Several NIU students wanted action to be taken after receiving a hate flier at the end of last semester.

The flier stated that boats carrying Haitian refugees should be sunk. The flier went on to state that Haitian refugees were part of a Jewish conspiracy to weaken America.

Robert Rizzo, a senior math education major, said a friend of his who lived in the residence halls received the flier and was disturbed by it. Rizzo said several other students who also received the flier were offended.

He said his friend didn’t know what to do with the flier and gave it to him. Rizzo, a former Student Association senator, brought the flier to the attention of university officials.

“They basically told me that there is nothing they can do,” Rizzo said.

NIU Judicial Office Director Larry Bolles said there is little the university can do if the fliers are distributed legally.

“Many times these hate groups have contact people in certain areas who they send this material to. The contact people will then distribute it,” Bolles said.

The flier in question was signed by J.B. Stoner, chairman of the Crusade Against Corruption, in Marietta, Ga.

Bolles said action could be taken if a person requests that they do not want certain material mailed to them. If the material is then hand delivered, by being slid under a door or any other means, then legal action might be possible.

Rizzo contacted the Office of Student Legal Assistance. He was told the flier was not unlawful, but that a “cease and desist” letter could be written on behalf of the recipient of the flier.

“If we found out a student was distributing this material on campus it is not an expellable offense. We would give him a warning and if they continued to distribute the material on campus, action might be taken,” Bolles said.

NIU Legal Counsel George Shur said because of the First Amendment and freedom of speech laws, it is difficult for the university to take any action.

“Periodically, Mr. Stoner comes out from under his rock and his material shows up on campus,” Shur said.

This is not the first time hateful material has surfaced at NIU. In 1987, the racist paper “Thunderbolt” was circulated on Greek Row. In 1990, hate letters and racist fliers were sent to several campus organizations including the Black Student Union (BSU) and BROTHERS.

Shur described this flier as being “hateful, deplorable and spreading misinformation.”

He said the material might have been sent at the end of the semester because of racial tensions on campus at that time. The tensions developed when The Northern Star ran two columns that were found insensitive by some students.

“Sometimes these groups have access to student newspapers and when they see racial tensions on campus they try to exploit them,” Bolles said.

Rizzo said he’d like the university to develop a program to inform students that such material is mass mailed to the university periodically. He said such a program might better help students deal with the material when they receive it.

“If we found out a student was distributing this (hate) material on campus it is not an expellable offense. We would give him a warning and if they continued to distribute the material on campus, action might be taken.”

Larry Bolles, NIU Judicial Office Director