College Republicans stir up controversy at Halloween party with Blackface

[CrimsonTide4]

There is a thread in Greek Life that has a vague title "It Happened Again" that is discussing yet another fraternity putting on blackface.

In the thread folks are saying that it is a double standard because Michael Jackson made himself white (ignant comment) but okay . . .

Here is the article link: http://www.wbir.com/News/news.asp?ID=9654

By the way this took place at the University of Tennessee this week.

[Kimmie1913]

I did a search and thought this was as good as any of the previous threads that addressed a blackface incident.

PSU student group defends leader
College Republicans stir up controversy at Halloween party
Sunday, December 07, 2003
By Dennis B. Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette






Penn State's College Republicans issued a vote of confidence in their chairman
this weekend after he posted photos from a Halloween party that mocked blacks,
Catholics, gays, and fraternity and sorority members.
The group praised Chairman Brian Battaglia for "vision and leadership" and
thanked him "for his continued and steadfast service during stressful times for
the club."
The stressful times began last week, when Battaglia's personal Web site offered
outsiders a vision of his recent Halloween party.
Guests -- many of them associated with the club -- came in costumes ranging from
blackface, to a klansman, to a "sodomized" fraternity pledge, sorority
prostitutes and, in one case, a priest on the make.
"They apparently spent the evening skewering just about everybody except
themselves," said Bill Mahon, the university's vice president for public
affairs.
Mahon said he wrote to Battaglia and suggested he issue an apology.
Battaglia replied with an e-mail informing Mahon that the photos were
copyrighted.
"In order to legally possess these pictures, you must have my expressed written
consent. Since you lack this permission, I advise you destroy them
immediately," Battaglia wrote.
Battaglia previously issued a written statement, first published in the campus
newspaper, The Daily Collegian. He suggested the group was under fire because
it "stands staunchly opposed to the mindset held by the radical left on college
campuses across the country."
The photos included one of the group's more prominent members, former Penn State
student government leader Jason Covener, in blackface and carrying a bicycle
chain.
The costume mocked Penn State student government Vice President Takkeem Morgan.
Morgan, who is black, was prosecuted earlier this year in connection with the
theft of a bicycle.
"Apparently Takkeem was released long enough to come to our party. We thank the
local police department," the photo caption reads.
Other photos included a shot of a student in full clerical garb drinking a beer
with his left hand, a bottle of liquor in his right, and a caption saying: "I
guess they drink before they go get to the boys."
Women attending the party dressed as "sorostitutes" -- a reference to Penn State
sorority members.
One young man appeared as an "over-sodomized fraternity pledge" with
strategically placed artificial bloodstains on his trousers and face.
One student dressed as a klansman but apparently was able to locate only a blue
sheet for his robes and a hood that lacked a point.
Racial controversies are not new at the Penn State main campus in rural Centre
County.
In 1999, police investigated hate e-mails sent to black students, and a year
later someone mailed hate letters and death threats to black students,
including members of the football team.
Only 4 percent of the students enrolled at the main campus are black. The
College Republicans have no black members.
"I think it's much ado about nothing," Covener said yesterday. "I think anytime
a white person puts on blackface, there are certain elements, especially here
on a university campus, that will look for any reason they can to be offended
and will use it as an opportunistic means to push their agenda."
Covener was suspended from Penn State four years ago after he pleaded guilty to
planting spy software on a computer used by rivals in student government. Since
then, he said, he has returned as a part-time student.
Tiffanie Lewis, president of Penn State's Black Caucus, yesterday demanded
Battaglia's resignation as well as those of any member of the College
Republicans serving in student government.
"Some of those students on the pictures are on decision-making committees,"
Lewis said. "I would like to see their resignations as well."
David Davis, a member of the Black Caucus, said the Web site photos were part of
"a pattern" of conduct by Battaglia's group.
"They have in the past kind of pushed the envelope," Davis said.
He cited an event earlier this year when the campus gay students group held a
"gay coming-out day," and the College Republicans countered with a conservative
coming-out day.
One College Republican, Cathy Carre, resigned last week, citing both the Web
photos and the conservative coming-out day program as her reasons.
Other members of the group, however, filled a room in one of Penn State's
academic halls late Friday and unanimously passed a resolution praising
Battaglia.
"I'm still behind him," said Shauna Moser, listed as the group's "chief
information officer."
She declined further comment other than to say she attended the Halloween party
dressed as a biker.

[Steeltrap]

The president of the College Republicans was forced to apologize, and here's something from the student newspaper on it:


[ Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003 ]

USG debates photos
The group made an ad hoc committee to discuss responses to photos on former Town Sen. Brian Battaglia's Web site.


By Bridget Smith
Collegian Staff Writer
Last night, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) President Ian Rosenberger recommended the formation of a committee to investigate whether senators who attended College Republicans chair Brian Battaglia's controversial Halloween party should be impeached.

Almost 70 students attended last night's USG Senate meeting to voice their concerns to student leaders, most condemning inaction by USG members who were at Battaglia's party.

Rosenberger told the Senate and the gallery he wanted a temporary committee to make sure he and senators were well-informed about the situation surrounding each USG member's involvement in the issue before disciplining them.

If the proposed committee calls for the impeachment of three senators who attended the party, Andy Banducci, Vicky Cangelosi and Matt Ritsko, they would be unable to perform their duties until impeachment proceedings concluded.

If removed from office, the three would be banned from running for future Senate seats.

Rosenberger told the Senate that although the senators in question were not dressed in offensive costumes, they had a responsibility to speak out against actions that didn't represent their constituencies.

Although Rosenberger cannot determine senators' removal from office, he can request the resignations of Frank Camarota, executive govermental relations director, and Julia Graham, a Supreme Court clerk, who were at the party. However, he said he currently has no plans to do so.

Rosenberger said four of the five USG members implicated in the controversy had issued statements of regret for their involvement in the issue. Graham had not yet done so.

USG Vice President Takkeem Morgan, who relinquished his seat as the Senate chair to avoid a conflict of interest -- a white man in blackface was meant to portray him in one of the offensive costumes -- said while the College Republicans have First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, they should not hide behind them.

"That is absolutely not a justification," he said.

Morgan called the issue a community-wide one, and asked senators to consider the involved members' roles as campus leaders instead of the legality of the issue.

"That's what most of the pain comes from; that's where most of the disgrace comes from," he added.

Rosenberger said he was working with Allies and the Interfraternity Council to determine how USG can help facilitate cultural change to avoid future controversies like this.

"[We're] trying not to show a bias, but at the same time, we are part of the community," Morgan said.

Jamie Ziegenfuss, a member of Allies, was among 10 students who addressed the Senate to express disgust at the events.

He thanked East Halls Sen. Matt Ritsko for quickly responding to concerns and resigning from the College Republicans earlier this week. To others, he was less forgiving.

"We say how dare you," he said. "There is no question you had the right to do what you did, but there are more issues here."

Former Town Sen. Melissa Curry urged the Senate to avoid making hasty decisions regarding the possible impeachment proceedings.

"Without knowing all of the information, you can't possibly know the extent of their involvement," she said.

Following the open student forum, the Senate introduced a resolution to form the investigative committee. The resolution had not passed through the Senate's Internal Affairs committee, so a two-thirds majority vote was required to consider it.

After debate about the legislation's constitutionality, the Senate entered into an executive session to debate the committee's formation, meaning the meeting was closed to the public, press and both Rosenberger and Morgan.

Reporters from The Daily Collegian requested that the meeting remain open, citing that the topic was a public issue. Members of the Senate chose to keep the meeting closed.

When the session was re-opened, the Senate passed the resolution, 10-4-5, officially forming the committee to investigate the character of the three senators in question. At this time, it is unclear how long the committee will take to determine whether to proceed with an impeachment.

Chris Wilburn contributed to this story for the Collegian.



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[stardusttwin]

I'm an alumnae of PSU. Last I was updated Battaglia has NOT apologized (and I don't see that stated in the article you posted) and adamantly refuses to do so. I've attached below the article that refers to the vote of confidence that Battaglia received.

There was subsequently another meeting this week between campus leaders and University officials, during which the College Republicans tried turn this situation onto themselves, claiming to be victims of harrasment by Black students who reported this to the media instead of trying to utilize University avenues first. If the alumni and others weren't informed trust this would have been swept under the rug. Unfortunately, some things never change.


PSU student group defends leader
College Republicans stir up controversy at Halloween party

Sunday, December 07, 2003

By Dennis B. Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Penn State's College Republicans issued a vote of confidence in their
chairman this weekend after he posted photos from a Halloween party
that mocked blacks, Catholics, gays, and fraternity and sorority
members.

The group praised Chairman Brian Battaglia for "vision and
leadership" and thanked him "for his continued and steadfast service
during stressful times for the club."

The stressful times began last week, when Battaglia's personal Web
site offered outsiders a vision of his recent Halloween party.

Guests -- many of them associated with the club -- came in costumes
ranging from blackface, to a klansman, to a "sodomized" fraternity
pledge, sorority prostitutes and, in one case, a priest on the make.

"They apparently spent the evening skewering just about everybody
except themselves," said Bill Mahon, the university's vice president
for public affairs.

Mahon said he wrote to Battaglia and suggested he issue an apology.

Battaglia replied with an e-mail informing Mahon that the photos were
copyrighted.

"In order to legally possess these pictures, you must have my
expressed written consent. Since you lack this permission, I advise
you destroy them immediately," Battaglia wrote.

Battaglia previously issued a written statement, first published in
the campus newspaper, The Daily Collegian. He suggested the group was
under fire because it "stands staunchly opposed to the mindset held
by the radical left on college campuses across the country."

The photos included one of the group's more prominent members, former
Penn State student government leader Jason Covener, in blackface and
carrying a bicycle chain.

The costume mocked Penn State student government Vice President
Takkeem Morgan.

Morgan, who is black, was prosecuted earlier this year in connection
with the theft of a bicycle.

"Apparently Takkeem was released long enough to come to our party. We
thank the local police department," the photo caption reads.

Other photos included a shot of a student in full clerical garb
drinking a beer with his left hand, a bottle of liquor in his right,
and a caption saying: "I guess they drink before they go get to the
boys."

Women attending the party dressed as "sorostitutes" -- a reference to
Penn State sorority members.

One young man appeared as an "over-sodomized fraternity pledge" with
strategically placed artificial bloodstains on his trousers and face.

One student dressed as a klansman but apparently was able to locate
only a blue sheet for his robes and a hood that lacked a point.

Racial controversies are not new at the Penn State main campus in
rural Centre County.

In 1999, police investigated hate e-mails sent to black students, and
a year later someone mailed hate letters and death threats to black
students, including members of the football team.

Only 4 percent of the students enrolled at the main campus are black.
The College Republicans have no black members.

"I think it's much ado about nothing," Covener said yesterday. "I
think anytime a white person puts on blackface, there are certain
elements, especially here on a university campus, that will look for
any reason they can to be offended and will use it as an
opportunistic means to push their agenda."

Covener was suspended from Penn State four years ago after he pleaded
guilty to planting spy software on a computer used by rivals in
student government. Since then, he said, he has returned as a part-
time student.

Tiffanie Lewis, president of Penn State's Black Caucus, yesterday
demanded Battaglia's resignation as well as those of any member of
the College Republicans serving in student government.

"Some of those students on the pictures are on decision-making
committees," Lewis said. "I would like to see their resignations as
well."

David Davis, a member of the Black Caucus, said the Web site photos
were part of "a pattern" of conduct by Battaglia's group.

"They have in the past kind of pushed the envelope," Davis said.

He cited an event earlier this year when the campus gay students
group held a "gay coming-out day," and the College Republicans
countered with a conservative coming-out day.

One College Republican, Cathy Carre, resigned last week, citing both
the Web photos and the conservative coming-out day program as her
reasons.

Other members of the group, however, filled a room in one of Penn
State's academic halls late Friday and unanimously passed a
resolution praising Battaglia.

"I'm still behind him," said Shauna Moser, listed as the
group's "chief information officer."

She declined further comment other than to say she attended the
Halloween party dressed as a biker.

[Steeltrap]

Thanks for clarifying. I think I got it confused with Battaglia resigning from PSU's senate.