The new issue of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Report magazine features a lengthy article about Michigan State University (MSU)’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). The MSU chapter of YAF is the only campus group in the country to be designated a hate group by the SPLC.
For the most part, the article titled “Black Hats on Campus: Student Hate Group Roils Michigan State,” covers a lot of ground that has been covered elsewhere–Young Americans for Freedom’s anti-gay rhetoric, racist comments from its leader Kyle Bristow, and its connections to neo-Nazis. However, it does offer some new insights, including a quote from Michigan Republican Party chair Saul Anuzis who said “This [Bristow] is exactly the type of young kid we want out there… I’ve known Kyle for years and I can tell you I have never heard him say a racist or bigoted or sexist thing, ever.” It also reports that the Leadership Institute–a rightwing organization that has trained countless conservative activists–where Bristow interned over the summer, is supported by prominent Michigan Republican Richard DeVos. This is a connection that Media Mouse had neglected, and indeed the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation has gave the Leadership Institute $30,000 from 2002-2004.
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