A college Republican group in small-town Wisconsin is in turmoil after its members scrawled racist, antisemitic chalk messages around campus, then gloated about it on Instagram, leading the group’s “disgusted” president to resign in protest.
On Tuesday, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s College Republicans met to write chalk messages around campus that reflected issues that were important to its members, the university paper The Racquet Press reported. But in images that were posted to the group’s Instagram page and then deleted, members plastered a series of offensive messages, including one supporting Kanye West in the wake of his diatribes against Jewish people and the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Kanye is right. Def-con III,” one message in orange read, according to photos of messages posted on Twitter by the College Democrats. It appeared to mimic the Oct. 8 tweet that got West banned from Twitter, in which he said he was “going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE” and claimed he “can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew.”
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Other messages decried COVID vaccines, mocked support for the LGBTQ+ community with a demand for a “Straight/CIS night,” and boosted a racist pro-gun theory about violence in Chicago’s Black communities.
“The UWL College Republicans proudly showed off chalking they did on campus last night. But we have to ask WHY?” College Democrats tweeted Wednesday along with photos of the chalk messages. “What purpose do these hateful chalkings serve but to offend others? Students should not have to tolerate offensive racist and anti-semitic hate speech on campus!”
The College Democrats told The Daily Beast that the College Republicans deleted the images from Instagram within a couple of hours of Democrats putting them on blast.
The president of College Republicans said she was so horrified that she was quitting the group.
“As Chair of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse College Republicans, I was disgusted and appalled to see the actions some of our members took and then posted to the organization’s social media,” Megan Pauley wrote on Twitter. (She also sent the message to the College Republicans email list, according to an email provided to The Daily Beast by Democrats.) “I had no knowledge of this antisemitic chalk, nor of the social media post. I am resigning effective immediately because the Republican Party is a big tent, open to all who believe in liberty and freedom, and I will not stand by while others are ostracized. Antisemitism and hate speech have no place in College Republicans, and I hope my gesture tonight will send a message to the remaining membership that actions like these are unacceptable.”
College Republicans did not respond to The Daily Beast’s requests for comment. However, according to local news outlet WKBT-TV La Crosse, they penned a post denouncing antisemitism on their Instagram account, which has since been made private.
Then, on Thursday afternoon, the group claimed it did not write the “Def-con III” line seen in the photo shared by College Democrats. The group did not address the other discriminatory and hateful messages.
In a statement to The Daily Beast, College Democrats said the school’s Republican student group has been known to spread hateful messages around campus.
Assistant professor Anthony Chergosky, who specializes in political science at the university, serves as both an adviser to the College Democrats and Republicans, WKBT-TV reported. According to a statement he provided to the news outlet, his longevity with the Republicans depends on whether or not the remaining members apologize.
In a statement, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor Joe Gow, interim vice chancellor of diversity & inclusion Dina Zavala, and dean of students Kara Ostlund said they were “deeply disappointed to see students abandoning civil discourse and engaging in speech that promotes hate, is threatening, or that alludes to violence.”
“While we support and uphold our students’ right to free speech, we also acknowledge the right of every member of the campus community to speak out in opposition to ideas they find offensive or harmful,” they said. “We may disagree with one another, but we do so without harassment, intimidation, disruption of learning or other university activities, and discrimination. This is part of the robust and vigorous public debate, which is central to the purpose of the university. Encountering new, different or opposing perspectives can be challenging and uncomfortable, but should always be respectful.”
What’s worse, the fiasco wasn’t even the only antisemitic episode to hit the small town of La Crosse on Tuesday. In a separate incident across town, a co-owner of a local pub quit after antisemitic and racist text messages surfaced between him and staff members, local radio station WIZM reported.
While communicating with a manager about hiring, Popcorn Tavern co-owner Dan Perisey went on an unhinged rant, including using the N-word, when talking about who could and could not be employed at the bar.
“No way we’re turning into a black bar,” one message from Perisey read, according to WIZM.
“How many times do I have to tell you guys we don’t hire colords [sic]???” another message read. “As long as they’re not black or Jewish.”
According to the radio station, an unidentified person leaked the messages to a local activist group.
On Wednesday, Popcorn Tavern wrote on its Facebook page that Perisey had already resigned in a now-deleted post that The Daily Beast was able to review.
“His words no way [sic] reflect the feeling of our establishment or space,” the post read. “The Popcorn Tavern embraces diversity within our community. We completely understand these heinous words are despicable.”
The post tried to blame Perisey’s racism on “multiple brain injuries.”
“Dan Perisey continues to deteriorate in his ability to properly think and filter his words,” the post read. “While this is no excuse, we hope that by being truly transparent the community can understand the words or [sic] one do not reflect the business or staff of The Popcorn Tavern.”
The post received over 300 comments and multiple laughing reactions before it was deleted.
In a second post that was also later deleted, Perisey tried to do some damage control.
“I’m not, never have been, never will be racist,” he wrote. “I apologize for my stupid comments but both parties know I joke about that shit which I now understand is very inappropriate.”
“This is all on me and I own up to it,” he continued. “I’m sure this post will make people mad for some reason. All I can say is I’m sorry and wish nothing but the best for everyone in this community and everywhere. Peace out.”
The post received nearly 40 comments and more laughing reactions.
The Popcorn Tavern did not immediately return The Daily Beast’s requests for comment.
