From "Inside Vandy" (Vanderbilt University), March 23, 2009
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Buchanan immigration lecture incites protest, support

Submitted by Eve Attermann on 03-22-09, 11:07 pm | Updated on 03-23-09, 12:39 am |

Former United States Treasurer Angela "Bay" Buchanan will be speaking today on the topic of "Illegal Immigration and Patriotic Assimilation" in an event sponsored by Vanderbilt's chapter of Youth for Western Civilization. Several student groups plan to protest the event.

Sophomores Trevor Williams and Devin Saucier founded the chapter of Youth for Western Civilization at the beginning of this school year. According to Saucier, who is the group's vice president, Buchanan will specifically be addressing the drug violence at the Mexican-American border, as well as her proposed solution of upholding rule of law in the area. She will also be discussing the "phenomenon of non-assimilation" among immigrants to the U.S. and Europe.

Members of the Multicultural Leadership Council, Lambda and Students of Nonviolence plan to protest as well as attend Buchanan's lecture. The "Pro-Immigrant Rally" is being described on Facebook as an attempt to show "significant student opposition" to Buchanan's views on illegal immigration.

Williams and Saucier, who have recruited 10 members to their chapter since its beginning, said they are concerned with non-assimilation in recent immigrant populations.

"With the advent of the idea of multiculturalism, there's now an idea that people can move to America and also retain all their old ways of life," Williams said. "Issues especially like language, like not learning the English language, is a major breaking point and that's a problem our group seeks to address."

"The initial immigrants concerned themselves with things like American history, American culture, and they actively assimilated," Saucier said. "Whereas now, there are those that say you don't even have to assimilate, you can move to a Mexican ghetto or something like that and retain your same language, retain your same culture, root against the U.S. in sporting events, hang a Puerto Rican flag from your visor, whatever the case may be, and its not the same dedication to America that there used to be."

The Youth for Western Civilization's national Web site describes the organization as "America's Right Wing Youth Movement" and its mission statement says it is focused on "the support of Western history, identity, high culture, and pride and opposition to radical multiculturalism, political correctness, racial preferences, mass immigration and socialism."

Junior Erica Santiago, who is the president of Vanderbilt Feminists as well as a member of Students of Nonviolence, decided to organize the protest after she saw posters around campus that outlined the Youth for Western Civilization's views on immigration.

"I kept seeing anti-immigration posters around campus and I didn't hear anything counter-acting it, so I sent out some Facebook messages," Santiago said. "My inbox was flooded, so then Elias Feghali (president of Students of Nonviolence) started the Facebook event (for the protest)."

Santiago, who is involved with immigrant rights issues while at home in Staten Island, N.Y., said while she supports the Youth for Western Civilization's right to exist and to organize events, she is surprised by what she sees as its non-inclusive stance.

"What worries me is that every other student group on campus is here to bridge gaps on campus," Santiago said. "This group is going against all of that. I respect it all and I understand it all, but there is a much better way to do this, to sit down with other groups on campus and not be afraid to show your faces."

Buchanan will be participating in a debate on "Immigration Reform in the United States" earlier in the day with Director of the Center for Immigration Studies Mark Krikorian. The Center for Immigration Studies promotes itself as having a "pro-immigrant, low immigration vision that seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted." Vanderbilt University Law School's Federalist Society is sponsoring the lecture, which will take place at noon in the Hyatt room at the Law School.

According to the group's Web site, the Federalist Society hopes to "promote the intellectual exchange of views concerning legal and public policy interests." The society coordinated with the Youth for Western Civilization to get Buchanan to visit campus after both expressed a desire to see her speak.

To listen to the full interview, click here.
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