#RacistRager - Duke Kappa Sigma party ignites firestorm of criticism

[Tulip86]

Originally Posted by starang21

if it's stereotypical, then it's mocking.

Not necessarily.

If I dress up like Frau Antje I'm dressed up in a stereotypical form. But I'm not mocking anything or anyone. If I wear a sari I'm dressed in something considered stereotypical of the Indian culture, but it's not worn to mock, but because I like how it looks. If I wear a dress inspired by a traditional Chinese dress (like the ones that were quite fashionable in the 90s) again, it's something considered stereotypical, but not mocking. My point is, the thought behind it, and the behavior accompanying it is what decides if it's mocking.

Originally Posted by PKT4LIFE

Kappa Sig has been officially suspended by their HQ as of today.

And I think they should be, that email was in very poor taste.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

the thought behind it, and the behavior accompanying it is what decides if it's mocking.

and the intent of the thought behind the party was to mock. and your examples are not really applicable or even comparable to this situation. wearing something you like that happens to be from another culture isn't the same thing as wearing something from another culture to mock said other culture.

[Tulip86]

Originally Posted by starang21

and the intent of the thought behind the party was to mock. and your examples are not really applicable or even comparable to this situation. wearing something you like that happens to be from another culture isn't the same thing as wearing something from another culture to mock said other culture.

I disagree with you. I think the intent behind the email is to mock and to ridicule.
I don't think the intent of everyone attending was to mock and ridicule. But I get that you don't want to see my point.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

I disagree with you. I think the intent behind the email is to mock and to ridicule.
I don't think the intent of everyone attending was to mock and ridicule. But I get that you don't want to see my point.

i don't care if you agree or not. i see your point, and your point is silly and not applicable to the situation at hand. i didn't say the intent of everyone at the party was the mock and ridicule, i said the intent of the party itself was to mock and ridicule. some party goers may have not even took part in the dressing up. but the ones who did, did with the intent to mock and ridicule.

unless you think that they dressed up as a caricature to celebrate asian month or something like that.

[PKT4LIFE]

Kappa Sig has been officially suspended by their HQ as of today.

[Gamma Xi Phi]

I'm not so certain why this is so hard to comprehend.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Gamma Xi Phi

I'm not so certain why this is so hard to comprehend.

because some people aren't socially conscious.

[Gamma Xi Phi]

The first problem is when the men in the chapter felt it was okay to appropriate [an]other culture[s] as a theme for a party.

At colleges and universities as large and diverse as Duke, there are already organizations and programs which are open to everyone to participate in if they want to experience playing "dress up." I went to a school where a South Asian festival which began ten years ago had all South Asian performing groups, then expanded to including an act for "friends of" and now is almost totally integrated. [We can discuss why that is problematic another time.]

But a majority white, non-multicultural (as in NMGC) fraternity doing this is problem. It smacks of white privilege. It is racist. And thankfully organizations at Duke like NPHC are standing with the Asian community as allies in this matter.

[Kevin]

"Socially conscious" = blowing any slight to your heritage WAY out of proportion?

The notion Asian Student Association at Duke somehow gets cultural approval over other organizations is just absurd. To seemingly believe that they actually speak for all Asians at Duke is just about as bad as anything Kappa Sig did. I'm sure many Asians would be offended to be remotely associated with these over the top protests.

Am I suggesting they be silent? Not really. Maybe send a letter to the editor of the student newspaper, maybe hold an event promoting awareness, whatever. But day after day of protest? Demanding the offending organization be disbanded? I'm just saying there's a more moderate and reasonable course here.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Kevin

"Socially conscious" = blowing any slight to your heritage WAY out of proportion?

The notion Asian Student Association at Duke somehow gets cultural approval over other organizations is just absurd. To seemingly believe that they actually speak for all Asians at Duke is just about as bad as anything Kappa Sig did. I'm sure many Asians would be offended to be remotely associated with these over the top protests.

Am I suggesting they be silent? Not really. Maybe send a letter to the editor of the student newspaper, maybe hold an event promoting awareness, whatever. But day after day of protest? Demanding the offending organization be disbanded? I'm just saying there's a more moderate and reasonable course here.

I think context is important here. We're seeing a lot of incidents like this coming from the Duke Greek system. I could see where they'd be sick and f*cking tired of explaining racism to white people.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I think context is important here. We're seeing a lot of incidents like this coming from the Duke Greek system. I could see where they'd be sick and f*cking tired of explaining racism to white people.

Or maybe minority students get to blow things out of proportion due to the University's harsh and unfair handling of incidents regarding alleged racism tends to reward the accusers even when they're wrong?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_buffalo_incident

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_lacrosse_case

And when I want to think about oppressed minorities, Asian students attending one of the top universities in the country are not near the top of my list. Further, if you're saying the enhanced reaction to this was because of the actions of other students, is it fair to victimize Kappa Sigma for those other students' actions?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Or maybe minority students get to blow things out of proportion due to the University's harsh and unfair handling of incidents regarding alleged racism tends to reward the accusers even when they're wrong?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_buffalo_incident

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_lacrosse_case

And when I want to think about oppressed minorities, Asian students attending one of the top universities in the country are not near the top of my list. Further, if you're saying the enhanced reaction to this was because of the actions of other students, is it fair to victimize Kappa Sigma for those other students' actions?

Protip: white people do not get to tell people of color what's offensive.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Protip: white people do not get to tell people of color what's offensive.

I honestly think that comments like this are just as damaging as any thing like this party. It helps build a us against them mentality that gets in teh way of true equality. Like I think was said, nobody would get upset with minorities making fun of negative Caucasian stereotypes, yet you have stuff like this, which while I agree was insensitive and in poor taste, probably does not deserve the amount of outrage that it is receiving.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Protip: white people do not get to tell people of color what's offensive.

I'll tell you and whether you listen is up to you. I think the Asian Student Association looks about as dumb as the Kappa Sigmas at this point.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Kevin

And when I want to think about oppressed minorities, Asian students attending one of the top universities in the country are not near the top of my list. Further, if you're saying the enhanced reaction to this was because of the actions of other students, is it fair to victimize Kappa Sigma for those other students' actions?

just because asians en masse don't have to worry about getting pulled over or getting denied a home loan, doesn't mean that it's cool to run around saying stuff like herro or dressing like a sumo wrestler.