'UCF White Student Union' Facebook page raising eyebrows
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Many at the University of Central Florida people aren’t sure what to make of a "White Student Union at UCF" Facebook page. The Facebook page launched on Saturday. On it, the creator says as a member of the white race, he or she feels discriminated against to the point of feeling unsafe. Another early post to members reads, “How did you celebrate your whiteness today?”
The group claims to be composed of students and alumni on a mission to be a “Countervailing voice against intolerance… to provide a safe space for white students on campus.” A group spokesperson told FOX 35 in a statement that the White Student Union, or WSU, was formed in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, as racially charged demonstrations continue to gain steam nationwide.
The president of the UCF College Democrats, Nikki Mariutto, said the page’s creation is upsetting, adding, “It’s just unjustified, I feel, to talk like that, especially where there are people who actually do feel fear of their safety.”
Many other students aren’t sure of what to make of any group that claims to feel unsafe on campus, period.
“As a black guy, I don’t feel in any way threatened,” said student Terrill Jackson, “I don’t think anyone in the United States should feel threatened at any given point.”
Creators of the WSU are remaining anonymous for now, saying they can’t come forward out of fear for their safety. In a series of posts and comments, the group said white people have been recently subjected to “verbal abuse and defamation.” They add, “We are not a racist or white supremacist organization. We do not desire to discriminate against non-whites or diminish their cultures… but we will not apologize for being white… we will not be emotionally blackmailed to go along with the displacement of white people and culture in the name of 'diversity' or 'equality.'"
UCF told FOX 35 that this group is not, in any way, supported by or connected with the school, and the university is taking steps to have the page taken down.