Racist materials again appear on campus at TxSt

Printed materials advocating white supremacy have once again appeared on the Texas State University campus — a phenomenon that has occurred repeatedly since the 2016 U.S. election.

Sometime overnight on Oct. 10-11, business cards bearing white supremacist imagery were found at Evans Auditorium on the Texas State campus. On one side, the cards show five figures in Ku Klux Klan hoods with a burning cross behind them. The other side has a drawing of a noose and the words, “It’s not illegal to be white … yet” with the URL of a website that sells pro-KKK apparel, knives, lighters, white supremacist stickers and other items.

Texas State University spokesman Jayme Blaschke said that to his knowledge, this was the first incident of white supremacist materials on campus this semester.

In response to the discovery of the cards, Texas State University Denise Trauth sent an email to students, faculty and staff on Oct. 11 denouncing racism on campus.

“I am deeply troubled to share another one of these messages with our university community. White supremacist business size cards were found on the San Marcos Campus today. I think many of you share in my anger that this has happened several times since November 9, 2016,” the letter begins.

Trauth’s email noted steps that have been taken on campus to address “the impact these hateful messages have” at Texas State, including the creation of the Council on Inclusive Excellence.

“These incidents are on the rise nationwide, and what is happening at Texas State is a symptom of a larger sickness. The individuals who circulate this material do so specifically to divide and frighten us — but we must be resilient,” the email states. “In the face of this adversity, we have a responsibility to make it clear where we stand: that hate has no place at Texas State. It does not represent us, and it will not define us.”

Materials on the Texas State campus from Antifa.

Trauth urged members of the Texas State community to share thoughts and concerns with the Council on Inclusive Excellence at equityaccess@txstate.edu and report racist material to the University Police Department at 512-245-2805.

“We think that more needs to be done and the San Marcos community needs to know about this,” student Mia Lombardo said in an email to the Daily Record. “Some of us thought using social media was the fastest and easiest way to get the word out that we are angered and we need things to change at this university.”

Lombardo is using the hashtag #StopHateAtTxState to rally awareness online.

“We are angered and we want more than an email to be sent out and for a council to be put into place,” Lombardo said. “... I feel like the university is not doing enough to make sure that the minority students are feeling safe to walk from building to building.”

Several students noted on social media that some faculty members set up “safe spaces” for students to discuss their concerns about the business cards and student safety.

A Twitter account allegedly belonging to an anarchist group posted photos of flyers put up on campus to counter the business cards, including one that says “Immigrants Welcome” and another that says “Anti-Fascist Territory.” Another flyer naming “known hate groups” at Texas State included the university’s police department and Texas State Turning Point USA on the list. The national Turning Point USA organization is scheduled to hold a “Campus Clash” event at Texas State in less than two weeks.

Oct. 11 was also National Coming Out Day — a day for members of the LGBTQ community to celebrate or reveal their sexuality and raise awareness of civil rights issues. Texas State students took to social media to discuss a booth set up in the Quad that day inviting students to “come out” as conservatives.