Hate speech flyer worries Cal Poly officials 

It’s not really clear what the author meant; all that’s clear is the message is nasty and it got university officials’ attention.

On Dec. 1, the Mustang Daily reported that a flyer full of hate speech had been found in one of the stalls of a bathroom in the Cal Poly Robert E. Kennedy Library. The one-page flyer makes a number of obtuse references to a “RACE problem” but most alarmingly states, “I am talking about the final solution to the BLACK problem?[sic]”

University Chief of Police Bill Watton told New Times his office was informed about the flyer, but hasn’t heard of any others outside the singular page found in the library bathroom.

“When I first saw it, I went, ‘What exactly are they saying here?’” Watton said.

Indeed, the flyer is filled with a number of ramblings and incoherent references to “non-whites.” Titled Bob’s Mantra, the flyer provides a link to whitakeronline.org. According to a domain search, whitakeronline.org was registered in Pennsylvania by Bob Whitaker, who didn’t return an e-mail request for comment.

Given that only one flyer has turned up, Watton said the author and distributor haven’t done anything illegal—yet.

“While there are rights for free speech … we want to make sure our students are safe,” he said.

And after 10 years working at the university, he said things like this don’t happen. The last and only time he can remember something similar at Cal Poly was the Crops House incident. In October 2008, New Times reported that the on-campus student house had posted a number of racist signs and symbols on the building. The six students voluntarily vacated the house, which was boarded up after student and community outcry over the symbols.

University President Jeffrey Armstrong was informed about the flyer. An e-mail to his office wasn’t returned before press time.

Watton said no one’s turned up additional flyers, but if anyone does he urged them to call the university police at 756-2281.