Frat Suspended After 'Rape Some B*****s' Comment Caught On Tape

[Kevin]

The University of Central Florida has suspended its Sigma Nu fraternity and will pursue a Title IX investigation over a recording where several members can be heard chanting about rape and promoting sexual assault.

Multiple Sigma Nu fraternity members can be heard making graphic and disturbing comments, like "let's rape some bitches," "we're raping some bitches" and "we're gonna rape 'em, who cares." Knight News obtained the uncensored video of the June 9 incident from a source close to the investigation.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...ushpmg00000067

Sigma Nu has responded:

Sigma Nu officials received copies of recordings from the UCF police department. The words used by people in the recordings are disrespectful, despicable and vile. The Fraternity and University are investigating the recordings. Following the completion of the investigation, the Fraternity will take action as may be appropriate.

While Sigma Nu will probably investigate this and take action, if merited, quickly, UCF needs to let Sigma Nu act or they may find themselves on the business end of a lawsuit. I really don't like that these schools think that Title IX somehow trumps the First Amendment.

The ACLU has a nice FAQ on the subject.

https://www.aclu.org/hate-speech-campus

[ggforever]

I completely agree. And when do four members doing something wrong means punishing the entire group. Oh, that's right, they are greek so all of them must behave the same way.

I wish schools, and national GLOs, would let the process happen. ZBT at Florida was expelled by the school and their national, when they were first accused. When the all facts were gathered and others, besides the accuser were interviewed, it turns out the event did not happen. The men got a "Whoops, sorry" for turning their world upside down. Emory decided to gather the facts before acting. Could there be a lesson learned???

[DEVODUDE]

ggforever:I wish schools, and national GLOs, would let the process happen. ZBT at Florida was expelled by the school and their national, when they were first accused. When the all facts were gathered and others, besides the accuser were interviewed, it turns out the event did not happen.

And because of that, The ZBT Florida chapter's Alumni Board has filed a law-suit against the President (Ms. Linda Cope) and several members of that group. This was a very good example of how both the school and National jump to conclusions WITHOUT getting all the facts.

ZBT:" BROTHERHOOD & BEYOND"

[Kevin]

Having worked directly with the individual quoted above from Sigma Nu, I can tell you that this investigation will be completed and appropriate action taken. In most of these cases, schools are able to punish organizations for this behavior only because the HQ was removing the charter anyhow.

[Firehouse]

I haven't studied the Sigma Nu case but it sounds like we're talking about an unidentified man in an apartment complex who may or may not have been a Sigma Nu - is that the case?
Of course you have to add into the mix the fact that UCF is the WORST anti-fraternity administration in the southeastern United States.
You've got the moron kid singing on the SAE bus, and the may-or-maybe-not Sigma Nu in Orlando, not to mention a bevy of beautiful girls at Alabama whose sin was to portray themselves as exactly who they are, knowing that every other girl wants to join and every boy wants to date there.
The theme running through all of this seems to be that (for the most part white) fraternities and sororities are not permitted to reflect the culture which surrounds and drowns college kids today.
What would happen if, theoretically, some fraternity members went down to the student union in the middle of the week, stood and recited with clarity and gusto the words to any number of popular and award-winning rap songs, emphasizing the words as if they were reading poetry.
Will we be punished for this - for speaking aloud words not permitted to non-white kids?
Of course we would never actually do this because it is too obnoxious. But that's not the point. the point is that we're NOT PERMITTED to stand on the lawn and sing the same songs that stars get millions for singing on every MTV channel. And when the Greeks have finally gotten a bellyful of the double standard, then I want to be there to watch what happens.

[Kevin]

I would hope that in your hypo that the national office would pull their charters. There's no room for that sort of behavior. What I would not hope would happen would be that the school would sanction the students for what in this case, would arguably be political speech.

[Firehouse]

Kevin, it's possible I mis-read your response.
Are you saying that if your chapter started singing coarse rap songs out loud your charter should be suspended by national? If that's true, do you also think that if ANY fraternity did so that they should also be suspended?
What if the Sigma Nu pledges showed up in the student union wearing sunglasses, matching hats, painted boots and dog collars? How about branding?
Did I understand you correctly that the university should suspend individuals or a chapter for political speech? Hard for me to believe you would say that knowing what we know about politics and the law.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Firehouse

Kevin, it's possible I mis-read your response.

Yup.

Are you saying that if your chapter started singing coarse rap songs out loud your charter should be suspended by national?

Yes. If the chapter intentionally and en masse attempted to provoke a racial incident on campus, I have no tolerance for that. As a Sigma Nu, I'd say such individuals would fall well short of the standards we strive for.

If that's true, do you also think that if ANY fraternity did so that they should also be suspended?

It's not for me to say. How other fraternities want to run their business is up to them entirely.

What if the Sigma Nu pledges showed up in the student union wearing sunglasses, matching hats, painted boots and dog collars? How about branding?

I'd think that might be some kind of hazing and want it to be looked into. Wearing attire not generally publicly acceptable and not in good taste might violate our hazing policy. The branding would certainly be cause for concern.

Did I understand you correctly that the university should suspend individuals or a chapter for political speech? Hard for me to believe you would say that knowing what we know about politics and the law.

No. I think students have the right to say what they want without fear of reprisal if they are at a public institution. There are of course limits, but the rights of university students should certainly be no less than of the public at large.