UNL Students Rally Against Hate
In response to the recent controversy surrounding Daniel Kleve, a student and self-proclaimed white nationalist, students at the University of Nebraska Lincoln gathered in front of the Student Union to share their views on the issue.
By: Olivia McCown –
On Wednesday, Feb. 7, over 200 students and community members gathered in front of the University of Nebraska Lincoln Student Union to discuss the recent controversy surrounding a self-proclaimed white nationalist student, Daniel Kleve.
Kleve is a student at UNL, studying biochemistry, and has described himself as “the most active white nationalist in the Nebraska area” in a video taken from a Google Hangouts call with other skinheads, or white nationalists. Kleve also made his love of violence known in the YouTube video that spread around campus earlier this week.
“I think that the presence of Dan Kleve on our campus presents a very incredible security risk, given his past behavior, past actions, and statements,” said UNL sophomore Chris Morton. “This rally is not concerned about Dan Kleve’s statements or things like that. It’s concerned with the fact that Kleve presents a security risk, and that his past behaviors have violated UNL’s code of conduct. So it’s not about free speech. It’s about safety, as far as Kleve is concerned.”
Morton is a sociology and communications major and is involved in many political organizations both on and off campus. While speaking at the forum, he read a statement from the Executive Council of Multicultural Organizations regarding the issue.
“We want to create a space for everyone where they feel safe regardless of their race, ethnicity, ideology, ability, gender, religion, or sexuality,” as written in the statement. “We ask that the administration engages in open communication efforts through the development of a relationship that allows for students to be aware of and understand the actions that the university has taken and will take in regards to diversity, inclusion, and student safety.”
“This is our campus. This is us seeking to transform our entire university to a safe environment that aims to improve the climate and return the focus to an atmosphere of learning. We want to ensure the safety of our students, and the quality of their education, as well as promote positive growth, changing the world for good.”
The letter went on to discuss creating a required race and ethnicity course to “serve as the genesis for a new climate and culture at the university.”
The forum was put on by an unofficial student organization by the name of UNL Against Hate. ”Many members of this organizing committee that put this rally on chose to remain anonymous because they had security concerns,” said Morton. “They were afraid that Kleve was going to put them on his list.”
The students are calling for a beginning to the investigation of Kleve’s case. “We’d like them [UNL Administration] to articulate that they have initiated the process against Kleve, to investigate his violations of the code of conduct, and realistically that would probably end in expulsion, but what we’re really asking for is just that the process is started.”
Students at the rally discussed the issue, emphasizing that this is not a new problem, the issue is bigger than just one person, and that rallying and marching will only do so much.
“I thank you for taking the time out of your day to come here, but when it comes down to it, this is not the work we need to be doing,” said Morton while speaking at the forum. “We are going to be actively organizing against the administration of this university to pressure them to begin the process, to begin the expulsion of Dan Kleve. And so, if you want to be involved in that work, if you want to be more involved than just showing up to these rallies every once in awhile, I implore you. Come to us, come to any organization at the multicultural center. Because we would be more than happy to have another hand in this fight.”
