A Multicultural Sorority?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

1983 is a long way from 2008.

So do you think the Constitutional allowance for free speech is now less than it was back then?

So Kevin - your point is useless. No one is going to sue.

It's an academic point. Schools don't have the legitimate power to do jack squat to organizations who (omg) offend people.

Actually, I'm less disgusted by the Gamma Phi party than I am by the event in question in the 1983 court case you cited. An "Ugly Woman Party"? Wow.

Actually, the Sigma Chi thing was waaaay more extreme -- this was a contest where brothers did skits dressed up as unpleasing females. Here's a quote from the factual statement of the court:

"He was painted black and wore stringy, black hair decorated with curlers, and his outfit was stuffed with pillows to exaggerate a woman's breasts and buttocks. He spoke in slang to parody African-Americans."

-- if this is permissible, surely a little war paint at a party works. This case was in 1992. If you're referring to 42 U.S.C. 1983 is the Civil Rights Act of 1871 (it's been amended and expanded since then). It forbids anyone, under color of state law (a university) from depriving people of constitutional rights. Here, the University has clearly violated the terms of that Act.

But I guess to some, being PC is more important than the Constitution. Shameful.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Kevin

So do you think the Constitutional allowance for free speech is now less than it was back then?



It's an academic point. Schools don't have the legitimate power to do jack squat to organizations who (omg) offend people.



Actually, the Sigma Chi thing was waaaay more extreme -- this was a contest where brothers did skits dressed up as unpleasing females. Here's a quote from the factual statement of the court:

"He was painted black and wore stringy, black hair decorated with curlers, and his outfit was stuffed with pillows to exaggerate a woman's breasts and buttocks. He spoke in slang to parody African-Americans."

-- if this is permissible, surely a little war paint at a party works. This case was in 1992. If you're referring to 42 U.S.C. 1983 is the Civil Rights Act of 1871 (it's been amended and expanded since then). It forbids anyone, under color of state law (a university) from depriving people of constitutional rights. Here, the University has clearly violated the terms of that Act.

But I guess to some, being PC is more important than the Constitution. Shameful.

if you do something that offends a group, don't get mad when that groups says something. just as much as you have a right to offend, they have a right to say something about it. if you don't like the controversy that comes along, why do it in the first place?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by starang21

if you do something that offends a group, don't get mad when that groups says something. just as much as you have a right to offend, they have a right to say something about it. if you don't like the controversy that comes along, why do it in the first place?

I fully support the Native American students' right to protest and condemn Gamma Phi Beta for their actions. That's their right. Speech is and should be a two way street.

It seems that the school and the Native American groups would disagree.

What they don't get to do is use the machinery of the state to accomplish their mission. At least not legally. Gamma Phi Beta, admittedly is letting them get away with that though.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I fully support the Native American students' right to protest and condemn Gamma Phi Beta for their actions. That's their right. Speech is and should be a two way street.

It seems that the school and the Native American groups would disagree.

What they don't get to do is use the machinery of the state to accomplish their mission. At least not legally. Gamma Phi Beta, admittedly is letting them get away with that though.

i don't think if they were to file a suit, that it would hold much water. this local chapter has every right to do what it wants, because it's a group of adults in it. however, the national body also has a right to say screw you to the local chapter if it has violated some of the bylaws or conduct rules of the organization.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by starang21

i don't think if they were to file a suit, that it would hold much water. this local chapter has every right to do what it wants, because it's a group of adults in it. however, the national body also has a right to say screw you to the local chapter if it has violated some of the bylaws or conduct rules of the organization.

I don't disagree a bit as to their HQ. If the chapter did file suit, see above. It'd win. The question isn't even close. Apparently, and the article is unclear what this "discrimination action" is, but some group of Native Americans has filed some sort of discrimination complaint. I don't know if that's with the school or if it's a federal case. Whichever it is, it's completely meritless.

-- of course by "they" you could be referring to anyone.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I don't disagree a bit as to their HQ. If the chapter did file suit, see above. It'd win. The question isn't even close. Apparently, and the article is unclear what this "discrimination action" is, but some group of Native Americans has filed some sort of discrimination complaint. I don't know if that's with the school or if it's a federal case. Whichever it is, it's completely meritless.

-- of course by "they" you could be referring to anyone.

as legally unviable as the suit might be, quite possibly the real goal of this was to bring negative attention to the chapter. and the native american group is well within their right to "complain."

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by starang21

as legally unviable as the suit might be, quite possibly the real goal of this was to bring negative attention to the chapter. and the native american group is well within their right to "complain."

If they brought it as a federal case, they can count on being sanctioned by the court for filing a frivolous action. These kids don't even have standing, let alone a legally viable theory.

A suit filed in bad faith like that can only be bad for the person filing it. I'm assuming that this is through the university's internal student complaints system. That seems the most likely forum.