PiKA Costume party - black face - bye-bye

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by lovelyzeta1920
I attend Georgia State University, where this incident occurred, and I thought that you all would like to see the e-mail the university president sent out...



To the Pikes in here, I realize that the organization as a whole is not racist, but something needs to be done to change these behaviors. I feel for you all because I know some of the Pikes at Georgia State, and they're good guys. But many of them that came to the campus discussion we had walked out and never came back...

Thanks for the update! Much Greek Love to you and my Sorors of the Zeta Chapter (GA State U.)

pj

[gamma_girl52]

lovelyzeta1920, thanks for posting that.

As a GSU alum I'm glad President Patton is doing something about this! I'm also extremely happy that GSU students are NOT standing for this type of behavior because it's not acceptable. Period.

[James]

I hope they get legal represenstation to deal with this supsension nonesense.

Sheez, people are vindictive as hell after a minor incident involving some people dressing up in a way that will offend the overly sensitive.

[PhiPsiRuss]

I agree with James. Georgia State is a public institution, and they are not allowed to curtail constitutional rights. Freedom of Speech is designed to protect offensive speech.

The GSU president deserves to be fired for acting in such an illiberal manner.

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by russellwarshay
I agree with James. Georgia State is a public institution, and they are not allowed to curtail constitutional rights. Freedom of Speech is designed to protect offensive speech.

The GSU president deserves to be fired for acting in such an illiberal manner.

Wait, though, I wasn't aware of GA State's Code of Conduct. Most schools state that when a student/student organization breaches the Code of Conduct the consequences can be severe (i.e. expulsion).

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by preciousjeni
Wait, though, I wasn't aware of GA State's Code of Conduct. Most schools state that when a student/student organization breaches the Code of Conduct the consequences can be severe (i.e. expulsion).

Since when does any public institution's code of conduct take priority over the constitutionally protected freedoms?

That code of conduct should be found to be illegal.

[Firehouse]

They can establish all the "Codes" they want, but none can trump the Constitution. The college President is posturing for benefit of his liberal constituency. When he says the Pike National Office is not cooperative, my guess is that means they didn't move immediately to shut down the chapter because a couple of guys did something hurtful and stupid. Typlical: 'we want you to cooperate while we beat you to death for our own political agenda.'
I agree that wearing blackface is hurtful, wrong and stupid. But it's not illegal, and the public university is absolutely prohibited from punishing it as speech. Truth is, it probably wasn't "speech" at all; it was probably just immature and irresponsible horseplay that they thought was funny. The chapter has Black members for goodness sakes! They need to be shaken up because they wear our Pike letters, but I'm not ready to turn them over to those who seem to relish being offended over every real or imagined slight.

[SiKeS]

I'm far from racist.... But from what I read in the initial post, I don't really see anything wrong with what they did...

- It was a hip-hop themed party, black folks have definately had a large influence in today's culture... So whats so wrong with that?

- It doesn't seem that they were discriminating in any way. Unless they were acting in a "stereotypical" way or in a way that suggests racisim, they're merely dressing for the theme of the party.

Now I can definately understand if they decided to show up as slaves or something distasteful and degrading like that... But come on... This seems like one of those far stretched issues where every single thing becomes 'racism'.

If you take an event, having racism in mind and looking for it, you're sure to find it... Seems now adays almost anything can be perceived as being racist or discriminating... People just need to chill and be more open minded when it comes to these things... (in my opinion)

You can totally disagree with me, and thats fine.. But theres my 2 cents... Thx!

-Matt

[starang21]

Originally posted by James
I hope they get legal represenstation to deal with this supsension nonesense.

Sheez, people are vindictive as hell after a minor incident involving some people dressing up in a way that will offend the overly sensitive.

try telling that to someone black...if this is such a minor incident, go to the local BCC and do it.

[starang21]

Originally posted by SiKeS
I'm far from racist.... But from what I read in the initial post, I don't really see anything wrong with what they did...

- It was a hip-hop themed party, black folks have definately had a large influence in today's culture... So whats so wrong with that?

- It doesn't seem that they were discriminating in any way. Unless they were acting in a "stereotypical" way or in a way that suggests racisim, they're merely dressing for the theme of the party.

Now I can definately understand if they decided to show up as slaves or something distasteful and degrading like that... But come on... This seems like one of those far stretched issues where every single thing becomes 'racism'.

If you take an event, having racism in mind and looking for it, you're sure to find it... Seems now adays almost anything can be perceived as being racist or discriminating... People just need to chill and be more open minded when it comes to these things... (in my opinion)

You can totally disagree with me, and thats fine.. But theres my 2 cents... Thx!

-Matt

these pikes were being bigots.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by starang21
these pikes were being bigots.

I agree that they were being bigots, but bigoted expression is still constitutionally protected.

[msn4med1975]

This is not about being overly sensitive. Yes, you can say whatever you want and it's constitutionally protected. But maybe you all know, or don't know, that when you agree to attend a particular institution that you agree to certain things when you sign the application. If the university says what you have done is above and beyond what they consider to be acceptable then you can and will be dismissed.

And just for the record, blackface is NOT just an act of stupidity. ANYONE remotely familiar with the times in which this was done would know that to perpetuate that now, in ANY shape or form, is not only offensive but SHOULD require some action on the part of your governing body. You DO NOT have to paint yourself Black to emulate an African American. There are no ways to justify this (ie the best jazz musicians of the time were Black so it was just a representation of the time) and if you are trying to do so I'd like to have a really good makeup artist paint you Black for a week or so and let you experience some of the straight out hatred people inflict on you just because you are a minority. It's insulting at BEST to say I was only trying to imitate xyz by temporarily painting yourself another color. It's not funny, it's not cool and at the end of the day if you think it is you need to take a look at yourself.

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by msn4med1975
ANYONE remotely familiar with the times in which this was done

Thank you for your input, msn4med1975!

To help a little, near the middle/bottom of page three of this post, I posted a very basic explanation of why blackface was used. It doesn't get into the entire truth but it gives you an idea.

There are no excuses for people to view this thread without understanding blackface!

[KEPike]

Originally posted by lovelyzeta1920
I attend Georgia State University, where this incident occurred, and I thought that you all would like to see the e-mail the university president sent out...



To the Pikes in here, I realize that the organization as a whole is not racist, but something needs to be done to change these behaviors. I feel for you all because I know some of the Pikes at Georgia State, and they're good guys. But many of them that came to the campus discussion we had walked out and never came back...

Lovelyzeta1920,

Thank you for positing the update and e-mail from the University President. I, for one, think that the actions of the Pikes at GSU were not in good taste. But what really gets my goat is that many of them came to this discussion and then left. To me, that is very disrespectful and not representative of Greeks as a whole.

We can read the thread to see the debate about constitutionality and all that, but really what this comes down to is tolerance. Is a lack of tolerance on the Pikes part cause for charter removal? Probably not. Does it show a huge amount of immaturity and unwillingness to work for a better resolution? Definitely.

[msn4med1975]

KEPike,

you're right the chapter should not have it's charter REVOKED for being stupid and insensitive. But some sanction against the chapter seems warranted. Even if that just was diversity training (but that can only be as effective as the audience is receptive to hearing it) something should be done.