Connor Clegg, student body president of Texas State University, has been criticised for racist posts on Instagram.
San Antonia Current reports that students at Texas State University are calling for the impeachment of student body president Connor Clegg after racist posts were found on his Instagram account.
Clegg had shared selfies with people of Asian descent in the background with hashtags including “#kimjongil “#pearlharborwasbad” and “#selfiebombrevenge”. On one post, Clegg wrote in the caption, “so many Asian tourists, I just couldn’t help but get on my selfie flow. She has that, “I don’t have time for your American shit” face.”
Facebook user Rudy Martinez shared screenshots of Clegg’s now deleted posts. In the caption, Martinez wrote, “this is Connor Clegg, the racist student body president of Texas State University. Besides several instances of racial insensitivity, he’s also a firm enemy of free speech on our campus, unless, of course, it’s the “free speech” of white nationalists.”
“So Connor, I will say to you what Eldridge Cleaver once said to Richard Nixon: “You’re a punk, a sissy, a coward, and I challenge you to a fight.”
Calling for Clegg’s impeachment, Martinez wrote, “the number to the Dean of Students Office is 512-245-2124. Connor Clegg is indicative of what Texas State has become in the last 16 months: “A billboard for racism.” If we want to take our campus back, it begins with removing this pig from office. #impeachclegg”
According to SA Current, Martinez had written a controversial column in the campus newspaper The University Star that called for the “death of whiteness”. Clegg reportedly threatened the student newspaper’s freedom of speech, claiming the article did not reflect the university’s core values. The paper’s opinion editor May Olvera resigned following Clegg’s complaint.
Whilst students and alumni of the university have called for Clegg to step down, he currently has no intention to do so.
In a video posted to his Facebook, Clegg apologised to the student body, saying, “my heart harbors no hate for anyone without distinction to color”.
“Step down if you have any respect for yourself or anyone you represent,” commented one Facebook user. “I’m embarrassed that my alma mater is represented by such an idiot.”
“So this is a pretty crappy apology, literally you know it’s scripted and he doesn’t sound at all sincere,” wrote another. “The only real way he can make up for it is to resign and educate himself about his privilege and racism in general, and make a change.”
