Quinnipiac Theta Chapter Cancels Philanthropy

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Nanners52674

The event was an all you can eat nacho night, so they went with a play on the word nacho and maracas because they're festive. I guess they could serve something less controversial?

Then the most polite way to advertise would have been to state the nature of the event, and in tiny letters at the bottom say, "Light refreshments will be served."

[Sciencewoman]

FWIW, the reason why groups hold these functions is that food-related philanthropy events tend to be very popular with college students, who have to eat and like to socialize with other Greeks. My daughter's chapter does their "Pi Phi Brings You Wings" chicken wings philanthropy event 3x a year and it is a huge hit than incorporates their angels/wings symbol. They take orders and deliver, and they sell them at a booth.

I have been part of these conversations as members try to figure out an appealing, yet easy, food to serve. I'm sure the chapter thought queso would be popular and fairly easy to package/sell. This chapter could have served queso without any culturally insensitive or stereotypical advertising. If a Latina woman was offended by the posters, that's what matters and I think the exec council was wise to consider this a lesson learned and cancel the event.

[Nanners52674]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

Then the most polite way to advertise would have been to state the nature of the event, and in tiny letters at the bottom say, "Light refreshments will be served."

But that's not the event. The whole event is coming to eat nachos, that's it. That's it's selling point.

[ASTalumna06]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachos

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1515233

Aaaaaand... just because I was curious, here's the story of how nachos got their start. Interestingly, while invented in Mexico (basically by accident), they're mainly an American appetizer. It's kind of like how everyone attributes the fortune cookie with being inherently Chinese, but they were invented here and people don't eat them in China.

[OPhiAGinger]

According to the article in the original post, the student's complaint in reference to the maracas on the poster was to "...ask that you respect the culture of others and do not appropriate it in stereotypical and offensive ways." I grew up in Texas and have lived in Arizona for many years -- lots of daily exposure to latino culture. I am really struggling here, but I don't get it. If I have a piñata at my kid's birthday party (something that is really really common here in Phoenix) is that also stereotypical and offensive? Because to my kid, it's just fun to whack the piñata until the candy spills out. I think the image of maracas on the poster serves the same purpose and I don't see anything disrespectful or offensive about it.

[SWTXBelle]

I too am puzzled as to why maracas are offensive. As to the word play on "nacho", if it is offensive then almost every Tex-Mex restaurant here in Houston is being grossly offensive. We've heard of - and decried - many theme parties which crossed the line. In this person of Mexican descent's view, a picture of maracas is not offensive, nor is serving nachos somehow cultural appropriation.

[Nanners52674]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

According to the article in the original post, the student's complaint in reference to the maracas on the poster was to "...ask that you respect the culture of others and do not appropriate it in stereotypical and offensive ways." I grew up in Texas and have lived in Arizona for many years -- lots of daily exposure to latino culture. I am really struggling here, but I don't get it. If I have a piñata at my kid's birthday party (something that is really really common here in Phoenix) is that also stereotypical and offensive? Because to my kid, it's just fun to whack the piñata until the candy spills out. I think the image of maracas on the poster serves the same purpose and I don't see anything disrespectful or offensive about it.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I too am puzzled as to why maracas are offensive. As to the word play on "nacho", if it is offensive then almost every Tex-Mex restaurant here in Houston is being grossly offensive. We've heard of - and decried - many theme parties which crossed the line. In this person of Mexican descent's view, a picture of maracas is not offensive, nor is serving nachos somehow cultural appropriation.

I'm so glad someone else gets it.

[chitownxo]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

Being polite to the world takes effort. Being an insensitive xenophobe (and you can add misogynist although that doesn't apply in this case) is remarkably easy. The guideline that could be used is "could this offend anyone for any reason?" and if the answer is yes, maybe think for a moment about whether that offense is worth it.

I don't know of any Irish people who are offended by St. Patrick's Day events or symbols, but I do know of plenty of Latinas who are in the "I Am Not A Costume" camp. So maybe avoiding it would be prudent.

I'm Irish, and I find St. Patrick's Day events very offensive. It's not okay that I can walk in to a store and see shirts equating being Irish with being drunk. It's not okay to have coworkers ask me if all Irish people are drunks. It's not okay that people -- many of whom are not even Irish -- use what is a feast day as an excuse to get drunk and act like idiots. It's not okay that when I complain I get a blank stare and the excuse, "But it's tradition."

[SWTXBelle]

Preach it. I'm also not a fan of Cinco de Mayo being used as an excuse to get drunk by people who have no idea what is being celebrated. NO, it is NOT Mexican Independence Day, and I think that if you can't name who the Mexicans defeated (hint: it's not Spain), no tequila for YOU.

[OPhiAGinger]

^^ Using a cultural festival or holiday to rationalize bad behavior is DEFINITELY offensive. And I think that is what was called out in most of the Greek parties that were universally deemed inappropriate. And I can even see where a theme party with costumes is offensive because it reduces a complex multi-faceted culture into a cartoonish stereotype. This nacho / queso fundraiser seems to be very different. Maybe there's more to this incident that didn't get called out in the newspaper article.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

Maybe there's more to this incident that didn't get called out in the newspaper article.

It's almost as though the National Review isn't a balanced source.

[amanda6035]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

No, not MLK, Jr. Day. That would be just wrong.

Why? We're getting rid of EVERYTHING else. I think we should get rid of this one also. If you're being serious, well, so am I.

[ASTalumna06]

The more I read the story, the more I wonder: was the girl offended because the sorority used maracas on their posters, and maracas aren't typically used in Mexican music? If so, she could have politely asked the women of the sorority not to use it in their advertising. I guess I just want to know exactly what she found offensive. It doesn't seem like the nachos were even the problem… but a few of the initial posts here mentioned them, so that's where we took it. I don't see how using the slogan "Nacho average philanthropy" is offensive, and I don't think that's what this girl had a problem with. To me, the sorority was simply trying to get people to spend a little money to eat some food, all for a good cause.

As you'll see in the examples below, they aren't wearing sombreros (aside from one guy) and mustaches - they're dishing out chips and cheese.

I did a little digging, and it looks like Kappa paired up with fraternities at Lehigh to do this same event in 2013 and 2014:

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/theb...successfu.html

http://thebrownandwhite.com/2014/10/24/queso-for-casa/

The event has also been held at James Madison University:

http://info.jmu.edu/fsl/events/queso-for-casa/

.. and the University of North Dakota:

http://und.edu/calendar/index.php/vi...queso-for-casa

.. and the University of Central Florida:

http://heyevent.com/event/1383855385...queso-for-casa

.. and the University of Maryland:

http://honcol.blogspot.com/2012/11/queso-for-casa.html

The list goes on and on…

Regardless, I don't see using a Mexican theme, or an Irish theme, or a Chinese theme (or whatever theme you can think of) to be offensive, unless you do something like wear sombreros and mustaches, portray people as inherently drunk, or tape your eyes back. Yes, I've seen people do all of these, and yes, it's inappropriate.

I just don't see a problem with this particular event.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

The more I read the story, the more I wonder: was the girl offended because the sorority used maracas on their posters, and maracas aren't typically used in Mexican music? If so, she could have politely asked the women of the sorority not to use it in their advertising. I guess I just want to know exactly what she found offensive.

But that's what she did. She asked them to think about stereotypical Mexican symbols and how they were advertising. That's all. The chapter itself was the one who went ahead and cancelled the whole thing.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I too am puzzled as to why maracas are offensive. As to the word play on "nacho", if it is offensive then almost every Tex-Mex restaurant here in Houston is being grossly offensive. We've heard of - and decried - many theme parties which crossed the line. In this person of Mexican descent's view, a picture of maracas is not offensive, nor is serving nachos somehow cultural appropriation.

I read the National Review article a number of times, as well as the Quinnipiac Chronicle article, and I don't see anywhere where the complaint student is actually quoted as saying it was the maracas that she found offensive. I don't see where she is quoted as saying anything specific about what she found offensive. If I had to guess—which I do have to do because the journalists involved left basic quotes out of their stories—I'd guess it was everything taken together that prompted the student's response. I'd also guess it was the name "Queso for CASA" and the heading "Nacho Average Fundraiser" that took the maracas from simple decoration to something more.

I can see why the chapter thought the theme and way of advertising were clever. I can see why some found it insensitive. And I think the chapter made the right choice.

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

It's almost as though the National Review isn't a balanced source.

That was my reaction.