GWU Suspends NPC Sorority Informal Recruitment & Social Activities Due to Racist Snap

[Sororitysock]

George Washington University's Panhellenic Association sororities are prohibited from holding social events or participating in informal fall recruitment after a racist Snapchat post from Phi Sigma Sigma's president surfaced Wednesday.

https://www.gwhatchet.com/2019/09/07...snapchat-post/

[carnation]

Wait, they're prohibiting the whole PHA from holding rush because one nasty person put this on her private Snapchat?

[GoldenAnchor]

This is the second racist snapchat from a PHA member to emerge in less than a year and a half, and this one came from a chapter president and was absolutely disgusting to read. The article seems to imply they’re all suspended so they can focus on a community wide education program rather than social or recruitment events. If a chapter president cannot learn from another racist snapchat incident then I agree that the entire community needs to focus on why these two incidents are completely unacceptable.

[carnation]

I can see requiring the classes but NOT suspending the whole community for the actions of a few. I would be LIVID if I were an innocent member or group!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by carnation

Wait, they're prohibiting the whole PHA from holding rush because one nasty person put this on her private Snapchat?

It’s informal rush. If they singled out one group they would be opening themselves up for a freedom of association lawsuit. A moratorium on taking members across the board is the only way to do it.

[carnation]

It seems like they're opening themselves up for a lawsuit anyway. I don't believe in group punishment. If one of my students acts up, he will get detention but I'm not keeping the whole class after school.

[Titchou]

UAB did it once for a short period. I was all for it. Sometimes they just need to be shocked into compliance because almost all have something going on that shouldn't be...esp at GWU

[PersistentDST]

It appears nothing was learned from the first incident. And a chapter president, no less! I don’t believe in a monolith, however, this happening a couple of times times in a couple of years would make me uncomfortable if I was an active. What if the racist members used their bias’ during previous recruitments? Recruitment appears to be hard enough without a Black PNM (or a parent) wondering if they were cut from chapters because they weren’t the best fit or if it was because they are Black (or a woman of color in general). This could scare great ladies away from participation. Perhaps the programming will strengthen the community and truly support the diversity initiatives that my PHA Sistergreeks have been wanting to achieve. Then they can go into their formal recruitment in 2020 ready to check the bias’ (or the ladies who have those bias’) at the door.

And sadly, even if there are ladies who still have those trash beliefs, maybe it will teach them to keep it to themselves. I don’t know. Just some thoughts.

[What?]

I am disappointed in the responses to this article. I am astounded that this young woman is being called “nasty” or a “racist” for what was in all likelihood a crude and unfunny joke. Maybe it was a poor attempt at pointing out the absurdity of having a gift shop at an artifact of a low point in our country’s history. Maybe she truly is a racist, but if that one stupid comment is the sum total of the evidence, well, no. I would make fun of a gift shop at Auschwitz because who in their right mind would think that it is a good idea to sell tin spoons or t-shirts commemorating the Holocaust? But I digress...
I understand that times have changed and am personally glad that much of the behavior that I engaged in and/or condoned will not be repeated, but seriously, give this child a break.
If you were a member of an NPC chapter anywhere in the South (or really anywhere) at any time prior to Y2K, did you speak up against having Pimps and Hoes mixers or attending/hosting other equally offensively themed events? Did you vote against qualified African American PNMs or just standby as your sisters and/or advisors said “over my dead body”? Did you paint a Confederate Flag on a Mountain Weekend gift cooler or help a friend or sister do so? Did you wear an event t-shirt featuring the Confederate Flag?
Again, times have changed, but are you willing to throw stones at this Panhel sister for a bad joke, letting her be the poster child for institutional racism?
Throwing the baby out with the bath water like this is why Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock will not set foot on college campuses.
If we do not stand up for each other now, our organizations will be gone in 20 years, all student organizations will. I am proud to be a member of a diverse sisterhood and want all students to have a wonderful college experience, but cannot see how condemning this child is doing anything other than advancing call out culture.
So I wrote a similar missive on this yesterday under my main account only to have it disappear...maybe it is for the best as my feelings may not be shared by my organization.

[GoldenAnchor]

Originally Posted by What?

I am disappointed in the responses to this article. I am astounded that this young woman is being called “nasty” or a “racist” for what was in all likelihood a crude and unfunny joke. Maybe it was a poor attempt at pointing out the absurdity of having a gift shop at an artifact of a low point in our country’s history. Maybe she truly is a racist, but if that one stupid comment is the sum total of the evidence, well, no. I would make fun of a gift shop at Auschwitz because who in their right mind would think that it is a good idea to sell tin spoons or t-shirts commemorating the Holocaust? But I digress...
I understand that times have changed and am personally glad that much of the behavior that I engaged in and/or condoned will not be repeated, but seriously, give this child a break.
If you were a member of an NPC chapter anywhere in the South (or really anywhere) at any time prior to Y2K, did you speak up against having Pimps and Hoes mixers or attending/hosting other equally offensively themed events? Did you vote against qualified African American PNMs or just standby as your sisters and/or advisors said “over my dead body”? Did you paint a Confederate Flag on a Mountain Weekend gift cooler or help a friend or sister do so? Did you wear an event t-shirt featuring the Confederate Flag?
Again, times have changed, but are you willing to throw stones at this Panhel sister for a bad joke, letting her be the poster child for institutional racism?
Throwing the baby out with the bath water like this is why Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock will not set foot on college campuses.
If we do not stand up for each other now, our organizations will be gone in 20 years, all student organizations will. I am proud to be a member of a diverse sisterhood and want all students to have a wonderful college experience, but cannot see how condemning this child is doing anything other than advancing call out culture.
So I wrote a similar missive on this yesterday under my main account only to have it disappear...maybe it is for the best as my feelings may not be shared by my organization.

So because people made racist unfunny jokes in the past we should continue to allow people to make racist unfunny jokes? It’s 2019 not pre-2000, she should know better than to say it at all and she should certainly know better than to post it on her public snapchat story. If we don’t hold ourselves to higher standards than the past we will continue to relive it. Standing up for each other includes standing up for our sisters of color, as well as holding each other to the higher standard set by our founders. If ALL student organizations cease to exist because we call out racist behavior than clearly there’s a bigger issue that needs to be addressed.

[UVASquirrel]

Originally Posted by GoldenAnchor

So because people made racist unfunny jokes in the past we should continue to allow people to make racist unfunny jokes? It’s 2019 not pre-2000, she should know better than to say it at all and she should certainly know better than to post it on her public snapchat story. If we don’t hold ourselves to higher standards than the past we will continue to relive it. Standing up for each other includes standing up for our sisters of color, as well as holding each other to the higher standard set by our founders. If ALL student organizations cease to exist because we call out racist behavior than clearly there’s a bigger issue that needs to be addressed.

I think that they should be called out for their comments/behaviors etc, but I don't think she should be branded a racist for one comment. If there's a pattern there or a history of that sort of thing with her, well, OK...then there's evidence that this wasn't a one-time really stupid mistake. Definitely reprimand and denounce what she said as racist, tasteless, etc, but without further evidence of racist behavior, don't brand her as one.

[What?]

We should hold ourselves to high standards and I am all for standing up for our sisters of color. I am saying that THIS bad joke alone does not make someone the poster child for claims of institutional racism on campus. I was pointing out the hypocrisy of calling this child a racist for a joke that reasonable minds can agree *may* have been said with no racist intent, in contrast to many of our own acts (or failures to act) which were clearly, unambiguously racist.

Originally Posted by GoldenAnchor

So because people made racist unfunny jokes in the past we should continue to allow people to make racist unfunny jokes? It’s 2019 not pre-2000, she should know better than to say it at all and she should certainly know better than to post it on her public snapchat story. If we don’t hold ourselves to higher standards than the past we will continue to relive it. Standing up for each other includes standing up for our sisters of color, as well as holding each other to the higher standard set by our founders. If ALL student organizations cease to exist because we call out racist behavior than clearly there’s a bigger issue that needs to be addressed.

[GoldenAnchor]

Originally Posted by UVASquirrel

I think that they should be called out for their comments/behaviors etc, but I don't think she should be branded a racist for one comment. If there's a pattern there or a history of that sort of thing with her, well, OK...then there's evidence that this wasn't a one-time really stupid mistake. Definitely reprimand and denounce what she said as racist, tasteless, etc, but without further evidence of racist behavior, don't brand her as one.

No one in this thread branded this young woman as a racist. Her snapchat was called racist (which it is, joke or not). Her snapchat was called disgusting. No where was she completely written off as a racist.

[GoldenAnchor]

Originally Posted by What?

We should hold ourselves to high standards and I am all for standing up to our sisters of color. I am saying that THIS bad joke alone does not make someone the poster child for claims of institutional racism on campus. I was pointing out the hypocrisy of calling this child a racist for a joke that reasonable minds can agree *may* have been said with no racist intent, in contrast to many of our own acts (or failures to act) which were clearly, unambiguously racist.

Again, no one claimed the young woman *was* racist, only that this post was. And this bad joke is not alone on this campus, hence the harsher reaction by the administration.

[UVASquirrel]

Originally Posted by GoldenAnchor

No one in this thread branded this young woman as a racist. Her snapchat was called racist (which it is, joke or not). Her snapchat was called disgusting. No where was she completely written off as a racist.

OK then...I misunderstood what "What" was saying. I thought she was saying that the girl had been called racist. I didn't mean to imply that her post or joke or snapchat or whatever shouldn't be called racist.