An outburst of protests on college campuses has emerged in response to the president-elect Donald Trump. A few of the recent protests have occurred as close as the campus of the University of California, Merced.
California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State), also hosted its own “Solidarity Rally” regarding the presidential election on Nov. 16 in the quad at 11 a.m. These rallies serve as a time where students voice their frustrations and concerns over our new president-elect.
However, though our campus and other campuses nearby are hosting rallies for students who are against Trump’s presidency, we still have a great number of students who are not against him.
In fact, a Trump supporter and white supremacist on our own campus has been identified as Nathan Damigo (junior, Social Science).
Damigo is the leader of a growing white supremacist group called Identity Evropa, which, according to him, is an educational group. They lead to supplement information they believe the school system is lacking.
Identity Evropa leader suggests educational books to read such as My Awakening by former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke.
He is avidly in favor of certain policies that Donald Trump has brought up throughout his campaign, and he has also made it known how much he dislikes the mixing of races and diversification in our country and campus.
“Definitely Trump, simply for the immigration issues. Because of the massive affects that mass immigration has on society and the effects diversity, specifically racial, ethnic and religious diversity, have on social trust and the rising levels of conflict,” Damigo said explaining his admiration for Trump.
Recently, Damigo and other individuals of his organization held an anti-immigration rally in the city of San Francisco, which is a city known to be a sanctuary for the majority of California’s immigrant population.
“Yes, the protest we had in San Francisco was anti-immigration, massively, and [anti]-nontraditional immigration,” Damigo reaffirmed.
Further, Damigo believes that “diversity is divisive” and explains why, according to him, having children in a biracial family can psychologically affect them over the long run.
“Children of biracial marriages tend to have more psychological issues. They tend to have higher issues with drug use and things of that nature. So, looking at it from the point of view whether this [interracial relations] is good for the child, if you’re looking at probabilities, it’s less advantageous,” Damigo said.
He explicitly makes the claim that diversity, regardless of what others think, is and will always be bad for our society.
“Radically change the way people look at the world. Because right now we’re being told that diversity is an endless good no matter what type of diversity that is…its effects on society and advocating for Multiracial and Multicultural societies is not a good thing,” Damigo emphasized.
Though a white supremacist has been identified, and has caused an unsafe-like environment for Stan State minorities, the campus’ University Police Department (UPD), Lieutenant (Lt.) Matthew Dillon, assures that providing a safe and secure learning environment for all students is UPD’s top priority. 
“We have had a few persons share their concerns with the campus regarding the views of Nathan Damigo,” Lt. Dillon said. “No criminal reports have been filed against Mr. Damigo.”
Stan State students Ethan Dawson (junior, English) and Allyson Boles (junior, Business) stress their thoughts and concerns about Damigo and what he and his organization stand for.
“Damigo’s ideas of white supremacy come on a tide of similar rhetoric made popular by the rise of Donald Trump. I only hope this isn’t accepted as normalcy and that fascist ideas are challenged as being unfit for such a diverse university as our own,” Dawson said, “the beauty of Stanislaus is in our service to minority groups and the level of opportunity available here for all races. Don’t let Damigo besmirch our name, and what our university has come to represent.”
“I do think he’s bringing very much unwanted negativity to Stanislaus.  Even though we are a small school, all of the students are different in their ethnicity and beliefs and should be respected. The United States differs immensely when it comes to who has been here and who is here now. I am white, but I am not the only ethnicity that matters,” Boles emphasized. “The main thing I think everyone needs these days is to be respected and this man is not helping.”
Another concerned student, Jon Grammatico, Student Organizing intern for the California Faculty Association’s (CFA) student branch, Students for Quality Education (SQE), exercises his right to initiate a call to action.
He posted a call to action on his personal Facebook account on Oct. 11.
“I’m not advocating for him to be silenced, I am advocating for the university to reaffirm their stance on diversity and inclusiveness. Hate speech should never be given a space to flourish,” Grammatico said.
The message called for students to call or email the university and demand that they release an official stance against this type of hate speech and the Identity Evropa group.
“Our campus must learn to speak out against hate and we must have spaces on campus that are supportive, understanding and accepting,” Grammatico said.
“Nathan Damigo is not the target in my efforts to spread awareness of this hate group in our area, he is merely a symptom of a much larger issue,” Grammatico said, “discrimination and racism, and at its more extreme forms white-supremacy and hate groups, are a sign of deeper issues in our society.”
President Ellen Junn released a statement which regarded the fliers being posted around campus about Damigo and his group, Identity Evropa. In these fliers, Damigo is being called out for being a Neo-Nazi and former leader of several familiar organizations. His face was plastered on these fliers while showing a picture of him wearing a symbol that is regularly associated with the Ku Klux Klan and the white power movement.
The description of Damigo gives his history in the white power movement alongside his personal history of violence and ideologies. Both flyers can be viewed here and here. However, Damigo claims that the fliers have inaccuracies in them, such as being arrested for a hate crime and being dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corp as a result of the armed robbery he committed in San Diego towards a cab driver.
“We cannot withdraw or suppress the viewpoints of others that do not violate the law or campus policy, nor is it in the best interest of the learning experience to do so,” Junn said in her official statement sent out to students via email.
Sarah Nicole Ayers (junior, Criminal Justice) agrees with Junn’s email, but also agrees that what Damigo is doing is encouraging race division and is not something she feels that Stan State will tolerate due to the campus’ diversity.
“I think his attempt to promote such an organization really shows the importance of exercising our rights. Like President Junn said, it is sometimes difficult to hear opinions that are different to ours but that is to be expected, especially within college culture. However, I think Damigo is taking a bold leap considering diversity is and has been one of the greatest contributions to this country’s and campus’ growth,” Ayers said.
“Our campus must learn to speak out against hate and we must have spaces on campus that are supportive, understanding and accepting.” Grammatico said.
“If a student feels unsafe or has concerns about their safety they should contact the UPD or the Dean of Students,” Lt. Dillon said.
A full list of resources available to students can be found here.