University of Oklahoma Fraternity Closed After Video of Racist Chant

[Zaac]

University of Oklahoma Fraternity Closed After Video of Racist Chant

Sigma Alpha Epsilon's national headquarters closed its chapter at the University of Oklahoma Sunday after a video emerged purportedly showing members of the chapter singing a racist chant.

The video quickly gained visibility online. It was obtained and posted to Twitter by Unheard, which describes itself as "an alliance of black students organized for change within campus administration and atmosphere." The video shows young men on a bus chanting, "There will never be a n----r at SAE."

The tweet, directed at OU president David Boren, said "Racism is alive at The University of Oklahoma."

Students at the university planned to demonstrate on the Norman, Oklahoma, campus at 7:30 a.m. local time. A prayer vigil was held Sunday night.

Chelsea Davis, one of two co-directors of Unheard, said the video was recorded during the weekend. Unheard was started at the beginning of the semester to demand change, especially relating to diversity issues, Davis said.

"Clearly in that video, that is nothing new. That is nothing that just sparks up overnight. That is a chant that was well-known, well-versed, and seemed to be OK with everybody that was involved," said Davis, a junior at the university.

Boren responded on Twitter, saying, "If the video is indeed of OU students, this behavior will not be tolerated and is contrary to all of our values."

Brad Cohen, the national president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said the chapter "has immediately been placed on a cease and desist."

In a statement, the national SAE organization said it closed the Oklahoma Kappa chapter at the University of Oklahoma and suspended all of the fraternity's members -- and the members involved with the incident could have their membership privileges revoked permanently.

"We apologize for the unacceptable and racist behavior of the individuals in the video, and we are disgusted that any member would act in such a way. Furthermore, we are embarrassed by this video and offer our empathy not only to anyone outside the organization who is offended but also to our brothers who come from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities," Sigma Alpha Epsilon wrote in an online statement.

https://gma.yahoo.com/fraternity-ch...eo-racist-044020341--abc-news-topstories.html

Has everyone in OK just gone crazy?

 

[robustheologian]

Has everyone in OK just gone crazy?

Horrible. However, I do appreciate the university president's swift response.

 

[Zaac]

Horrible. However, I do appreciate the university president's swift response.

That's exactly how you have to deal with that type of issue. It makes the whole university look bad. Glad to see their National President's swift response too.

From the looks of it, none of them will ever be at SAE again either. The irony.

 

[Don]

Actually, Boren's actions don't go far enough. Membership in a fraternity has been revoked? Cry me a river. So you don't get to hang out at those particular frat parties.

Want to make this meaningful? Suspend all of them for at least a semester. THEN you'll have something with teeth to it.

 

[Don]

Has everyone in OK just gone crazy?

Yep, that's the proper conclusion. Take some members from one fraternity, from a college that accepts students from all 50 states and from all over the world, and ask the question: Has this one state gone nuts?

Yeesh.

 

[robustheologian]

Actually, Boren's actions don't go far enough. Membership in a fraternity has been revoked? Cry me a river. So you don't get to hang out at those particular frat parties.

Want to make this meaningful? Suspend all of them for at least a semester. THEN you'll have something with teeth to it.

Yeah that would send a stronger message.

 

[Zaac]

Yep, that's the proper conclusion. Take some members from one fraternity, from a college that accepts students from all 50 states and from all over the world, and ask the question: Has this one state gone nuts?

Yeesh.

Ah calm down. In lieu of the other thread about the the OK legislator saying gay folks don't have a right to eat wherever they want, it was a tongue in cheek statement.

If it was anything other than facetious , I would have stated emphatically that everyone in OK had gone crazy.:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Salty]

So am I to understand that these students do not have the right to free speech?

 

[robustheologian]

So am I to understand that these students do not have the right to free speech?

What they did may be constitutionally allowable but it is morally deplorable. (1 Cor. 10:23)

 

[Zaac]

So am I to understand that these students do not have the right to free speech?

They exercised their right to free speech. And the University exercised its right to enforce that contract they signed when they accepted admission. You accept admission. You agree to abide by the University's Student Handbook.

Free speech comes with consequences. They said what they wanted to say. And the University and the National Organization swiftly showed them that admission and charter has already told you what is unacceptable behavior.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

I would fire any employees caught doing anything like this.

 

[Use of Time]

So am I to understand that these students do not have the right to free speech?

1) Freedom of speech does not equal freedom from consequences.

2) Take a look at what you are standing up for here.

 

[InTheLight]

Yep, that's the proper conclusion. Take some members from one fraternity, from a college that accepts students from all 50 states and from all over the world, and ask the question: Has this one state gone nuts?

Yeesh.

There's been a list of stuff coming out of Oklahoma recently that is really cringeworthy. Zaac was being a bit over-the-top but I understood where he was coming from.

 

[robustheologian]

1) Freedom of speech does not equal freedom from consequences.

Exactly. My grandfather would always say "Freedom means being free, but freedom ain't free...it has a price."

 

[Crabtownboy]

So am I to understand that these students do not have the right to free speech?

Come on Salty, I expect better from a Mountain Dew man.

The video shows vividly that racism is alive and well. Can you imagine the reaction of some members of this BB if it were a Black fraternity shouting racist phrases about white folk?

You know exercising my free speech I can scream "Fire" in a theater. But there will be consequences if I do so.

As the saying goes, with freedom comes responsibility.

 

[Gina B]

They didn't "only" close the frat. They have until midnight tonight to pack up and leave the college. President Boren did a live conference earlier and was very clear about where he stands - he did a great job.
Now please pray for the safety of students and staff. There are many "white power" types in Oklahoma. When people are this blatantly filled with hatred, scary things tend to ensue. :-(

 

[Zaac]

I probably would have expelled them all and the student discliplinary board still may.

Something that rehearsed and practiced seems to point to this being an ongoing thing with the SAE chapter. And seems to speak to an obvious practice of excluding Blacks because of their skin color.

A definite Title VI Civil Rights violation and the school and the National Organization now run the risk of having a law suit brought against them.

This could endanger all federal financial aid being received by the university. I wouldn't be surprised if the University President and the Board of Regents didn't summarily expel everyone involved.

You're playing with the school's well being by maintaining this sort of practice.

As for the students forced to move out of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, Boren said he doesn't "have much sympathy for them" and that the university is not planning to help them relocate.

"Would I be happy if they left the university? You betcha," Boren said. "We don't provide student services for bigots."

 

[matt wade]

While I don't agree with the statements made by the students, this may set a dangerous precedent.

Will other student groups get in trouble for voicing their beliefs about homosexuals? I can see Boren utilizing the same statements in that instance.

"Would I be happy if they left the university? You betcha," Boren said. "We don't provide student services for bigots."

 

[Crabtownboy]

This has already cost the university more than just the closing of a frat, it also has affected their sports program.

Oklahoma loses 4-star OT's commitment after racist fraternity video surfaces, report says

http://www.nola.com/recruiting/index.ssf/2015/03/oklahoma_loses_4-star_ots_comm.html

 

[Zaac]

While I don't agree with the statements made by the students, this may set a dangerous precedent.

It needs to set a precedent. It definitely isn't dangerous. Schools have had policies against bigotry and discrimination for years.

Will other student groups get in trouble for voicing their beliefs about homosexuals? I can see Boren utilizing the same statements in that instance.

He should if they have a policy against that type of discrimination.