Fund-raising effort by MSU chapter of white nationalist organization might not sit well with service

While most Michigan State University students are playing on the beach or working seasonal jobs for the summer, the university’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) has been developing new fundraising programs, including the implementation of a PayPal widget on the group’s Web site. But the MSU student group’s beliefs and actions may be in violation of PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy, which does not allow the promotion of hate.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) hate map, MSU YAF is the nation’s only university-recognized hate group in the U.S. The MSU group has been listed as a “general hate” group for the past two years by the SLPC.

The group has been riling folks at the East Lansing campus for three years now. In 2006, MSU YAF proposed hosting a a public game of “Catch an Illegal Immigrant,” in which one student would portray an illegal immigrant and others would be encouraged to catch them. The game never got much beyond a conversation, so details were sketchy in terms of where the game would be played. The idea was condemned by the MSU administration. In contrast, members of the YAF chapter at the University of Michigan, a student organization that is not listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, in Oct. of 2007, did hold a Catch an Illegal Immigrant game on their Ann Arbor campus at the quad.

Continued – In November of 2006, the MSU chapter protested a proposed human rights ordinance in Lansing by marching in front of city hall with signs that read “End Faggotry” and “Straight Power” among others.

The group also says it has an agenda to eliminate minority student groups and their representation on the Associated Students of Michigan State University, the student governing body. In addition, MSU YAF advocates the creation of two other student groups; a White Council and a Straight Club, as well as to actively “hunt down” illegal immigrants in the Lansing area.

PayPal’s policy, which can be found here, states the online payment management system is not supposed to be used to fund hate:

Prohibited Activities
You may not use the PayPal service for activities that:
…
relate to sales of (a) narcotics, steroids, certain controlled substances or other products that present a risk to consumer safety, (b) drug paraphernalia, (c) items that encourage, promote, facilitate or instruct others to engage in illegal activity,(d) items that promote hate, violence, racial intolerance, or the financial exploitation of a crime, (e) items that are considered obscene, (f) items that infringe or violate any copyright, trademark, right of publicity or privacy or any other proprietary right under the laws of any jurisdiction, (g) certain sexually oriented materials or services, or (h) certain firearms, firearm parts or accessories, ammunition, weapons or knives

The MSU YAF was led until earlier this year by Kyle Bristow. The self-described conservative Catholic is planning to graduate from James Madison College at MSU in December. While he resigned his post as chair of the group, handing leadership over to Matt Ogonowski and Eric Thielman, he continues to post on the group’s blog. The blog plays host to many forms of race-related information, including recent posts supporting South Africa’s growing violence against immigrants, a note that Chinese officials have the right idea by ordering bars in Beijing not to serve blacks or Mongolians during the upcoming Olympic games, and then there is this comment at the end of a story about the recently approved international aid to fight HIV/AIDS:

I think Jesse Helms said it best when he refused to vote for the funding of research of diseases: “It’s their deliberate, disgusting, revolting conduct that is responsible for the disease.”

Most recently Bristow posted a blog piece on July 25 applauding the beating death of an illegal immigrant. At the end of the story, Bristow tells readers:

As soon as I find how we can donate to the legal defense of these teenagers, I will post it on the blog.

MSU YAF claims to represent traditional conservative values, and Michigan Republican Party Chair Saul Anuzis has had great praise for Bristow, saying he was “exactly the kind of kid we want.”

PayPal officials could not be reached and it is unknown if a complaint will be filed with the organization about MSU YAF’s use of the service.