Controversy at Towson U Over Potential White Student Union

Towson University has been making waves in recent months because of 21-year-old Matthew Heimbach, a fourth-year US history student who's at the heart a controversial campaign to create a White Student Union.

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7 months ago

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US

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United States

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Matthew Heimbach

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United States of America, Maryland

Transcript

SCRIPT: It's Tuesday afternoon, and Matthew Heimbach is spending his time between classes passing out flyers protesting the construction of a nearby mosque. UPSOUND -- Matthew explaining flyer about mosque Matthew has always been politically active -- but his latest project at Towson University has drawn widespread criticism: he wants to create a White Student Union. SOUNDBITE 1 Matthew Heimbach (man), Senior, Towson University (English, sec): "The blacks have a group, Hispanics have a group, Jews have a group, Asians have a group, Arabs have a group but whites are completely left out in the cold. So it's simply an idea to redress a wrong." Like many college campuses across the US, the student body here is predominantly white, which begs the question: is such a union really necessary? SOUNDBITE 3 Matthew Heimbach (man), Senior, Towson University (English, sec): "Just because we're in the numerical majority doesn't mean we don't have interests, we don't have a culture. We have things worth fighting for is what it boils down to, and that's why we need to organize and have the right to organize." Victor Collins is the assistant vice president of diversity affairs. He says Matthew's past actions -- like chalking 'white pride' across the campus -- have him worried. SOUNDBITE 4 Victor Collins (man), Vice Assistant Vice President for Diversity Affairs (English, sec): "I have no problem with white students wanting to celebrate their own heritage, to learn more about who they are, to in fact be very proud of the background of their own particular journey. However, I do have a problem with white supremacy." Most students on campus seem to agree -- and more than 1,000 of them have signed an online petition urging the president to denounce the group. But Matthew claims the union's only purpose it to promote white culture -- and carefully brands it as such. SOUNDBITE 5 Voxpop (woman), Towson University student (English, 11 sec): "So is the White Student Union like the Black Student Union? - Journalist: Is it Matthew? - Matthew: I mean...we're trying to do the exact same thing, that's kind of like the goal... - Student: ok, we're not talking about like the white supremacy group, right? - Matthew: no, no... - Student: ok, I'm just double-checking." For the white student union to take off, it needs a faculty advisor and, so far, no one has come forward. But Matthew remains undaunted, pushed -- and horrified -- by predictions that whites will become a minority in the US by 2042. ---------------- SHOTLIST: TOWSON, MARYLAND, NOVEMBER 20, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - Matthew Heimbach walking around campus - VAR of Matthew talking to students SOUNDBITE 1 Matthew Heimbach - VAR of students walking on campus [partially covers SOT] - VAR of student dining and studying at the University Union SOUNDBITE 2 Matthew Heimbach - VAR of set-up shots of Victor Collins SOUNDBITE 3 Victor Collins - MS of the University Union entrance - screen recording of the petition on change.org - Matthew talking to a student SOUNBITE 4 Voxpop -- conversation between Matthew, student and journalist - VAR of Matthew handing out flyers