PiKA Costume party - black face - bye-bye
 

(Sure it's offensive to some, but being offensive is not illegal. I hope the chapter gets a decent lawyer. Even the complainer doesn't want charges filed.)


Students disown blackface at GSU

By ETAN HOROWITZ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/04/04
Hundreds of students gathered at a Georgia State University ballroom Thursday to speak out about a racial incident at a fraternity party in January.
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School officials called the meeting after word spread around campus and students started posting fliers to protest the incident.
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During the weekend of Jan. 24, the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity hosted an off-campus party with the theme "Straight Outta Compton," with guests encouraged to wear hip-hop clothing, said Rebecca Stout, the assistant vice president and dean of students.
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Two fraternity members showed up in blackface, and members of a historically black fraternity that was in attendance reported the incident to university officials the next week. The fraternity that reported the incident, Phi Beta Sigma, did not want to file charges against Pi Kappa Alpha or the students, so the university did, Stout said.
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The two students have been suspended from their fraternity, and the university has charged them with discriminatory harassment under the student code of conduct, Stout said. Discipline may range from diversity training to possible expulsion. The university also filed charges against the fraternity, and a hearing will be held in a few weeks.
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About a third of the student body at Georgia State is African-American. Organizers estimated that 700 students attended the forum Thursday. After it was over, some students hugged, while others cried and shook hands.
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"All students were able to express that racism will not and should be tolerated at Georgia State University," said Alvatina Upshaw, 22, a junior from Atlanta.

I would urge the campuses who are having these issues, and man doesn't it seem more and more are, to get Dave Stollman in there to do his "Buy In or Get Out" Program. They had him at NGLA and he uses this very thing in his program, and it's really effective.

Can you tell more about the program?
:) preciousjeni

I'm just a bit confused about this. Why did they invite the black fraternity is my question.

-Rudey

Maybe you didn't have to have a specific invite. Some schools still have open parties. Plus this was off campus.

"You've never been to Compton, you're never going to go to Compton, you're not from Compton. You're a white wussy from right here." - Butt-Head

This chapter has a history of racial incidents at GSU, one of which was the impetus behind a three-day sit in on campus. They were barred from campus for a term or two (I can't remember exactly) but they were allowed to return. Seeing that things haven't changed for the chapter, I hope the administration takes a closer look at their antics.

We had a chapter hold a pledge class slave auction, where the pledges put on black face. When word got out, we pulled the charter. It was a standards issue. That chapter had the right to do what they did, but they didn't have the right to associate our name with those actions.

how so? I've never heard of anything bad related to this chapter, and I know several of their alumni. All are very good guys and I am pretty sure that there are several african-american students in the chapter.

Nevertheless, the blackface incident is not good and the students should be punished. The fraternity itself should receive a punishment, but it sounds as if they are not going to have their recognition or anything removed. If that were the case, I'm sure the hearing, punishment, and media coverage would've already taken place.

Neither the students, nor the chapter should be punished by the school. This is a public institution, and those students were exercising free speech, no matter how offensive.

The fraternity, however, has the right to discipline its chapter. Whether, or not, Pi Kappa Alpha chooses to do so will reflect on that fraternity.

Kudos to the men of Phi Beta Sigma for not pressing charges and attempting to allow the fraternity to discipline itself...

http://www.campuspeak.com/speakers/dstollman/index.htm

This may sound strange, but depending on what the theme was, ah say Jazz, who were some of the biggest known Jazz singers and Muscians in the World, Afro-Americans!

So some may have dressed and used Black-Face to emulate them so what is wrong with that??:confused:

I am not saying it was right or wrong, but, they have the right to do it according to the Constituion, Freedom of speach and expression! Just a legal point of view!

Stupid or non thinking may be the very case!

Hell, I went to a Party painted Green and My GF Painted Brown with a Bone in Her Hair!

Ah, The Jolley Green Giant and The Amazon from a song title!:p

Oh by the way for Politcal Correct Suers, the Amazon is not in Africa!:rolleyes:

So, now History must be changed whether is was right or wrong, it happened! Get over it, We are living in todays time!:rolleyes:

We as people try to learn by past mistakes, not for some so rightous asses to tell us how we should feel now, not Years ago!:(

I've been to Compton. I don't know. I just see a stupidity issue in a lot of these incidences. It's like hey you're ignorant already but why can't you be ignorant in private?

-Rudey

OK...
 

Since I'm a member of Pi kappa Alpha I'll jump in on this one. A couple of posters here have already made important points. Specifically: 1) a good lawyer can ensure that no individual or group is punished in any way for wearing blackface; and 2) the stupidity index had to be way up in the red zone when this was allowed to happen.
Any campus with high numbers of blacks, whites and other groups are inevitably going to have occasions where they bump up against each other culturally. Usually there's no evil intent, as I assume is the case here. The other side of the coin is that campuses with large numbers of different people are exciting, dynamic, fun and provide a great educational atmosphere.
Overt deliberate rascist provocation has no place in a decent society, but my guess is that this incident doesn't rise to that level. Blackface is not illegal, but it is especially stupid.
Russellwarshay has it right: our National will probably come in and review the membership; they'll try to weed out the idiots and explain the simple facts of life to the ones who stay. I hope that Georgia State handles this a lot better than Auburn did a couple years ago when the Betas and the Delta Sigs had the same problem.

you figure it's 2004, but i guess we still have a long way to go....

In 1992, this chapter played a nasty prank on their campus rivals, the gentlemen of Kappa Sigma. Kappa Sigma had just admitted an African American pledge, so the guys in PiKA took it upon themselves to make a 'protest'.

The garbage cans in the University Center had those words spelled out on them in stick-on letters. The Pikes rearranged/altered some of the letters on the can so that it spelled "Nigers Enter" (their misspelling, not mine) and put it in front of the Kappa Sigma chapter room.

There had been other incidents of racial tensions/racially insensitive behavior that involved this chapter, but because the Dean of Students (at the time) was also a Pike, nothing was ever done.

What's interesting to me is that a couple of years after this incident, the chapter admitted a black/white biracial member. I'd be interested to hear what this alum has to say about the incident.

The quote was not directed to you Rudey, just always happy to have a B & B quote that applies to the situation. :)

I've never heard anything bad about that chapter either, but if they did what you say then it was stupid. If they had a black member and did it anyway, then it would have to be spectacularly stupid.
Actually, I can think of some circumstances where they might have black members and still do something like this - and still think it's funny. From the report, it appears that they invited a black fraternity to share the private party...and did it anyway!Sometimes when you're dealing with young, immature guys, you have to consider the "idiot" factor. Even my guys, love 'em as I do.

Strange.
 

I just looked through their PiKA chapter website. Browsing through the section on "Photos" it's obvious they have Blacks, Asians, and one guy looks like he might be East Indian. Like I said, maybe they just thought it was funny. Guys show up in blackface, and then are "surprised" when someone points it out.

Ask H. King Buttermore about the incidents at GSU in the 90s. He was the Associate Dean of Students when all this happened. The (then) Dean of Students - William Baggett - is also a Pike. I'm sure Buttermore will have his own spin on it, but it was because he let so much stuff slide with respect to this chapter that he was removed from his position and "reassigned" elsewhere in the university.

The fact that they are a racially diverse chapter but STILL thought this was funny says a lot (at least to me anyway) that for them, diversity is just a word. Maybe I'm just projecting, but if I were a minority in this chapter right now, I'd be wondering how seriously the brothers took "brotherhood" to heart when they could even concieve that a gesture like this would be funny and/or well-received.

Edited to Add: I found this on the GSU student newspaper's website: http://www.gsusignal.com/vnews/displ...4?in_archive=1

Don't take things so seriously. I'm a smart guy and got it the first time :)

-Rudey

Being publicly humiliated in front of the campus is punishment enough and lesson enough if one is required.

To Sistermadly...
 

Well, I'm not going to defend something that is indefensible. However, you express surprise that a chapter with black, asian and other non-white members can have guys show in black-face. Again, I'm not defending it but you just have to understand guys. Men interact with each other differently than women. Men sometimes show acceptance by doing things that could seem outrageous to outsiders. For instance, once my chapter had a blind member. He could generally find his way throughout the house by using familiar points of reference, like chairs and couches. Once in awhile, the Brothers would move the furniture around just to see if they could throw him off; maybe get him to sit in the cold fireplace, and everyone had a laugh. That guy knew he was loved and accepted, and he knew that there was no pity or political correctness in that acceptance. he knew he was taken for who he was as a man, and that he had true friends for life.
Again, please, don't think I'm defending acts of deliberate racism. In this particular case, stupidity may have been more in play than racism.

This incident is just pathetic. Didn't these guys hear of the dozens of similar incidents that occured in the past few years? Even if they didn't, don't they have common sense and decency? I suppose not.

Further, I am SO TIRED of people stereotyping places like Compton. I bet most of the groups having these parties have never even visted California, let alone the City of Compton. I personally was there just this morning, working with a large group of students who were taking academic enrichment courses on a Saturday to maintain their "A" and "B" averages. These were good kids with good parents who are from a GOOD COMMUNITY that gets put down all the time. I do a great deal of work with the Compton Unified School District, and let me tell you--I see this community pull together in ways that you NEVER see in other places. For every gangmember I've run into in Compton, I've run into 10 other citizens who are full of pride and respect for themselves and their city. There are two-story homes with perfectly manicured lawns and families that keep their kids in check--just like anywhere else. It is not a perfect place, but it isn't what people make it out to be, either.

Edited to add: And please don't say ""Straight Outta Compton' is just a party theme! Relax!" because I bet some of you wouldn't think it was funny if someone else had a "Straight Outta (fill in the blank where you live)" and came dressed as "stereotypical" people from your town.

Cosign!

LatinaAlumna,

Sometimes, it is easier for those who do not walk in the same shoes to try to discuss things! But for many who have, it is hard to really understand why those who havent do not understand!:(

The thing is, whether it is not Politically Correct does and should not matter!

I for one get very tired of the Oh, "They" are making fun of so and so!

Well folks maybe it is time to get over your gremlins. While I try to make light of it at times, and it is a very serious situation, those who voice it the loudest are the Main ones who stir things up more so than anyone else who tries to be a BIGOT!

History is History!. It happened!. Talk all you can talk, it will not change history!

NOW IS THE TIME FOR CHANGE, NOT DREDGING THE PAST UP!

I would for one be imberrased to have My Black Friends come on this site and ask me, What The hell is Wrong with These People!

Oh Yes, we do talk about this one on one!

Re: To Sistermadly...
 

i'd venture to say bigotry had a large part to play in this fiasco.....

this is funny.....it's instances like this that show times haven't changed....

True...it's not about "political correctness"...it's about showing respect and being decent human beings towards one another. Having someone show up in "blackface" was not decent back then, and it is not decent now.

Oh, maybe they just got a good deal on the stuff at KKK-Mart :p

Actually it wouldn't phase me. But I am not generally considered especially sensitive to such stuff.

Compton is misunderstood because it seems that every time that blacks are portrayed on screen, good or bad, they had to come from Compton.

I have seen movies, Two Can Play that Game, where that fact was completely irrelevant and they still put that in there.

vivica fox stating that she's from compton in order to show how far she's come in the corporate world has NOTHING to do with a party in which patrons are expected to come in "urban clothing" in order to create parody.

Starang21, you are so right! Plus, James, you are talking about the media - the number one perpetuator of false (and generally negative) images and ideas about those who are "minorities" in the United States. Think about this...who do you see most on t.v. and movies? "White" people? I should say so! But, are "White" people the world's majority? I think not!!! What does that say about the media?

Slightly off topic... but it's an interesting debate
 

The media always has an angle, a bias. It ostensibly reflects its publics tastes and obviously in fact the ideologies of those behind it. But it seems when you talk about the media you mean the media you see - i.e. in the USA - and not the entire world, where those who are "minorities" are a (sizeable) 'minority' in that country. There's no question which skintones you see most on TV I agree but are separate networks like BET exacerbating the problem - we all know what a good idea 'separate but equal' wasnt? Does mainstream media provide a less balanced and societally reflective set of images because it's unfortunately believed "Oh BET (or whatever) already takes care of it?". We saw groundbreaking actors like twice Oscar winner Sidney Poitier in Hollywood mainstream films which was then almost unheard of; it paved the way for actors across the cultural-ethnic color divide. Do media outlets such as BET etc take us a step back and contribute to the 'mainstream' networks faults?

Re: Slightly off topic... but it's an interesting debate
 

either way, does this have anything to with the issue at hand? and no, BET does not take care of it...and yes, the mainstream media is SEVERELY unbalanced and unreflective of the american demographic. but as it is, this has nothing to do with the bigotry of these pikes.

Re: Re: Slightly off topic... but it's an interesting debate
 

I beg to differ. I believe that when you are living as a white person with white privilege, you really never have to be fully exposed to the pain of the minority population - or perhaps, you can just ignore it because you don't see it everyday. Starang21, if these men had really understood what blackface represents, perhaps they would have thought better of their actions. But they have no reason to do any research!

Re: Re: Re: Slightly off topic... but it's an interesting debate
 

what are you disagreeing about? i agree on all points so what are you talking about?

Re: Re: Slightly off topic... but it's an interesting debate
 

I was explaining why the media does have an effect and supports the bigotry.

Re: Re: Re: Slightly off topic... but it's an interesting debate
 

well i completely agree with that, but his point about BET being a separate entity of television media has nothing to do with THIS bigotry.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Slightly off topic... but it's an interesting debate
 

AH! Then we are certainly in agreement!!