Youth for Western Civilization

Youth for Western Civilization emerged in the United States as a student-oriented organization focused on defending what its organizers called Western civilization. Kevin DeAnna founded the group after earlier involvement in conservative student politics and work with the Leadership Institute. YWC became a corporation in 2006 and began active organizing on college campuses in 2008. It operated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and sought to recruit and train activists rather than function solely as a conventional electoral club. The group's political identity combined social conservatism, opposition to multiculturalism and socialism, restrictionist views on immigration and resistance to affirmative action. YWC described campus life as dominated by a hostile left-wing culture and sought to create an alternative right-wing network grounded in pride in American and Western heritage. Although the group distinguished itself from mainstream College Republican organizations as more issue-specific and ideologically confrontational, some of its members and leaders were also active in College Republican structures. Its participation in the 2009 National College Republican Convention reflected that overlap. YWC organized chapters at multiple universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, American University, Elon University, the University of Connecticut at Storrs, Liberty University, Boise State University, Bentley University and Towson University. A Providence College chapter was recognized by the national body without receiving recognition from the college. Matthew Heimbach founded and led one chapter. The group's national profile was built through speaker invitations, campus protests and efforts to challenge progressive presentations and institutions. Among its public activities were protests against The Vagina Monologues and a presentation by poet Emanuel Xavier. YWC invited Tom Tancredo, Robert Spencer and Bay Buchanan to campuses. It also invited Richard B. Spencer, a white supremacist, to events at Vanderbilt in 2010 and Rhodes College in 2011. These invitations contributed to criticism that the organization was not simply conservative but part of a white-nationalist political environment. The group's black-and-white logo, depicting a hand gripping a hammer, was defended by members as a reference to Charles Martel but criticized by observers for resembling a fasces. The most prominent confrontation occurred at UNC-Chapel Hill in April 2009, when protesters disrupted a Tancredo appearance concerning in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants. Police used pepper spray and threatened tasers, a nearby window was broken, and Tancredo was eventually escorted away. University officials apologized to Tancredo, while civil-liberties observers characterized the episode as a serious free-speech failure. A second Tancredo appearance later that month proceeded after protesters briefly interrupted and left the room. YWC was also drawn into controversy when UNC faculty adviser Elliot Cramer sent an email mentioning his Colt .45 after receiving notice that flyers had identified him, with personal contact details, as a supporter of white supremacy. Chancellor Holden Thorp asked Cramer to resign, and replacement advisers were appointed. DeAnna led YWC through its active period and left the organization in 2012. He subsequently became associated with the alt-right and wrote for white-nationalist publications under pseudonyms. The available material does not document a formal dissolution or current operations, so the organization's present status remains unknown.

• 2012

  Kevin DeAnna leaves YWC

  [1]Youth for Western Civilizationen.wikipedia.org

  DeAnna departed the organization after leading it through its active period.

• 2009

  UNC Tancredo controversy

  [1]Youth for Western Civilizationen.wikipedia.org

  A YWC-sponsored Tancredo event at UNC-Chapel Hill was disrupted by protests and police intervention.

• 2009

  Faculty adviser resigns

  [1]Youth for Western Civilizationen.wikipedia.org

  Elliot Cramer resigned as UNC chapter adviser after an email referring to his firearm created an administrative controversy.

• 2008

  Active campus organizing begins

  [1]Youth for Western Civilizationen.wikipedia.org

  The group began actively building a campus network in the United States.

• 2006

  Organization incorporated

  [1]Youth for Western Civilizationen.wikipedia.org

  YWC became a corporation while operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

YWC positioned itself as a pro-Western, anti-left and anti-multiculturalist student network, presenting its work as the defense and revival of Western civilization. Critics placed it within white-nationalist politics because of its rhetoric, affiliations, invited speakers and opposition to immigration and affirmative action.

• 2010

  White-nationalist speaker invitations

  YWC's invitations to Richard B. Spencer at Vanderbilt and later Rhodes College contributed to public characterization of the group as white nationalist rather than conventionally conservative.

  Source

• 2009

  UNC faculty adviser firearm email

  Faculty adviser Elliot Cramer responded to criticism and publicity about his YWC affiliation by mentioning that he possessed a Colt .45 and knew how to use it. The university regarded the email as inappropriate, and Cramer resigned from the adviser role.

  Source

• 2009

  Disruption of Tancredo appearance

  A YWC-sponsored appearance by Tom Tancredo at UNC-Chapel Hill was disrupted by protesters, police use of pepper spray and the eventual removal of the speaker from the venue.

  Source

Read more

• 2010Richard B. Spencer campus invitation

  Vanderbilt University · United States

  The organization invited Richard B. Spencer, later identified as a white supremacist, to speak at Vanderbilt University.

  Outcome. The invitation intensified criticism of YWC's relationship to white-nationalist politics.

  Source
• 2009Wachovia and ACORN protest

  Nashville · United States

  The Vanderbilt chapter protested outside a Wachovia bank location because of the bank's affiliation with ACORN.

  Outcome. No documented institutional or commercial change is identified in the reference material.

  Source
• 2009Tom Tancredo campus speaking events

  Chapel Hill · United States

  YWC invited former representative Tom Tancredo to speak about Western civilization and opposition to in-state tuition benefits for undocumented immigrants.

  Outcome. The first event was heavily disrupted; a second event later proceeded with another interruption and demonstrations outside.

  Source

• 2008

  Focused on a national campus chapter networkStrategy

  Background

  YWC presented itself as a more ideologically specific alternative to mainstream College Republican groups.

  Action taken

  The organization organized chapters, recruited activists and promoted campus events around immigration, multiculturalism and Western identity.

  Aftermath

  It established or recognized affiliates at numerous United States universities, although the material does not document their long-term continuity.

  Source

• 2006

  Adopted a formal nonprofit corporate structureStrategy

  Background

  The group sought to establish an organized national vehicle for campus activism and political training.

  Action taken

  YWC became a corporation while retaining 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

  Aftermath

  The organization expanded active campus organizing from 2008 onward.

  Source

1. 1Youth for Western Civilizationen.wikipedia.org