Punished for what?

I don't see why the entire fraternity should be punished becauase one guy posted a facebook invitation that was inappropriate. The fraternity took it down.......and then it was put back up by the same guy. Seems that the punishment should be given to the individual......who was apparently already kicked out.

No, just very involved with their church, that kind of thing. A lot of people say 'I'm a christian' and show up for holiday services.

Also, here is the text from the invite:

I don't care if halloween offends anyone, even people who believe as I do. If you're offended by halloween in and of itself, you deserve to be.

That's unfortunate. When an individual accepts his bid card/invite into a GLO, he assumes a lot of the risk of other members. It's not that he has to pay for every wrongdoing by every individual member or alumni, but if the organization, as a whole, has an event or function, then every member of the organization is accountable for its success or failure. Had the sigma chi member in question just made a facebook page out of a personal beef with someone else, and did not include the name of his fraternity in the posting, then you're right. The entire fraternity shouldn't have to suffer. But the individual was representing an entire group in trying to get people to come to the party. It is a sacrifice of some individuality, but I know that if the party had been a huge success with nothing bad having happened, every member of the fraternity would take credit for the publicity.

Great fraternities act together. It's what sets them apart from every other student group at most schools.

hmm....I think that one individual should be removed from campus (more for his own safety, I would think, if the situation is as bad as it is made to sound) and I don't know about the chapter...closing won't do any good, but neither will not doing anything...from the U-Admin's point of view, they have to do something, even if its just a "manditory sensitivy training session" or some such nonsense. the real punishment will be to their reputation

The official Johns Hopkins press release is here:

http://www.jhu.edu/news_info/news/ho...ct06/frat.html

An excerpt from a Sigma Chi statement on their HQ web site:

The fraternity's investigation into the facts surrounding the party is well underway, and a formal decision on further disciplinary action related to the chapter and its members is expected following a meeting on Nov. 14 of the Sigma Chi Executive Committee, the fraternity's governing body.

http://web.sigmachi.org/wps/portal/!...silonexpulsion




An account of a CBS report mentions that a Sigma Chi member has been expelled, describes some of the costumes allegedly worn at the party, etc:

http://keyetv.com/national/topstorie...305143504.html

Excerpts from longer article:

WJZ in Baltimore reports a member of the fraternity who hosted the party has been expelled from the fraternity. "The person responsible for posting this advertisement, which in no way represents the tone of the party held, has been expelled from the chapter." said Joseph Chung.

After an afternoon of meetings among members inside the fraternity house, the chapters founder released this statement. "We regret that we misplaced our faith in this individual and the fraternity would like to express our disgust and distaste for his insensitivity."

Before the party, the chapter of Sigma Chi put out e-mails urging students to attend what it called "Halloween In The Hood," and reminding them to wear the most "despicable" costumes.

Some partygoers said they saw a costume that resembled a slave and others that were stereotypical, depicting African Americans wearing a lot of jewelry and sagging their pants low.

What may have been the most controversial prop at the party was a dark-haired stuffed skeleton hanging from a noose outside the frat house.

"If you know your black history, black folk were hung, so you can't tell us that that's not meaningful to us," said Black Student Union Advisor Deborah Savage.

School president Bill Brody called the fraternity's party "inexcusable."

School spokesman Dennis O'Shea said, "We're just appalled. This is not the type of thing which should be going on in a University community."

School officials also say a University advisor talked to frat members before the party and told them not to go through with it.

On Sunday, three members of the frat went to a Black Student Union meeting, where Union members say they tried to defend the party.

"They claimed they didn't understand why we were upset, why it was offensive," said Black Student Union member Chrisina Chapman.

. . . Sigma Chi's regional supervisor, John Miller, said he fully supports an investigation into the party.

"I support and I know the general fraternity supports getting to the bottom of this," said Miller. . . .

So, if the article (above) is correct, a university advisor told Sigma Chi not to go through with the party, but they went ahead and held it anyway? Really "stupid," though it's hard to say JHU students are "stupid" or "dumb," given the school's admissions standards.

I love how a Pirates of the Carribean prop with a noose bought from a store which was identified by the chapter president get turned into a representation of a black person being lynched. Having a skeleton hanging from a tree isn't out of the ordinary.

PhrozenGod....I can agree with your point.....but the fact that the fraternity immediately kicked the kid out is probobly a good indication that they had no intention of advertising their party in that manner. That is why I think that the chapter shouldn't be held totally responsible and kicked off.

I believe they kicked him out after the incident was in the news.

For those who didn't catch it, the part in bold is from Chapelle's show, when he was doing the skit about a black, blind white supremacist.

Dave Chapelle was funnier, and threw better parties.

Hopefully the kid won't have a mental breakdown and go off to Africa.

I dunno for sure........I just thought that the Presidents letter he wrote said they kicked him out before any sort of investigation got under way.

HA!!! He would definitely return with more joke material.

I believe that there are times that fraternities and sororities are sometimes oblivious to the fact that people this day and age are sensitive to certian things.

As a hispanic male, I would be offended that a party like that would be going on. But then agian, people at times believe things like that are funny, or have no affect on surround individuals.

One has to be consious of the fact that:

Even if it is a themed party, when is it taking it too far? And will there be consequences?

The JHU brother's learned the hard way, and it should have never gotten to that point. With respect for the fratenity, I know for a fact that this does not represent the National's POV.

I am not bashing the fraternity at all, but I am saying that all greek organizations should be a little bit more socially concious...

Maybe a positive suggestion would help. How about a party theme that couldn't possibly offend anyone? For a fun event at Johns Hopkins, the invitation could read something like this:

You're invited to Chi Upsilon Zeta's (XYZ's) annual "Medical Fraud Blowout." Come dressed in your white coats, scrubs, or regular golf or tennis wear! Each guest should bring an entry -- WIN CRAZY PRIZES! -- in as many of our traditional categories as they wish. Be creative! Have fun! Our popular categories are

*** Medicare fraud
*** Medicaid fraud
*** Workers' comp fraud
*** Fake data for clinical trials
*** Nursing home kickbacks
*** Personal injury claim fraud (NO WHIPLASH -- it's overdone)
*** Refusal to treat uninsured patients (entries showing a hint of empathy or sympathy will be disqualified)

New this year by popular demand >>>>

*** False data for scientific reports
*** Most outrageous HMO "consultant" fee
*** Most outrageous HMO or hospital medical director salary (can include backdated stock options!)

Our guests will each get one of our famous "M.D. = Mega Dollars" party shirts! Awesome campus wear!

We'll have refreshments, big tubs of real play money, a band, the hottest men and women on campus, and our PARTY TIL U DROP attitude!

Out of ideas for entries? Ask a parent who's a doctor, a friend in med school, or a faculty member!

Nobody could have issues with something like that. Just harmless fun.

Right?

That wouldnt be a party, thats just their life. Its like when people have high society parties, they ask us for clothes.

Well considering that the BSU marched over there with an intent to find a racist slant to the party and never even set foot inside the party, I'd say perhaps people need to be less sensitive instead. Someone somewhere is going to be offended no matter what. There is no pleasing all people all the time. It's retarded. Soon someone will say that a Las Vegas themed recruitment party is offensive because gambling is against christianity and oh god think of the children.

I don't know what JHU's greek system is like, but would male BSU members even be let inside? At my school and many I have visited, most fraternity parties have archaic lists. Even when someone is on the list, entry might be denied without a member even checking it(as they see other randoms walk in without being asked about their list status). It would be an extra hard slap to the face to hear about an "urban" themed party and then not get let in because of some sort of risk management issue(the members' fear that I'm a real thug or something... and the lack of women with me).

Without getting too far into that realm(the party could have been open for all I know), it can be safe to say that their BSU acted rationally and with a level of diplomacy that shines brighter than the ignorance of a few individuals. The BSU was just as sensitive in the aftermath, as Sigma Chi was when planning the party.

Unless the BSU just issued a statement or something, I really fail to see what their place is in this. If the BSU had a step show, and a fight broke out, could SAE roll in there and investigate? They're just a student org, not some sort of regulating body.

I have doctors in my family....I would be HIGHLY offended

Exactly. The racist invite was one thing, and the brother responsible for it has been disciplined accordingly. But the BSU took it upon themselves to go find something to cry foul over, and like all people looking for something in particular, they found it. I think it's kind of pathetic to give this issue national attention when it could have been solved discreetly. But then how would we all know that the Sigma Chis at JHU are racist idiots otherwise?

I had to just point out this little piece of idiocy.

idiot.

Agreed. Maybe we should just sit in our fraternity houses and do nothing all year long.

Are you insulting my sarcasm?

Editorial (long) from the Johns Hopkins student paper:

http://www.jhunewsletter.com/media/s...newsletter.com

They are more than just a "student org." They are a student and administration-created organization to represent some of the goals and interests of the black student body.

You have enough of your own posts to use to highlight idiocy.

Shut up. If you can't leave your fraternity house without offending a group of people then you're a waste of flesh and college tuition.

Is that what they did? Now you're doing what you claim they are doing--speaking/acting based on only part of the story. The "racist slant" was supposedly in the advertisement for it. So, there was no need for them to open their minds to the idea that the party advertisement would be trumped by the turnout.

I am sure that someone could be "offended" by just about everything we do...no matter how dumb or idiotic we may think it is for them to feel that way.

I have a tendency to agree with this because it really seems like one dude's poor judgement here. However, he did represent the fraternity at the time, there still should be some action (think PR here) by the fraternity to show that they're not all racist. One of the fraternities here got in trouble over what one guest to their party wore, so they ended up hosting/attending a couple seminars and discussion panels about rascism on campus. The incident seems to have smoothed over now because they took the time to say "hey, we're not all mean" to the campus.

Well they didn't walk inside the house and decided an obvious pirate skeleton (from Pirates of the Caribbean, no less. It's an exact replica of the one from the film) was a reenactment of a lynching. So I'd say yes, there is need to open your mind up and assess the entire situation.
By the way, couldn't you have just copied and pasted all the quotes you're responding to in one big post?
I didn't just read part of the story. I read the news story, then I read the response given by one of the founders of that chapter. I expressed my opinion based upon my knowledge, which, ultimately is what we are all doing, yourself included.

So the BSU should have certain authority to conduct investigations. They're just a student organization, or at least they should be.

Also, its college. You know, the place where you go to branch out, try new things, expand your whatever...blah blah blah. That is of course, so long as it doesn't ruffle anyone's feathers. I find it ironic that university paid professors can say God doesn't exist and compare Bush to Hitler, but some racist/semi-racist/not at all racist/whatever kids shouldn't be allowed to have a theme party.

I think you meant to say....."I find it ironic that university paid professors can say......

That much is obvious but what preceeded that, in your other post, isn't.

Only if clicking "quote" as I read along wasn't quicker.

And therefore you assumed that the BSU went looking for something, as if their imagination told them there would be something to look for in the first place.

The extent to which they conducted an actual "investigation" is questionable. "Investigation" in the sense of going to the event but not walking in and contacting officials and making sure their concerns are heard and acted upon? YES. Every campus organization (particularly those focusing on activism and being the voice of students) has the ability (authority isn't the correct term here) to do that if the university hasn't told them they can not.

This is a typical response in an attempt to remove all sense of responsibility from people. Freedom of speech, along with all freedoms, is not unlimited.

Yeah, so your liberal brainwash is pretty funny. Could you use any more marxist language? Throw in the words "proleteriat" and "bourgeoisie" and you've got yourself The Communist Manifesto.