Mike Haskins is a Racist. End of Story.

Apparently the guy who was handing out flyers at St. Norberts College on Monday was trying to promote -- and this is hilarious -- a Facebook group. (I'm not sure if he understands that the whole point of Facebook is that it allows someone to not have to worry about flyering, but whatever...)

Now this is where things start getting peculiar:

De Pere police say they found the man responsible for the St. Norbert flyers after he allegedly posted about it on his personal Facebook page. They believe he worked alone and is not a student or staff member of St. Norbert's. They also believe he had nothing to do with the Oshkosh flyers.

Thus far the local papers have been reluctant to print the gentleman's name, but -- have no fear! -- Jerry Bader has received a communique from the gentleman himself. Now, given Bader's recent past, we should probably take this scoop with a grain of salt, but we're going to roll with it, since, in this case, there's actual corroborating evidence in the form of a link to the Facebook page.

The man's name is Mike Haskins. He lives in Allouez. Bader links to his racist Facebook page here. Now, Haskins goes out of his way to include so many disclaimers on his page that I sincerely doubt he can be accused with any kind of "hate speech" in the legal sense. But that's just one aspect to this story.

There's also a legitimate question as to whether his little gang can be considered a "white supremacist group." Haskins uses as an emblem for his clique something he calls an "iron wheel." There's not a whole lot online about "iron wheels," but the figure does resemble a Celtic cross, which, while not inherently racist, has been adopted by white supremacist groups due to it's resemblance to a circular swastika. Additionally, according to Haskins own "about" page (see below), the WEPC makes an effort to recruit inside prisons, a notorious and long-standing tactic of white supremacist groups to bring disenchanted and marginalized young men into their ranks.

Let's also add that the very name of the group -- White Ethnic Preservation Coalition -- seems to emphasize whiteness over European ancestry. One wonders if Muslim Croats from the Balkins or Jews would be as warmly recieved at any of their mixers.

So, yeah, it looks as if the WEPC has the trappings of a white supremacist group.

Regardless, there is little denying that the "White Ethnic Preservation Coalition" is racist. The entire argument made by the Facebook page boils down to this "If a white man would have said what this negro is saying, he would be called a racist!"

That's not preserving one culture, it's attacking another.

Here's the website for the Polish-American Foundation of Texas -- a group that actually exists to preserve the cultural heritage of a proud people. And here's the site for the Norwegian American Foundation. Go here for German American Society of Omaha. Click here if you're interested in the American Czech-Slovak Cultural Club of North Miami... and on and on and on.

These are all examples of organizations that aim to preserve and celebrate European heritage. There are thousands of them in America. They host May Days, Oktoberfests, and Bastille Days. They fund scholarships, participate in foreign exchange programs and do service projects in their communities.

Now compare the WEPC's Facebook page with those cited above. They look nothing alike. Haskins' pathetic excuse for ancestral pride is angry and spiteful -- there's nothing about European culture or history on his page, just invective against people of color. The National Italian American Foundation, on the other hand, looks awesome.

Haskins is a racist. The end. He hides behind legitimacy and "media criticism," but the veneer is so thin that it's ridiculous that Bader can't see through it. Haskins cute little endorsement of Bader's radio station is repugnant and embarrassing, and I would hope the station manager apologizes for having it on the station's website.

(Click to enlarge the "Basic Info" page on the WEPC)