Racist fliers were found on parked cars in Lots 25 and 34 between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Monday, according to University officials.
The fliers featured a falsified missing-persons report with a picture of a white child with the tag line stating, “Missing: A Future for White Children.” Under the picture was a short paragraph stating, “…Corrupt politicians and minority special-interest groups have abducted her future. There will be no future for her in the Third World America that our nation’s enemies are planning.”
There were also cartoon caricatures depicting negative images of Jews, Asians, Middle Eastern people and Blacks. The bottom of the flyer advocated white supremacy and white supremacist Web sites along with the statement “Diversity not our strength” (sic) at the bottom.
It is currently unknown who is responsible for the posting of the fliers, but it could be a regional group because there were similar fliers found at St. Norbert College in De Pere. St. Norbert officials claim to have video of the perpetrator that was turned over to the police, according to a Fox-11 story.
The fliers violate University policies to eliminate discrimination, as well as State Statute 346.94(4) stating, “No person shall throw any missile, circular or pamphlet at the occupants of any vehicle or throw or place any missile, circular or pamphlet in or on any vehicle, whether or not the vehicle is occupied.”
Since this issue deals with both State and University policies and laws being broken, it is up to the University and the University Police as to how they are going to proceed with punishment.
UW-Oshkosh Police Chief Michael Melland said he thought whoever put the flyers on the cars was “gutless.”
“They’re equal opportunity haters,” Melland said. “…Unfortunately can’t do anything about it, their right to free speech trumps anything.”
Melland said although he may or may not have any legal recourse he doesn’t plan on backing down.
“I intend, if I can identify who it is, to cite them anyways,” Melland said. “They can appeal if they want and spend thousands of dollars do ing so and let the court sort it out.”
On Tuesday, Chancellor Richard Wells sent a mass e-mail to the students of UW-Oshkosh regarding these fliers, asking for assistance in holding the individual or individuals accountable.
Wells was unable to be reached in person because he was at a conference out of state, but sent a formal statement via e-mail stating, “I am calling on educational, business, media, elected and other community leaders throughout the New North region to stand up and speak out forcefully against what appears to be an increase in hate speech and other racist and sexist behaviors. I believe we, as leaders, are morally obligated to speak out.”
The e-mail also stated that the University will be considering the pros and cons of installing cameras in our parking lots to create greater security in our lots.
“This showed we are such a caring community on campus because there were many different reports of the flyers to various offices on campus, and that many were concerned about the flyers,” Jeanette DeDiemar, executive director of Integrated Marketing and Communications, said.
Anyone with any information regarding the fliers is encouraged to come forward and contact the University Police at 920-424-1212.
