Yeah, we should all celebrate that fact that civilization began in the middle-east and our ancient ancestors came there from Africa.

I was born in America. My heritage is American.. I'm not so much into that anyways. I support individualism over heritage anyday. We're all humans in my eyes... but if you want to celebrate where your recent ancestors came from in the last 1000 years or so, do whatever floats your boat.

miller8966

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Yeah, we should all celebrate that fact that civilization began in the middle-east and our ancient ancestors came there from Africa.

I was born in America. My heritage is American.. I'm not so much into that anyways. I support individualism over heritage anyday. We're all humans in my eyes... but if you want to celebrate where your recent ancestors came from in the last 1000 years or so, do whatever floats your boat.

ok..but than can we get rid of the latino groups and the NAACP?

surferdude

Darnell Turner, vice president of the East County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he fears the club could morph into a white-supremacy group after Lisa graduates.

"I think she's doing this for the right reasons, but what's going to happen when she graduates? What's it going to turn into?" said Mr. Turner, who added he was speaking for himself and not the NAACP.

He suggested that she change the name to the European-American Club so that the focus would be on heritage, not race.

Guys like this are a joke. Funny how he doesn't have a problem with the Black Student Union.

sonicreducer

this whole accepting diversity bullshit would ultimately lead to shit like this,...


we all bleed the same color.

LikeAnOcean

miller8966 wrote:

ok..but than can we get rid of the latino groups and the NAACP?

yes.

VictoryGin

sonicreducer wrote:

we all bleed the same color.

yeah! red, white, and blue!

surferdude

In Canada we bleed red, white and hockey.

bharQ

surferdude wrote:

In Canada we bleed red, white and hockey.

which is totally news to the rest of the world

Derrick

She should have just called it the Jr. Republikkkan club.


(kidding)

The Illinoisemakers

I'm all for starting this club. But only if the real motive is to learn about their European heritage, and not to just stir shit up. I agree with the person who said his/her heritage is American. I completely agree. I don't like to preference my self as European-American. I'm American that's who I am. But I still think it is always nice to learn a little something about one's history.

qtegirl

The Illinoisemakers wrote:

I'm all for starting this club. But only if the real motive is to learn about their European heritage, and not to just stir shit up. I agree with the person who said his/her heritage is American. I completely agree. I don't like to preference my self as European-American. I'm American that's who I am. But I still think it is always nice to learn a little something about one's history.

Well, isn't normal history class basically an European heritage class already? Except maybe for Black History Month. Let's not be hipocritical.

VictoryGin

qtegirl wrote:

Well, isn't normal history class basically an European heritage class already? Except maybe for Black History Month. Let's not be hipocritical.

ha. that's what i was going to say. it will definitely be easy for them to learn about their heritage--just crack open a history book. and start with exploration and who discovered america.

trappedinmyradio

VictoryGin wrote:

ha. that's what i was going to say. it will definitely be easy for them to learn about their heritage--just crack open a history book. and start with exploration and who discovered america.

now, it's okay to trust history books in school? okay, america IS great and perfect then.

thankyougrandma

finally! A club i could join...

jlew24asu

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Yeah, we should all celebrate that fact that civilization began in the middle-east and our ancient ancestors came there from Africa.

I was born in America. My heritage is American.. I'm not so much into that anyways. I support individualism over heritage anyday. We're all humans in my eyes... but if you want to celebrate where your recent ancestors came from in the last 1000 years or so, do whatever floats your boat.

I see what your saying but I disagree. your heritage is american but someone down the line you have family members that came from somewhere else.

nothing wrong though with celebrating individualism. by the same tokin, we are all ethnically different. I didnt choose to be italian or irish but I am. I also enjoy celebrating Italian and irish heritage. like the great italian cooking and the awesome irish dancing. I like knowing where my family came from.

the only problem I have with this girls club is the name. other then that, I think its a great idea.

The Illinoisemakers

qtegirl wrote:

Well, isn't normal history class basically an European heritage class already? Except maybe for Black History Month. Let's not be hipocritical.

Sure, but I see nothing wrong with taking their learning about their heritage a little further then what's in their history books. As long as that is the real intent. If it's just there to piss people off then I say get rid of it.

JOEJOEJOE

miller8966 wrote:

ok..but than can we get rid of the latino groups and the NAACP?

Minority groups are often excluded by the whites, hence, the need for them to form their own groups.

Perhaps if there was no discrimination against minorities, they would feel more like part of the gang, and not separate.

Caucasians are in power, so no need to start a club.

surferdude

jlew24asu wrote:

I like knowing where my family came from.

the only problem I have with this girls club is the name. other then that, I think its a great idea.

Do you have a problem with the Black Student Union?

thankyougrandma

surferdude wrote:

Do you have a problem with the Black Student Union?

Seriously i would probably have a problem with a Black Student Union in a country where blacks consist the majority of citizens, political power, economy, medias, whatever.