Texas SAE saves swimmer's life

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by macallan25

Wow, I think their disdain for greek life sticks out like a sore thumb and I have yet to hear someone affiliated with a fraternity or sorority here disagree.

Their coverage of Tyler Cross' death pissed me off especially.

I think you and breathesgelatin are both right.

The DT still has an anti-Greek bent, but the paper is far more conservative than it used it be- and it is a very recent shift.

Back in my time, the Daily Texan got photos of fraternity guys in black-face at parties for 2 different chapters by sneaking into closed parties- basically breaking a key Risk Management rule- something they would be all over anyone Greek for doing.

I am surprised they were not sued for it- but it was not unusual for staffers to trespass or break other laws to drum up juicy stories on Greeks. And there was even a time when they would hang out at the police station and look for guys showing up to pick someone up wearing Greek letters. No joke- and then when they did their campus arrest reports the Greek affiliation was reported.

As for the reporting on Tyler Cross- I agree it was disgraceful but I would attribute it more to the general tone of media reporting in general today. The news is now a profit-driven industry, and the students who write articles like this for the Daily Texan are just getting their basic training for how they will behave as professionals- which is what really scares me.

But in reading the articles on Tyler I did not see quite the same level of politically-driven outrage and pontification that such stories received in the past.

Long story short- The DT coverage of Tyler Cross is typical of what one should expect from the media these days (and I use the term "these days" advisedly because I think things really have changed that much).

However the DT coverage of such incidents years ago was far sloppier, far more insulting and- at times- defamatory.


Still- the DT does occasionally reveal that old liberal bias. A few months ago there was a page 1 article about a protest and national petition against a "Cholo" party that was allegedly going to take place. Basically someone heard the party was going to happen, but did not know where. And of course there was no such party. Yet the fact it "might well could have happened" seemed to be worth a front page story.

[UTLonghorn2012]

The bigger story I remember hearing is that they covered someone who had gone around and posted "FIJI rules" up all over campus, which said things like 'No Mexicans.' But as far as I know they weren't actually FIJIs, and DT just assumed they were.

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

I think you and breathesgelatin are both right.

The DT still has an anti-Greek bent, but the paper is far more conservative than it used it be- and it is a very recent shift.

Back in my time, the Daily Texan got photos of fraternity guys in black-face at parties for 2 different chapters by sneaking into closed parties- basically breaking a key Risk Management rule- something they would be all over anyone Greek for doing.

I am surprised they were not sued for it- but it was not unusual for staffers to trespass or break other laws to drum up juicy stories on Greeks. And there was even a time when they would hang out at the police station and look for guys showing up to pick someone up wearing Greek letters. No joke- and then when they did their campus arrest reports the Greek affiliation was reported.

As for the reporting on Tyler Cross- I agree it was disgraceful but I would attribute it more to the general tone of media reporting in general today. The news is now a profit-driven industry, and the students who write articles like this for the Daily Texan are just getting their basic training for how they will behave as professionals- which is what really scares me.

But in reading the articles on Tyler I did not see quite the same level of politically-driven outrage and pontification that such stories received in the past.

Long story short- The DT coverage of Tyler Cross is typical of what one should expect from the media these days (and I use the term "these days" advisedly because I think things really have changed that much).

However the DT coverage of such incidents years ago was far sloppier, far more insulting and- at times- defamatory.


Still- the DT does occasionally reveal that old liberal bias. A few months ago there was a page 1 article about a protest and national petition against a "Cholo" party that was allegedly going to take place. Basically someone heard the party was going to happen, but did not know where. And of course there was no such party. Yet the fact it "might well could have happened" seemed to be worth a front page story.

I have heard similar stories about how they used to be.

The coverage of Tyler was just completely over the line and so incredibly disrespectful........especially to his poor family, who are extremely good people. They didn't deserve it at all. I do agree though, that's the way the media is these days....all of them, not just the DT.

UTL2012, I remember the pledge rules surfacing.......the list was actually pretty funny to read. Didn't sound like anything that group of guys would do........but funny nonetheless.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by macallan25

I have heard similar stories about how they used to be.

The coverage of Tyler was just completely over the line and so incredibly disrespectful........especially to his poor family, who are extremely good people. They didn't deserve it at all. I do agree though, that's the way the media is these days....all of them, not just the DT.

It is a damn shame the Cross family has had to deal with all that media coverage. At the end of the day this was a sad tragedy that had no business in the news. The general public was not benefitted at all by hearing about it. But unfortunately there are lots of dull and ignorant people out there who need someone else's tragedy to fill their minds.

In terms of how the Daily Texan used to be, I sometimes wish I had saved copies. The editorial section was especially insane.

But I do have recollections of two editorial sections in particular. One was a rebuttal to a previous article about public displays of affection between homosexuals. In the letter a very angry and militant person went on and on about how every time she saw a wedding ring she felt offended and oppressed and it just went downhill from there. It was the writing of a true mental case.

Another time the DT did a profile on Mother Teresa and the editorial the next day railed against her and accused her of being part of an international child molestation conspiracy etc. etc. I will be the first person to state that I do believe the Catholic Church has long condoned child molestation by virtue of a failure to act on it, but to lay all that on Mother Teresa and say she was inherently evil?

I dunno. I wish I had the articles to type up and post since I cannot even begin to describe the sheer lunacy and conjecture involved.

Simply put, there was a time when that paper was in the hands of lunatic liberals who had absolutely no ability or desire to support their ridiculous articles with facts or rational logic. Conservatives have our loonies too- like pro-lifers who kill abortion doctors- but the fact is that for a long time the DT was more of a place for fringe element lefties to spout their hateful rhetoric than it was a serious publication addressing legitimate issues for students.

But I never really cared about that. The sports page and the crossword have never changed- and that is all the value I ever got out of that publication.

[bowsandtoes]

To be fair the Colton Pitonyak thing was a murder after all, and compared to most the stuff the DT puts on the front page, that's pretty big news.

The only place where you really see a bias is in the opinions section, especially the firing line. I remember last year some girl sent in a piece about how she was up in arms because someone went to the store she was working because he was making a 'cholo' costume for a themed "frat" party. Not only was there no such party, but the DT continued to published letters on the issue, and each time made sure to mentioned that it was a racist "frat" party that was causing so much stir.

Its little things like that. But like you said, the DT isn't exactly the standard for journalism that it might have been in the past.

Anyway, this thread has digressed. Again, kudos to David Sawyer for his bravery.

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by bowsandtoes

Anyway, he deserves all the praise in the world. At a time when the stereotype of us college kids is wild party-animals, it's great to see someone prove that we're responsible members of society with the courage to act when called upon.

When haven't college students been seen as party animals? Did I miss something? And uh, hi, crowd of over 100 and only he could figure out that a guy floating facedown in the water wasn't quite right?
The EMT in me is just stunned that no one else could be bothered to act at all. And annoyed. If the article is accurate.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by AlexMack

When haven't college students been seen as party animals? Did I miss something? And uh, hi, crowd of over 100 and only he could figure out that a guy floating facedown in the water wasn't quite right?
The EMT in me is just stunned that no one else could be bothered to act at all. And annoyed. If the article is accurate.

As an EMT, I am sure you must have seen situations that no one did a thing.
Several years ago, a woman was killed, murdered with over 20 people just about looking on. No one called the police. No one said a thing.
This was in NYC.
Woman's name was, IIRC, Kitty Genovese.
I was right, for a change:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Genovese
The bystander effect (also known as bystander apathy, Genovese syndrome, diffused responsibility or bystander intervention) is a psychological phenomenon in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when other people are present and able to help than when he or she is alone.
Solitary individuals will typically intervene if another person is in need of help: this is known as bystander intervention. However, researchers were surprised to find that help is less likely to be given if more people are present. In some situations, a large group of bystanders may fail to help a person who obviously needs help. An example which shocked many people is the Kitty Genovese case. Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in 1964 by a serial rapist and murderer. The murder took place over a period of about a half hour, after which it was reported that dozens of alleged "witnesses" failed to help the victim. For this reason, the name Genovese syndrome or Genovese effect was used to describe the phenomenon at the time. In 1972, Dr. Wolfgang Friedmann, professor of law at Columbia University, was murdered in broad daylight and bled to death on the sidewalk. The death of Deletha Word near Detroit in 1995 after witnesses failed to thwart her attackers, as well as the James Bulger murder case, may have been other well-publicized cases of the effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by jon1856

As an EMT, I am sure you must have seen situations that no one did a thing.
Several years ago, a woman was killed, murdered with over 20 people just about looking on. No one called the police. No one said a thing.
This was in NYC.
Woman's name was, IIRC, Kitty Genovese.

I know the story, it's a famous anecdote in psychology. It's actually about 30-40 people that ignored Kitty's screams. And I wrote a 10 page paper on the Diffusion of Responsibility for AP Psych. Anyway, point is, how can college students suddenly 'ditch the stereotype of wild party-animal' if only one kid acts in a crowd of over 100? Really that seems to be enforcing another stereotype. Uncaring slacker.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by AlexMack

I know the story, it's a famous anecdote in psychology. It's actually about 30-40 people that ignored Kitty's screams. And I wrote a 10 page paper on the Diffusion of Responsibility for AP Psych. Anyway, point is, how can college students suddenly 'ditch the stereotype of wild party-animal' if only one kid acts in a crowd of over 100? Really that seems to be enforcing another stereotype. Uncaring slacker.

Was not 30-40 but not the point.
We do not know, based upon the sole story we have seen, if everyone there was a member of a GLO, let alone a college student.
So IMVHO my above posting answers your question.

And if the story had given his membership in just a GLO, perhaps it would have been read differently. Something that we will never know.

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by jon1856

Was not 30-40 but not the point.
We do not know, based upon the sole story we have seen, if everyone there was a member of a GLO, let alone a college student.
So IMVHO my above posting answers your question.

And if the story had given his membership in just a GLO, perhaps it would have been read differently. Something that we will never know.

Um what? And no. Are you taking over for Earp?

[nittanyalum]

Back to the point of the OP, I think it sucks it didn't mention his affiliation, because I agree, were it a story about some shenanigans, his affiliation would have been front and center.

I hope someone writes a letter to the editor to point out the omission and identify him as a greek.

[bowsandtoes]

Just as closure, the Tyler Cross incident occurred at his off-campus apartment. A similar incident happened this past February with a Hellraiser (a UT spirit group). The DT published one side-story and that was that. I hate to compare two obvious tragedies but the subtle bias not just in that case, but over the last few years is hard to ignore.

[UTLonghorn2012]

The Daily Texan, from what I can tell in the issues I have read, does not have a very favorable opinion of Greek life.

When the Greek community does something positive, it barely gets a mention.

When something bad happens, they explode on it.

If the swimmer had been an SAE at UT, and maybe had done something dumb, the headline wouldn't be "Student breaks neck swimming," it would certainly be "SAE Member breaks neck" and would probably go on to condemn the practice of spring break.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by UTLonghorn2012

The Daily Texan, from what I can tell in the issues I have read, does not have a very favorable opinion of Greek life.

When the Greek community does something positive, it barely gets a mention.

When something bad happens, they explode on it.

If the swimmer had been an SAE at UT, and maybe had done something dumb, the headline wouldn't be "Student breaks neck swimming," it would certainly be "SAE Member breaks neck" and would probably go on to condemn the practice of spring break.

Way to come to UT with an open mind.

[macallan25]

I've got to agree with him. If someone characterized a newspaper without saying the name......I'd probably say "that sounds like the Daily Texan, haha."