U of Arizona Tri Delt Handles Protesters

[Nanners52674]

I really didn't know how to title this. It's from an article on TSM, but it's the video that's worth watching.

The setup is members of the University of Arizona’s student organization Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) witnessed girls going into the Tri-Delt house dressed in Mexican costumes. And showed up to the house to talk to them about it.


I think the member handled it fabulously, I would of been stunned silent.


http://youtu.be/ZFqUh38TODA

[flowerchild241]

I just saw this on another site! She handled herself very well for that to be what she walked out to! I think most people would've been stunned silent.

[Nanners52674]

Too bad it won't make headlines since it shows a sorority in a good light, and not one being racially insensitive.

[flowerchild241]

You are right about that. Even the title attempts to show the sorority in a bad light, even though her response was anything but! Its like the MEChA was trying to create a news story to paint them in a bad light (just my opinion on how the camera girl was trying to get her to argue/get mad). I shared this on my social networks though, hopefully some people will see it!

[ASUADPi]

The sister of Tri-Delt handled the situation perfectly. She was ambushed by members of MEChA who truly seemed more interested in causing a fight instead of listening to her. The fact that she points out that some of the sisters were dressed in cultural outfits and that they "missed" part of it is HUGE.

It just goes to show that people jump to conclusions all the time without knowing the whole situation.

[AZTheta]

So, we saw edited footage (which included members of the senior Bobcats honorary standing on the sidewalk in front of the Tri Delta house, distancing themselves from the events - nice going, Bobcats, but I digress). We didn't see footage of the "Mexican costumes", did we? I highly doubt those Tri Deltas were dressed like Pancho Villa or Border Patrol agents. The camerawoman was WAY out of line. Argumentative, confrontational, no interest in education or dialogue or anything other than her very narrow agenda. Ditto for the male holding the sign - no interest in anything besides his own message. No investigation. Just "let's video these sorority girls and put it on YouTube." I hope the University and Tri-Delta will have a suitable response.

Impressive, reasonable, classy answer(s) by the Tri-Delta active who answered the door. Frankly, the camerawoman and the other man should be spoken to regarding their behavior. How convenient (?) that they went to Tri Delta with a sign, when they could have easily gone any of a million other places. What do they do on Cinco de Mayo when literally everyone on campus is walking around in sombreros and moustaches, carting buckets of margaritas?

Frankly, this is rude (at best) on MEChA's part. I have more to say, but I won't.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I don't even understand what we're celebrating in this thread. A white woman said something articulate about race?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I don't even understand what we're celebrating in this thread. A white woman said something articulate about race?

Thank you.

[OPhiAGinger]

I don't think we are doing cartwheels because a white collegiate woman was poised under pressure in what could have been a sticky race confrontation. Personally, I cringe to hear of theme parties that are intentionally ridiculing another culture, but sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. This appears to be a situation where a costume was not worn in ridicule but in celebration of a culture. And that is a nice change of pace.

My 1st grader is dressing as a leprechaun tonight for Halloween. He is not doing this to degrade or ridicule the Irish tradition. Rather, he is celebrating the three drops of Irish blood that course through his veins. Plus, he looks super cute in his bowler hat, red stick-on beard, and his little pot o' gold that he will fill with candy. He's repping that micro-heritage well.

[DrPhil]

Re: OPhiAGinger's post

Also known as "take that, you racist-Halloween-costume crybabies!!!"

ETA: We already know there's often more than meets the eye and things aren't always what they seem. This thread is just bad timing considering the annual issues with horribly themed Halloween costumes and the resulting GC Race Wars (the most recent was deleted). A predominantly white audience marveling over this is a huge eye roller.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

At the same time, I find it amusing when white people are celebrated for "handling it well".

Anyway, MEChA should do a campus-wide event instead of passionately handling this case-by-case. They don't have enough background information to confront people in this manner. As the woman who answered the door (it sounded fun inside the sorority house) stated, there was more to the story for the costumes. I am glad the woman who answered the door seemed familiar with the issue of insensitive costumes and assured MEChA that her chapter does not partake in such nonsense. I hope they really don't.

LOL @ all 3 of them being a bit out of breath and uncomfortable. That could've gone downhill quickly. The woman from MEChA talked over the woman at the door a few times. Not a good look. Hopefully MEChA learned from this experience.

And that's what people are complimenting the young lady on doing: taking a situation that could have gone downhill and handling it like a mature adult. She didn't downplay their concerns or blow them off. She addressed the issue.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

It isn't the intent but this thread is essentially a white people vindication thread.

"Take that, you racist-Halloween-costume crybabies!!!"

People who don't normally comment in threads with mentions of race, and certainly not the Halloween costume threads, are in this thread doing jumping jacks. Interesting.

Nobody's doing jumping jacks or suggesting that the Tri Delta member be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. They were just saying that she handled it well.

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I don't even understand what we're celebrating in this thread. A white woman said something articulate about race?

Again, nobody's putting out streamers and balloons. They just said that the young lady handled what could have turned into a bad situation nicely.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

And that's what people are complimenting the young lady on doing: taking a situation that could have gone downhill and handling it like a mature adult. She didn't downplay their concerns or blow them off. She addressed the issue.

That white woman isn't the only reason that interaction didn't go downhill. This isn't a "white person saves the day".

Originally Posted by LaneSig

Nobody's doing jumping jacks or suggesting that the Tri Delta member be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. They were just saying that she handled it well.

I read jumping jacks. I think people are impressed by that white woman's demeanor, her explanation of the circumstances, and even have the audacity to propose this white woman outsmarted this Hispanic student organization by requesting to keep their poster.

White people: Outsmarting presumptuous, emotional, angry racial and ethnic minorities for centuries and counting.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

That white woman isn't the only reason that interaction didn't go downhill. This isn't a "white person saves the day".

Well, the only person I see being confronted at the door happens to be white. So that's the only person we can compliment.


I read jumping jacks. I think people are impressed by that white woman's demeanor, her explanation of the circumstances, and even have the audacity to propose this white woman outsmarted this student organization by requesting to keep their poster.

The person who suggested that the member outsmarted the student organization was wrong on that aspect. I saw a video where the student offered the poster to the young lady and she accepted it.

White people: Outsmarting presumptuous, emotional, angry racial and ethnic minorities for centuries and counting.

And, you just answered your question from earlier about why people who don't generally reply in threads that have any racial tones/aspects. Because we know that no matter what we say, you and DeltaBetaBaby are going to come in, tell us that we're in the wrong no matter what our opinions are and just lump us all together under "white people". You're going to be insulting and demeaning to other posters all while telling us how insulting and demeaning our actions are.

Now, I'm going to be a good white person, drive my Ford Taurus home, sit in my Laz-Y-Boy lounger, eat a white bread and mayonnaise sandwich, and watch reruns of The Brady Bunch and dream of the old days. Hope I covered all of my white sins in this paragraph.

[DrPhil]

At the same time, I find it amusing when white people are celebrated for "handling it well".

Anyway, MEChA should do a campus-wide event instead of passionately handling this case-by-case. They don't have enough background information to confront people in this manner. As the woman who answered the door (it sounded fun inside the sorority house) stated, there was more to the story for the costumes. I am glad the woman who answered the door seemed familiar with the issue of insensitive costumes and assured MEChA that her chapter does not partake in such nonsense. I hope they really don't.

LOL @ all 3 of them being a bit out of breath and uncomfortable. That could've gone downhill quickly. The woman from MEChA talked over the woman at the door a few times. Not a good look. Hopefully MEChA learned from this experience.

[BAckbOwlsgIrl]

As I understand it, University Of Arizona sororities have had Hispanic for members for years. Try over 30 years. MECha clearly does not understand that. They were trying to jump on something that they don't understand to make a splash.

A sombrero? So what? So do half the Mexican restaurants in Tucson have them.

I have several friends in sororities from Arizona. As I recall, there were the Greek Pages, a phone directory of all the members in each chapter. Read through it, and you would see Hispanic members all over.
Kappa Delta Chi, a Latina sorority is also active on campus. When they do decide to do a similar party, let's see if MECha visits them...yah, right...