Why are we seeing this again? Wasn't last year enough?
 

Didn't anyone learn anything last year?

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Some expressed remorse and others quietly
vented anger during a candlelight vigil that was organized after
racially insensitive photos taken during a fraternity party were
publicized.

"We're lighting a candle in the darkness of ignorance," OSU President
James Halligan said at Tuesday's event, which drew hundreds of
participants.

"This vigil reminds us of how devastating these things can be to the
community." Halligan called for the vigil after the revelation of an
off-campus costume party at which three Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity
members simulated a Ku Klux Klan lynching.

Internet photos from the party posted on a Web site depicted one
fraternity member dressed in a Klan outfit pretending to hang a
member who was painted in "black face" and wearing a prisoner's
uniform.

A third fraternity member held a bullwhip above the head of the
student in black face makeup, the photographs showed.

Before the ceremony began, 125 members of Alpha Gamma Rho walked out
onto the front of the lawn where the vigil was held. Members dressed
in suits and ties appeared somber and some hung their heads.

"An apology is merely words," said fraternity President Brad
Atkinson, pausing several times to choke back emotion. "We hope, in
the near future months and years to come, we can show how truly sorry
we are."

In 1987, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members wore costumes and
black face at an annual festival and later apologized to black
students at OSU.

The Alpha Gamma Rho students featured in the photos were suspended
from the fraternity, but remain enrolled at OSU.

The fraternity also has elected to not participate in this year's
homecoming activities and apologized to the school's black students
and faculty. But some students at the vigil said those gestures
aren't enough.

"We seem to be doing prayer vigils for everything these days," said
Kandace Bell, the university's National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People student chapter president. "We do want
results."

(c) 2002 The Associated Press.

Unbelievable!

Edited because if you don't know about what I was talking about before, then you don't need to.

Delt, I think it has something to do with this:

"Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it"

When awareness of what your chapter means to the campus and community is ignored, and/or neglected, standards, morals, values, and ultimately COMMON SENSE decay at an alarming rate.

The involved members are currently suspended. The AGR's have actually been very forthcoming and apologetic for their actions. I think there will be positive change from this.

This has been a very bad year for the OK State AGR's. I believe they've actually had 3 brothers die in seperate incedents already this semester.

Snake,

Having brothers die in any instance is tragic.

As I read the article, it seemed to me that the fraternity was handling this latest situation in a straightforward fashion, and doing many of the right things. For their actions after the fact, I applaud them. For their apology and for their apparent emotional distress, I commend them.

The question, however, still remains, who in their right minds would think that this kind of thing is acceptable?

Last year, it happened in two or three places. Again, all I can say is unbelievable -- and hope that we don't hear of any more of this behavior ever again.

I agree that this was pretty dumb on the part of some of their members. I can only hope that the backlash (and there is a pretty big backlash) from the incedent can succeed in changing people and bringing them together more than tearing them apart.

As I said AGR has really stepped up to the plate in taking responibility and offering whatever they can to smooth tensions. There ARE differences in many of these cases as far as how these different groups have handled their public relations following the incedents.

I really find it appalling and disturbing that after all these years and all our history, people can't seem to understand that this not a joking matter and that it is not in the least bit funny.

The people who care and are abreast of the situation use this to
educate and promote awareness. The people (chapters) at risk don't. The ones who need reformation the most seem to avoid it.

I can't see chapters consistently operating within the guidelines having a freakish, hazing related, death incident. I would tend to think they had been over the top all along.

My question is- Are the chapters so independent that the alums and advisors are unaware?

JAM,

Good question. Unfortunately, I think that the answer is yes in many cases. Advisors don't attend every party. Many houses don't have house mothers or proctors. It's pretty tough for a volunteer advisor to stay on top of this stuff. In fact, it's pretty tough to find advisors for chapters at all sometimes.

Sad, but true.

On the other side of the coin, it could be that this chapter HAS advisors, and they are the type of jerks who find this perfectly acceptable.

And also, a prayer vigil sounds like a really lame-ass response to the whole thing. How about a campus wide fundraiser with money donated to a cause that would help the black community?

I just don't understand how these groups don't learn from the national publicity that is placed on similar situations that have occurred recently. Pay attention folks!!! And this sort of behavior to me is absolutely revolting. I don't know why anyone would want to associate themselves with this group, or the other groups last year who did it.

Thanks Delt Alum! Edited 'cause I went off on a tangent-OT- etc... as USUAL! :o

Huh?
 

KKC, please let me know if this question is out of line, but what is the "infamous Kappa bid day photo"? I've never heard of it.

Ivy

Re: Huh?
 

Me either

Why do people have to hate? Why not embrace all men as brothers and women as sisters. Isn't that why Fraternites and Sororites were founded? I joined because I was lonely and I wanted brothers!!! Focus on the essence not form.

OP,

I'd like to think that this is a case of stupidity, not hate. At least I hope so.

Not only these incidents are cases of hatred and stupidity, it's also a case of what people think they can get away with. If a fraternity or anyone else were to do that BS on our campus they must have a DEATH WISH! On the other hand, there are campuses where this type of behavior and attitude is accepted.

i *think* the kappa bid day photo she's talking about is a picture of a bunch of Kappa Kappa Gamma girls posing in a very sexual manner, some with their shirts off but covering themselves.... i know that alot of the fraternity guys around here have it up in their houses...

Dionysus,

Respectfully, if you mean that literally (I hope you don't), I would be more worried about your campus than this chapter's stupid members. Violence is almost never a good response.

I would also like to think that there is no university administration or student body where that attitude is "accepted." And, while I agree with 33girl that a prayer vigil is a little strange, it does appear that the Oklahoma State administration has taken this very seriously and responded to it.

Generally, being one who gives the benefit of the doubt, I still believe that this was an unthinking act of a very tiny minority in the chapter -- and that the chapter is sincere in their suspension and apology.

Uhm...I want to know how they managed to get the picture taken. I mean, didn't *anyone* in the fraternity see them when they came downstairs or as they came through the door?? If my sisters walked in with a costume like that, my eyes would have popped out of my head and I would have prompty grabbed them by the arms and drug them into a private room to discuss the outfits. I most certainly would have had them removed from the party if they refused to take the costumes off. Surely these guys were walking around the party long enough for the photo opp.

Furthermore, *someone* scanned the pictures and put them up. That person didn't think "My, this isn't right. I shouldn't upload it to the net"? Obvously these folks aren't thinking.

I am a fair person though and, if I was a student at their campus, I would accept the apology. Especially if it is done in a sincere manner.

......Kelly :)

I do not know if these are actions of Hate, But of Stupidity!

If it is of hate then they got their Just Rewards!

While we on GC see more than any of the Chapters from All of Our Organizations, there are many out there that know of none of the things that go on except the Chapters of The Organizations who did these insensitive actions!

These are stupid non thinking acts that are done with little regard to the feelings of others!

It is up to each and everyone of us when we can to pass along the thoughts and feelings of our Members of GC as I do to my Alums and Actives.

We all try to do the best we can and without an exception, the people on GC are the very best of the best!:)

I think Navane's most important point is that obviously the first people who saw them, didn't put an immediate stop to the situation.

In terms of getting it on the web, there are companies who shoot pics of parties and post them on the web for sale.

As memory serves, that's how the chapters got in trouble last year also.

I didn't mean death literally or even violence. However, if someone would to do something like that on our campus, no one would let them live it down and their charter might get pulled or suspended. My school is very PC and political.

Many university organizations are using a service called "Party Pics". They send a photographer to your party, he takes random pictures, puts them on the net and people order them. It's a wonderful opportunity since as a parent, I can see what the party was like and order the ones my daughter wants. (It takes a credit card or a money order) So, in most cases, it isn't an individual being so proud of their costume that they post it for all the world to see. Some GLOs are now using a password in order to look at the pics.

Last year at a campus party, a similar "costume" appeared. Never heard a word about it, I stumble upon it. Was it a matter of HATE? I really doubt it. Like Delt Alum suggests-stupidity. Add a healthy dose of immaturity and insensitivity to the mix and situations like this will occur. Is it WRONG? Yes, in the sense that it "reflects" racial attitudes that belong in the junk heap. However, I don't put it into the same classification as a hate crime.

The correct term may not be stupidity.

Its more like: social-nonchalance.

That is a situation where someone chooses to engage in an action without thinking of the possible ramifcations of other people viewing them.

Keep in mind that this would be a non-issue if those pics hadn't been posted on the web.

For those of you that would have manhandled them out of the room, well good for you, if you really would have done it.

Most people are non-confrontational to begin with. And if the situation was something they were unfamiliar with, it may not have prompted a strong emotional reaction in any of the brothers.

First, it was a holloween party. That gives a lot of latitude in dress.

Second, rewinding little bit, someone would have to see the costume, understand that it was not only in bad taste but trouble, and then have either enough personal authority or authority in office to go over and ask them to go change.

Which again requires them to get over their fears of confrontation.

Also, it may be easier for girls to get into each others business over clothing or whatever, but guys are definitely trained not to interfere.

And as the crowning argument, even had someone gotten up the gumption to ask them to leave, their pics may still have shown up on a web page!

While I generally agree with James on most posts, I have to take exception to a couple of points on this one:

Any partygoer could have been offended. The fact that the pictures were on the web only exacerbates the situation. Pictures could have ended up in the student newspaper -- or pretty much anywhere else. Or word of mouth around campus could have brought it to light.

Nobody would probably have manhandled anyone out of the room, but an officer, or even a good friend might have suggested that this was in poor taste and suggested that they change. That doesn't have to be all that confrontational. In the long (or short) run, the three (?) brothers in question would probably have appreciated the gesture.

Halloween does allow certain latitude in dress -- but standards of decency and taste should still apply.

Finally, while it is very possible that these brothers didn't realize all of the negative publicity and damage caused by the similar instances last year, there is still a matter of common sense involved here. They don't live in a vacuum. Is it a matter of maturity (or lack thereof)? Maybe. But it's now a very hard learned lesson for the brothers involved and their entire chapter.