Two fraternities suspended for racially offensive costumes

[tinyterror]

Hello Sorors,

I just read this article and was totally disgusted by it, but not surprised. Wanted to get your thoughts.

Sisterly yours,
tt

Two fraternities suspended for racially offensive costumes
The Associated Press
11/6/01 12:58 AM


AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -- Two Auburn University fraternities were suspended Monday because members dressed up in Ku Klux Klan robes and blackface -- one with a noose around his neck -- during a Halloween party.

Delta Sigma Phi and Beta Theta Pi fraternities, both with mostly white members, are being investigated for violating Auburn's discrimination and harassment rules, said spokesman Jim Jackson.

The university began its investigation when professionally taken pictures from the party were put on the Internet over the weekend, officials said. PartyPics.com, a service that photographs social events, later pulled the photos from its Web site.

"These images are shocking and outrageous, and they are unacceptable," said Interim President William Walker. "On behalf of the faculty, staff and students I apologize deeply for the hurt that has been caused for so many by the insensitive acts of a few students."

The photographs show two students, one wearing a Klan robe and hood, pointing a gun toward a third student wearing blackface with a noose around his neck. The three stood in front of a Confederate Battle Flag.

In another photo, fraternity members are wearing blackface, wigs and shirts with the letters of Omega Psi Phi, one of four predominantly black fraternities at Auburn.

None of the students have been publicly identified.

Delta Sigma Phi members apologized for the incidents Monday night before a group of black students of the Black Student Union. Beta Theta Pi has not made a public statement.

Telephone calls to both fraternity houses went unanswered Monday afternoon.

Fewer than 10 percent of Auburn's 22,000 students are black. Neither of the two fraternities have a black member.

Interfraternity Council President Todd LaCour said the two fraternities aren't representative of Auburn's Greek system.

"We neither encourage nor condone this behavior," he said. "And we're working to see that it doesn't happen again and that appropriate punishment is handed down."

Auburn University needs to thoroughly investigate and properly punish the fraternities, said Sanford Johnson, president of the Black Student Union.

"We want to see these groups and these individuals held accountable," he said. "So much racial progress has been made the last few years, and one incident like this could reverse all of that."

The national offices of the two fraternities were notified by the university. The fraternities won't be allowed to hold any social functions while they're suspended.

The Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery has launched its own investigation.



Report