AJC, TIME, Fox News: GSU student starts White Student Union, racism fire? (Atlanta: 2013, transfer)

[ChefRamsey]

White student unions: Idea spreads to Georgia State | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com


The community needs to know about the crap that goes on at GSU. I can't even deal.

"Freshman Patrick Sharp said he started the club to serve as place where students of European and Euro-American descent can celebrate their shared history and culture and discuss issues that affect white people, such as immigration and affirmative action. The club is not an official student group recognized by the university. Sharp said any student can join and that he would work with other clubs, such as the Black Student Alliance, on common issues.Georgia State is highly diverse, with whites comprising 38 percent of the student body, followed by blacks at 35 percent, Asians at 12 percent and Latinos at 7 percent."


For those of you who don't know, GSU's on-campus atmosphere is very urban and geared towards African Americans. That statistic is including all the law students, grad students, nursing students. The undergraduate population is comprised of 39% black, 34% white.



https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/c...ate-university


On campus, black fraternities and black student groups run the show. They play rap music and feature rap artists in the courtyard every Tuesday and Thursday. Many students have transferred from AUC schools. Mostly black students live in on-campus housing.



There's LOTS of controversy going on about this on campus. Students are complaining already. I expect GSU to take action if things follow suit.


Here's a video interview of Patrick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...lPPFGsRw#at=32

[Ant131531]

So you post an article about a White group being created, then you complain about the black population. What point are you trying to get at? It seems all over the place.

[ChefRamsey]

long time no speak ant...

I'm not complaining about anything this time. I'm only noting why this is a big deal to GSU students. On the class pages, everyone is going nuts. Personally, I think the guy has bad intentions. Why not create a European Student Union? Why White? Lots of schools have Italian Student Alliance, Greek student alliance, English student alliance, German student alliance etc. Why "WHITE"? He also noted that the group would look for white interests. Well, some might be valid concerns, but why not just hold renaissance nights and hand out free Italian food instead? Seems a little fishy to me. I'm also curious as to how this has become such a big of an issue already. TIME wrote about it. At the same time, I'm disgusted by everyone who's out to get him with pitch forks just because he's creating a group that isn't helping minorities. I mean it's GSU, the school itself is there to help minorities. Glad this nut didn't get accepted to UGA or Tech. pft.

Someone took a picture of this Patrick guy and wrote:

"This is Patrick Sharp, the founder and organizer of the "White Student Union". The same guy who posts anti-Muslim, homo/transphobic, White supremacist materials on his Facebook and is connected to said groups."

Another guy posted this link:
GSU “White Student Union” has formal ties with Neo-Nazi organization, Patrick Sharp displays images of racial bigotry | biscuette

I see posts with 100+ comments. Some even want to take legal action.

[MathmanMathman]

I can't think on what grounds there can be opposition.

GSU has
Black Graduate Student Association
Black Sophomore Society
Black Student Alliance
BlackOUT (for Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, etc)
Women in Computing in Atlanta
Caribbean Student Association
Chinese Student Union
etc.

[Mgyeldell]

Okay I am confused, I graduated from GSU last year and I can say the GSU is not geared toward any particular race. GSU is a urban campus because it is located in the most urban part of a top ten major American student. I can say that GSU is the most racially diverse place I have ever been in Atlanta. I've had teachers in my 4.5 years at the school from every corner of the earth and there are clubs to represent pretty much everyone in the world.

But, I see no problem if there were clubs like the English American Student association, or Polish American Student Alliance where people are celebrating their own country history and striving for particular positive goals. When I see "white American" student clubs I look with a side eye because these clubs are mostly started out of spite and hatred of people of color, or they are started to mock the other clubs.

[kasuga888]

The founder seems like a troll in the fox segment. I would not be offended if someone started a legitimate European Culture Association or equivalent.

[ChefRamsey]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I can't think on what grounds there can be opposition.

GSU has
Black Graduate Student Association
Black Sophomore Society
Black Student Alliance
BlackOUT (for Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, etc)
Women in Computing in Atlanta
Caribbean Student Association
Chinese Student Union
etc.

True, I was part of VSA(viet student assoc)

But I mean, what if he doesn't want to exclude all the other white people that aren't English or German or even European. Many Middle Eastern people are "white" and technically so are some Indians and North African.. That might be it.

Here's a video interview...he doesn't SEEM to have bad intentions...but..


Student Patrick Sharp organizes White Student Union at Georgia State University - YouTube

[Iconographer]

This was invited. IMO, they don't have a leg to stand on. My non-white husband agrees

[ATLTJL]

You're 20 years behind, GSU.

This went on at University of Florida when I was there and probably countless other universities.

Same story. The white student union was founded as a bit of a statement against organizations like the black student union that are exclusionary by nature, the students get into an uproar, the university disavows affiliation while at the same time stopping short of refusing to allow the organization to meet on campus, and after the smoke clears, the organization just sort of vanishes due to lack of interest after the initial statement has been made.

That's how it goes down. Welcome to 1991, GSU. Prepare to have your mind blown when Smells Like Teen Spirit comes out.

EDIT: My mistake, you're 23 years behind: http://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/08/st...-protests.html

[westau]

I heard an interview with him this morning on Rock 100.5 and he seemed like he was doing it to prove a point and not as some kkk racist type. He is correct that there are many racially specific student groups at GSU(and at colleges around the country) so why can't they have a white one if they want as long as they aren't excluding people who want to join and can bring something positive to the group? Technically they are a minority at GSU as well if you want to get specific.