Due to the controversial nature of the recent post regarding YWC, and its implications, the editors decided that it is important to allow YWC to respond. Therefore, we are providing an outlet for their response to accusations made by CRdaily. Let us be clear, however, and say that we are in no way endorsing the YWC or its aims. This is a non-biased, neutral outlet for the president of the UNC Youth for Western Civilization club, Riley Matheson to respond to what he asserts to be inaccuracies reported on this blog.
Below is an interview with Riley Matheson as recorded over email. I have listed the questions first, and then his response in its entirety:
1. Can you please elaborate upon what YWC means by “western culture?”
2. Can you please elaborate upon what YWC mean by “mass immigration?” Are you specifically referring to illegal immigration or all forms of legal and illegal immigration?
3. What does right wing mean to your organization? Is it synonymous with conservative?
4. Is your organization related in anyway to the Neo-Nazi or White Supremacist movement? Specifically, what is the significance of your logo?
5. You have been accused of being a White Supremacist, is this accusation true?
6. What does the YWC mean by “identity” and celebrating it?
7. What does racism mean to your organization? And does your organization fit into that category?
1. YWC means by Western Civilization exactly what liberals at this University mean by the term. We typically think of the beginning of Western Civilization’s history as beginning with the indigenous cultures of traditionally Western peoples, such as the ancient Greeks, the Romans, and the Northern, Central, and Eastern Europeans. These peoples gave rise to the Civilization which we universally refer to as “Western.” Of course, anyone of any racial ancestry has the right and capability of participating in this Western tradition, but it originally started with Europeans. In other words, while it is an historical fact that Western Civilization started with indigenous European peoples, this doesn’t mean that only European peoples can now participate in it.
2. By “mass immigration,” YWC simply refers to the huge and unprecedented amount of immigration that the West is now experiencing–illegal or legal. While we are not against immigration per se, we recognize that immigrants naturally stimulate changes in the societies to which they migrate. This being the case, we believe that Western societies need to be careful to assimilate fully the immigrants whom they decide to accept. If the immigrants are not properly assimilated, they will end up irrevocably changing the indigenous Western culture to which they migrated. Allow me to quote from Pat Buchanan’s book “The Death of the West” on this point: ” ‘Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them…?’ [Benjamin] Franklin would never find out if his fears were justified. German immigration was halted during the Seven Years War.” Here, Buchanan is obviously quoting Ben Franklin, who was concerned about the indigenous culture of the English being “Germanized.” It’s not that Franklin was “racist” against the Germans (after all, they were members of the same race), it’s just that he wanted to make sure that the Germans who were already in America were properly and effectively “Anglified.” That’s how we see America’s situation now. America is a branch of the tree of Western Civilization, yet it must be recognized that we are ONE NATION and we have our own unique identity in the West, and, indeed, in the world. We have a right to have a specifically American identity that is unique to us as a people. We therefore want America’s immigrants to be “Americanized.” And if we accept too many immigrants, we simply won’t be able to Americanize them well/fast enough–they will end up changing us more than we will change them, which will make our nation unrecognizable to our ancestors.
3. Basically, “right wing” is synonymous with “conservative.” However, in light of the ever-changing “conservative” identity (which typically moves farther and farther left (liberal) every year it seems), such social conservatives as those at YWC (who are more “paleo-conservative” than anything else) are starting to prefer to refer to themselves as “right wing.” Being “right wing” also seems to us to be a statement that we are more traditionally conservative (e.g., we are against current U.S. military policies, even though most self-identifying conservatives are not; we also take such things as illegal immigration much more seriously than do most self-identifying conservatives).
4. We are not in any way, shape or form connected to or related to Neo-Nazi or White Supremacist movements. These current accusations circulating UNC’s campus are completely slanderous. I’ve spent about the last hour scouring the web, and I can find no image related to ours that would suggest that we are white supremacist on account of our logo. Perhaps our logo can be called a fasces, but this needn’t be a symbol of fascism. It really is a symbol of the autonomy of America as a distinct nation in the world. In our land, we have jurisdiction. In fact, even the Knights of Columbus have a fasces in their emblem. Are they white supremacists?
5. Are you addressing me personally? Either way, I can assure you that neither I nor YWC is white supremacist. I would appreciate it if you could give me the source of this accusation.
6. By “identity,” we mean anyone who is proud to identify himself with Western heritage, culture and civilization. Anyone can do this if he so wishes.
7. Racism is the hatred of a person on account of his race. I almost find it offensive that I have to state continuously that we don’t hate anyone on account of his/her race. YWC IS NOT ABOUT RACE!!!!!!!!!!!
Where did the original article go? Why did you censor it?
I think you should allow us to read both the original article AND the response to it.
Speaking of “free speech being under attack” — what happened to the earlier post here? Why did you censor it???
Is this guy really in college? It’s nice that you gave him a chance to respond, but why pull the original article?
Cry me a river, we explained exactly what we were doing in the first paragraph of this post. Stop making stupid accusations.
I understand the concept of allowing YWC to respond.
I don’t understand your need to censor the original post. It’s difficult to understand this new post without the context of the earlier one.
Why can’t we at least see it?
I thought that was the whole point of free speech — understanding both sides of the argument.
Instead, you seem to be actively suppressing one side. Way to go.
The original post was removed because much of the information was determined to be unsubstantiated. If you still wish to view it, it can be found on the original source’s website. A revised post is forthcoming.
http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2009/02/26/white-nationalist-linked-right-wing-youth-group-debuts-at-cpac/
http://indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A377010
That link took about, oh, say 15 seconds to find? Riley spent an HOUR online looking?
The symbol isn’t why people think YWC is racist, it’s what they’ve done on other campuses, it’s what they say about their fellow students. Don’t use the logo as a straw man. They remind me of the BNP in England who rail on about “Pakis.”
I’m honored that we chased Tancredo off our campus today. There is no space for hate here. And last time I checked, northern Europe was the filthy grubby backwater while the Mediterranean and Middle East invented “western” philosophy and Christianity.
What? BW, are you thinking or merely ranting? I hope it is the latter because your understanding of history is abysmal to say the least.
“I’m honored that we chased Tancredo off our campus today. There is no space for hate here.”
Why are you honored that a few students denied others the opportunity to have an open conversation with someone with different views? Chasing someone off the campus won’t change his ideas, reasonable dialogue might. Do you think that violence or intimidation is a good tactic? Just because intimidation is used against someone associated with racism does not make it any less wrong. Tolerance and Free Speech are not just for those who agree with the mainstream, they are for everyone.
“No space for hate.”
Does hating those who hate not make you guilty of hate yourself?
“We are not in any way, shape or form connected to or related to Neo-Nazi or White Supremacist movements….”
This is obviously true. Marcus Epstein, who is the National VP of the YWC, is a very high-ranking member of YWC even though he is ethnically half Jewish/half Korean – thus this group is obviously not a ‘Neo Nazi’ and/or ‘White supremacist’ group if Epstein is a leading member of the YWC. Seeing as Jews and Koreans are not traditionally considered to be part of ‘Western civilization’ (because those groups are of Near Eastern/Semitic [in the case of Jews] and Asian [in the case of Koreans] ethnic extraction), the fact that Epstein is a high-ranking member of this group should obviously dispel these ridiculous myths regarding Naziesque racism, White supremacism, and so on.
The website that Epstein is editor of has published articles arguing that white people are inherently more intelligence than black people, and that asians are inherently more intelligent than white people.
Racism and bigotry are not the exclusive property of one racial group.
@ Riley
“We therefore want America’s immigrants to be ‘Americanized.’ And if we accept too many immigrants, we simply won’t be able to Americanize them well/fast enough–they will end up changing us more than we will change them, which will make our nation unrecognizable to our ancestors.”
“YWC IS NOT ABOUT RACE!!!!!!!!!!!”
Right, its not about Race but about Ethnicity and National Origin….Usually closely connected with race.
As an immigrant to America myself I am constantly saddened by the “Americanization” of individuals like myself. The beauty of America being a “melting pot” is that ethnic communities and individuals are able to retain their cultures, customs, traditions, and values and live in this country of freedom without having to leave it all at the door and subscribe to these “American values” which we can see for ourselves by what happened at UNC last night that Americans can’t even agree on.
And heaven forbid they might “change” YOU from your conformist, self-created view of American ideology.
Also, “making our nation unrecognizable to our ancestors”?
….Crazy Americans talking to ghosts of their past….
(p.s. those ancestors were not only Anglicans but a widely diverse group of individuals who would definitely not agree with what you endorse today)
and if YWC is calling themselves conservative….I don’t think I can be anymore…if it means subscribing to these ridiculous beliefs
What happened to Marcus Epstein’s response that was posted here?