CAMASU: Caucasian American Males of Arizona State University

For years, many people across the United States have spoken privately about how there are so many associations and heritage societies oriented toward people of other races, but none are specifically targeted toward Caucasians. That may not be the case much longer. Matthew Jezierski, a sophomore at Arizona State University, is causing an uproar by helping to create an organization that celebrates being Caucasian.

Jezierski, one of the four lead officers of Caucasian American Males of Arizona State University (CAMASU), said that the student group, which already has more than 40 members, plans to become an official legitimate school organization by registering with the Student Organization Resource Center.

When the administration was initially approached with the idea, Jezierski said he was immediately denied. But other groups on campus have supported the idea. Because the organization does not limit its membership only to Caucasian males, the Multicultural Center supports the group. Alonzo Jones, director of the center, said, "Organizational involvement is a wonderful and important aspect of becoming engaged in the overall college experience." Multicultural Student Services supports the group because it is very similar to the African Student Association.

Jezierski first began thinking of the group last month from Leadership Institute field representative Emily Mitchell who had been spending time on campus talking with students who said they wanted more representation for white males. An Industrial Design major, Jezierski has worked with three other officers of the group to publicize it on campus. Distributing fliers outside the Memorial Union has resulted in a wide variety of reactions, both positive and negative.

"A lot of people just rolled their eyes," Jezierski said. "They figured, it’s Caucasian, there’s no culture there." But some of the people who were handed fliers decided to sign up. Graduate student Mark Smith, who is also an employee at the ASU bookstore, received a flier and offered to become the campus adviser for the group. Smith said that CAMASU intends to create controversial dialogue. "That’s the purpose of a university—the exchange of ideas, good or bad," Smith said.

CAMASU, which Mitchell says is 22% female, has been harshly criticized by other campus groups including ASU’s Feminist Organization. Feminist Organization member Cali Kahlman said that the institution of such an organization sends a negative message to the campus. "The group sounds like it consists of white men who cannot comprehend how…much easier they have it than the majority of society," Kahlman said. "They are aggravated because people are ‘taking away’ their rights, which is complete nonsense."

But one of the main purposes of the group, according to Jezierski, is to challenge the school’s general studies requirements. He said that there is a required course relating to cultural diversity in the United States, but there are no required classes in European history and languages. "I can fluently speak and write Polish," said Jezierski. "I don’t know how that’s not culturally divers. God forbid something comes from Europe."

Jezierski said that CAMASU is trying to increase equality between races and genders, and nothing else. The group’s intent is not to be another mindless, sexist, and raceless group; they want to stop sexism and racism and allow Caucasian males to get the recognition they deserve. "I want to put in as much time as is needed," Jezierski said. "This club is a way to instill pride in each other and not be ashamed that we’re Caucasian males."