A white Chingy??

[ZZ-kai-]

If there were a hip-hop party, and you dressed up as Chingy, that's cool, right? But if you're white, don't do it. I think that is absolutely s**t, discuss....

++++++++++++++++++
The Georgia State University Signal
May 12, 2004

Georgia State U. Pike member comes forward to answer charges

By J.D. Sumner, The Georgia State University Signal

Who knew that dressing up like rap sensation Chingy could get someone in so much trouble?

After nearly four months of threats, anxiety and misinformation, a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity member who donned black face paint at a January party has decided to step out of the shadows and answer charges that he and his beloved fraternity are racist.

Bill, as we'll refer to him, has endured the threats, insults and, most recently, the sanctions handed down by the Senate Judicial Committee for Student Discipline.

"I had no intention of offending anyone," Bill said. "I've had friends come up to me and ask if I was a racist because of bad information that's been circulated throughout campus."

The week before the party started routinely enough. The Pikes gathered into their typical planning meeting to discuss upcoming events, when they were told of about a hip-hop theme party.

"We were told to come dressed as our favorite rapper," Bill said. "I chose to dress up like Chingy, and the other guy chose to dress up like Dr. Dre. And it wasn't just black face paint," Bill continued, "We were dressed up head to toe."

Chingy, one of the latest members of Atlanta-based rapper Ludicris' Disturbing Tha Peace family, has hit the ranks of the rapping world big time with his debut album "Jackpot."

Bill, who comes from a sizeable north Georgia town, said that he had never heard of the history or connotations surrounding blackface and that he was simply trying to dress up like his favorite rapper.

Upon arriving at the party, the two were immediately confronted by former Pike President Rick Burt, who told them that while he personally wasn't offended by the paint, that trouble had occurred at other schools when people had done similar things and that "it'd be best to wash it off."

Ironically, the trouble started as the two were headed to wash the paint off their faces. It was while they were waiting to get into the bathroom that members of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity first encountered them.

"Not a word was said. I saw one of their members and they just kept walking by. It all happened pretty quickly," Bill said. When asked if they recognized who he was, Bill replied, "No, no I don't think so."

After washing the paint off of their faces, Bill said the two left the party and didn't return. He also said that, after hearing that some of the Sigmas had been offended by the stunt, the Pikes tried to get them to come back so they could apologize, but it just didn't happen that night.

According to the testimony of Pike president Dan Forrester at the fraternity hearing held last week, he called the Sigmas the next morning to apologize and set up a meeting where everyone could get together face-to-face for an apology.

"I apologized face-to-face and in writing. I truly was sorry that I offended people; it wasn't our intent at all," Bill said.

Intentions aside, the stunt sparked controversy and created a racial divide at a university that prides itself on racial diversity.

Bill, a fourth-year student at Georgia State University, is appealing the sanctions handed down to him by the committee, saying that there were procedural and evidentiary problems and that the sanction imposed was too harsh for the situation.

He declined to comment on what those sanctions were but did say that Dr. Hazel Scott was hearing his appeal. Should she reject his appeal, Bill's next steps are to go to President Carl Patton and then to the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia.

Bill says his life has changed in a number of ways since the incident. He concedes that, while his character and constitutions are the same, he's now more conscious of things that people might find offensive.

"When I get dressed every morning I think, 'will people think this shirts offensive today?' It's gotten to the point where I don't want to walk around campus anymore with my brothers," Bill said. "There is definitely hatred here; it's scary."

For now, Bill won't even entertain the idea of transferring to another school because of the stunt. He's intent on finishing up his coursework and graduating.

What's happening here at Georgia State sounds eerily like a similar incident at the University of Tennessee in 2002. There, members of the campus chapter of Kappa Sigma dressed in blackface as the Jackson Five for an air-guitar contest at a campus party. After discussions, administration officials decided not to penalize the members for their stunt due to their constitutional right to free speech, saying that the right of expression must be protected even "when some find it to be insensitive and offensive."

(C) 2003 The Georgia State University Signa
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[DeltAlum]

FYI, this article is also posted in the Risk Management Forum. It may get more play here, though, so I think it's worthwhile to leave it here.

This topic has caused huge debates when it has come up over the past several years, and it is obvious that is raises strong emotions on both sides.

I will ask that responses in this forum remain respectful. If not, I will delete or edit them.

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[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by ZZ-kai-
If there were a hip-hop party, and you dressed up as Chingy, that's cool, right? But if you're white, don't do it. I think that is absolutely s**t, discuss....

No I disgree. I think if you're white you can come dressed up as Chingy or whoever. But I tend to think that you can get your point across without black face. I also don't think you need to know the historical implications of blackface to know that it's offensive
I think it's stupid to tell invite someone to a party and say come as your favourite rapper only to turn around and say, "but since you're white you can only come as Eminem or Vanilla Ice".
People are smart enough to figure out who you're trying to portray. I mean if I showed up wearing next to nothing I'm pretty sure people could figure out I was dressed as Lil' Kim.
It is possible to imitate your favourite artist, athlete, etc, etc, wothout being offensive Even if that person is of another race.
I'm sure a black man could dress up as Donald Trump wearing a suit and a really bad wig and we'd all know who he wa trying to be without painting is face white.
What these guys did was stupid and ignorant and offensive. I would be offended if I was at that party. You can't always play the ignorant card.

[ZZ-kai-]

I respectfully disagree. If you were to come dressed with little to nothing on, I'd guess Britney Spears, Chritina Agulera...etc., before I were to go on to Little Kim. Also, if its fair to say you can always pull the ignorant card, then you can't always pull the race card.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by ZZ-kai-
I respectfully disagree. If you were to come dressed with little to nothing on, I'd guess Britney Spears, Chritina Agulera...etc., before I were to go on to Little Kim. Also, if its fair to say you can always pull the ignorant card, then you can't always pull the race card.

Again I disagree. If it were a "come as your favourite rapper" party, then Lil Kim would be a logical choice. If a girl showed up in White lengerie and a white wig I would think, "Oh Lil Kim from the Lady Marmalade video" If it were "come as your favourite artist" then yes I could see Where one might say Christina or Britney, etc, etc.

But I do agree with you one thing thing. I don't think you can alway play the ignorant card, just like I don't think you can always play the race card.

[ZZ-kai-]

Well, I guess we can agree to agree, or disagree, eh?

Anyway, the point I was/am trying to make, is that issues such as this tend to get so far out of whack, its rediculous. I mean what the Beta's and Delta Sigs did at Auburn was horrible, they paid their price, they learned from it and moved on. But these kids, dang, they just dressed up, it wasn't offensive, it wasn't hatred, it was just some individuals who got all pi$$ed off over something little and went to war with it.

Thats why P.C. America sucks today. If a black female dressed up as Celine Deion in "white face, I'd think it was hilarious, as would almost everyone else.

This is a GREAT quote from todays FoxNews.com:

"Patrick and Lisa in Albuquerque write:

Ah, the double standard in Albuquerque again. Where is El Centro de la Raza or the Chicano studies department at UNM when it comes to one of the local eateries here in Albuquerque, namely the eight Garcia's Kitchen's? Their marketing logo, worn on all employees' shirts, proudly states "Help stamp out gringo food."

Can you imagine the uproar if I used the word "spic" or, God forbid, the "n" word (as we now have to refer to it) in an Anglo promotion?

Oh yeah, that's right, only white people are offensive, and only "minorities" can be offended. "

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120071,00.html

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by ZZ-kai-

Ah, the double standard in Albuquerque again. Where is El Centro de la Raza or the Chicano studies department at UNM when it comes to one of the local eateries here in Albuquerque, namely the eight Garcia's Kitchen's? Their marketing logo, worn on all employees' shirts, proudly states "Help stamp out gringo food."

Can you imagine the uproar if I used the word "spic" or, God forbid, the "n" word (as we now have to refer to it) in an Anglo promotion?

Oh yeah, that's right, only white people are offensive, and only "minorities" can be offended. "

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120071,00.html

I'm confused by this person's letter. A Hispanic eatery (Garcia Kitchen) is using the marketing slogan "Help stamp out gringo food." Is "gringo" a deroggatory term for non-hispanics? I've never heard this word before.

Can someone give me the jist surrounding the purpose of this story?

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
I'm confused by this person's letter. A Hispanic eatery (Garcia Kitchen) is using the marketing slogan "Help stamp out gringo food." Is "gringo" a deroggatory term for non-hispanics? I've never heard this word before.

Can someone give me the jist surrounding the purpose of this story?

Yes Gringo is a "derogatory" word for white people. Although I can't give you the historical context for this term.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
Yes Gringo is a "derogatory" word for white people. Although I can't give you the historical context for this term.

Thanks Lady Pi Phi.

I learned something new today.

[thermobryan]

DAMN IM SO TIRED OF THIS SUBJECT! CANT WE FIND SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING!!

[mu_agd]

Originally posted by thermobryan
DAMN IM SO TIRED OF THIS SUBJECT! CANT WE FIND SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING!!

if you're tired of it then why comment on it?

[thermobryan]

Originally posted by ZZ-kai-
Well, I guess we can agree to agree, or disagree, eh?

Anyway, the point I was/am trying to make, is that issues such as this tend to get so far out of whack, its rediculous. I mean what the Beta's and Delta Sigs did at Auburn was horrible, they paid their price, they learned from it and moved on. But these kids, dang, they just dressed up, it wasn't offensive, it wasn't hatred, it was just some individuals who got all pi$$ed off over something little and went to war with it.

Thats why P.C. America sucks today. If a black female dressed up as Celine Deion in "white face, I'd think it was hilarious, as would almost everyone else.

This is a GREAT quote from todays FoxNews.com:

"Patrick and Lisa in Albuquerque write:

Ah, the double standard in Albuquerque again. Where is El Centro de la Raza or the Chicano studies department at UNM when it comes to one of the local eateries here in Albuquerque, namely the eight Garcia's Kitchen's? Their marketing logo, worn on all employees' shirts, proudly states "Help stamp out gringo food."

Can you imagine the uproar if I used the word "spic" or, God forbid, the "n" word (as we now have to refer to it) in an Anglo promotion?

Oh yeah, that's right, only white people are offensive, and only "minorities" can be offended. "

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120071,00.html

Thank you, im glad im not the only one that sees this issue. You can people go on TV all day saying "cracker" "honkey" "white trash" etc etc...and nobody sees it really as a problem, but if one derogitory term is used towards a minority then its the end of the world (I'm actually white and im a minority in my community, so yes whites are minorites too now).
Now if a white person was to make a big deal about being called a cracker, people would think of him as overreacting, correct?
Double standard and reverse racism....

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by thermobryan
Now if a white person was to make a big deal about being called a cracker, people would think of him as overreacting, correct?

I certainly wouldn't think you were overreacting. If you don't want to be called that, I wouldn't say it, and I would support your desire to be called what you choose.

[GeekyPenguin]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...erm=gringo&f=1

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=gringo


Perhaps those will give some idea of the frame of reference of "gringo" to those who have not heard of it.

[Glitter650]

I don't see this as big of a deal as some other events where people put on black face with the sole purpose of being offensive... but black face is just offensive no matter the intentions behind it.