UPDATE: The UT chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas has canceled the event, apparently out of fear of retaliation (and not because they realized they were being assholes): After Uproar, Mock Immigration Sting Canceled.Campus-wide discussion, my ass. This week at the University of Texas, a conservative student group is planning to stage a mock immigration "sting" in which participants will be encouraged to "catch" undocumented immigrants: Conservatives to Hold Mock Immigration Sting at UT.
On Wednesday, the UT campus chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas will offer students $25 gift cards if they can apprehend one of the volunteers wearing "illegal immigrant" labels.
They say the event is intended to "spark a campus-wide discussion about the issue of illegal immigration and how if affects our everyday lives." That's bullshit. It's mean-spirited, tasteless, hateful bulllllssshiiiit.
From the group's Facebook event:
YCT will be having a "Catch an Illegal Immigrant" event this upcoming Wednesday. The details of the game goes as follows:The event has prompted an official response from the University:
There will be several people walking around the UT campus with the label "illegal immigrant" on their clothing. Any UT student who catches one of these "illegal immigrants" and brings them back to our table will receive a $25 gift card.
The purpose of this event is to spark a campus-wide discussion about the issue of illegal immigration, and how it affects our everyday lives.
UT faculty council voted unanimously Monday to endorse President William Power Jr.'s statement that the YCT event is out of line with University values, according to UT spokesman Gary Susswein.You stay classy, Young Conservatives of Texas.
YCT plan to offer students $25 gift cards if they are able to "catch" one of the volunteers walking around campus wearing "illegal immigrant" labels on their clothing.
Powers said he takes offense to the event, but the University is in no position to ban freedom of speech.
"Our students, faculty and the entire university work hard both to promote diversity and engage in a respectful exchange of ideas," Powers said in his statement. "This Wednesday event does not reflect that approach or commitment."
More here: Young Conservatives of Texas to host "Catch an Illegal Immigrant" on campus Wednesday