Student Leaders at OSU Address Incident at YAF Table

Student representatives from Oklahoma State University’s Young America’s Foundation (YAF) are voicing their concerns after a tense confrontation that involved the same individual disrupting their table four times in a single day. YAF President Thomas Hatfield and Vice President Caleb Buxton shared their experiences with this situation, as well as their thoughts on the university’s response and future expectations from school officials.

They discussed what transpired and expressed their views on why they find it troubling for individuals on the left to label conservatives as “fascists,” suggesting it reflects a broader issue of indoctrination among some leftist supporters.

The YAF chapter organized a table recently to promote traditional marriage and hoped to engage in constructive conversations. They were taken aback when someone approached them from an adjacent anti-Israel table, visibly upset.

Buxton recounted, “As they reached the sidewalk, they began pushing through people who were talking to us, grabbing our stickers and pins from the table. I started recording and chased the individual about 50 yards to a trash can where they discarded all our materials.” After this initial encounter, they didn’t expect the person to return. But soon, they were proven wrong.

“They came back a second time, this time walking well away from our table. During the chase, I tried to engage with them, but they insisted, ‘You’re a fascist. I’m not stealing; it’s just a sticker.’ They tossed our stickers on the sidewalk, and while I spoke to them, several students helped pick them up,” Buxton said.

They continued to return, leading to another encounter. “About 15 minutes later, the individual reappeared, threw another sticker, and I ended up conversing with them for about 20 minutes. They called me a fascist repeatedly, arguing that fascists have no rights and shouldn’t express their opinions.” It was a perplexing discussion—how could someone so adamantly refuse the rights they were denying others?

Buxton explained his concerns about the dangers of labeling people as fascist. “It feels like many on the left are pushing this rhetoric, which, I think, has brainwashed a lot of supporters into believing that anyone on the right is a fascist, meaning they have no rights, and can be treated however.” He reflected further, “If simply supporting Trump makes someone a fascist, then what does that say about the views of more than half the nation?”

The individual returned yet again and took another sticker, which led to the widely shared video of the incident. “After this last episode, the police arrived, and we discussed what happened. We’re considering pressing charges against this person,” Buxton noted.

The students are actively pursuing charges and anticipate disciplinary measures from the university as a result. Hatfield emphasized their commitment, stating, “We will keep advocating until justice is done for us and everyone involved in free speech incidents on campus. We want to clearly communicate that this behavior is unacceptable.”

Buxton mentioned a disparity in how such situations are handled depending on the political affiliations of the groups involved. “If a left-leaning organization experienced something similar, there would likely be an outpouring of support and resources offered. We don’t see that for us,” he remarked.

Moving forward, the YAF aims to continue addressing social issues on campus. “We have to maintain pressure and not back down, even when things are tough,” Buxton declared. Hatfield echoed this sentiment, urging for an official agreement to ensure safety and speech rights for all students at Oklahoma State University. “We call upon the university to sincerely commit to fostering an environment that respects First Amendment rights, rather than merely giving this agreement lip service.”

Oklahoma State University’s administration responded to inquiries regarding the incident, affirming their support for free speech and stating that the OSU Police are investigating the matter. They reinforced that the university upholds the rights of student organizations to articulate their opinions freely, and charges related to the incident are pending.