<p>I have no idea what the two African-Americans invited to pledge Chi Omega look like, but maybe they were acceptable to her in a way that others might not be. Maybe she thought they were members of a different URM group. Are we really going to debate this? </p>
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<p>@Atltanta68, I would love for it to have all been a mistake. But your argument that “all kids” use the term “ni**a” routinely has not been my experience at all. I’ve never heard my kids or ANY of their friends use that term. They listen to music and watch movies and television shows where it’s used, but they know better than to risk being misunderstood by using that term. You’re arguing that this young woman likely uses the term SO OFTEN that HER OWN auto-correct software would change a word found in every dictionary (“ninja”) and replace it with a slang term derived from an ethnic slur. </p>
<p>And even if she DID intend to type the word “ninja,” a lot of people would have found that pretty insulting too. It would essentially be celebrating that no ‘undesirables’ made their way into her sorority:</p>
<p>Or is there another word you think she meant to type? And do you believe her original post was auto-corrected or Photoshopped or both? </p>
<p>Also, just for the record, I do NOT think she should be expelled from the university if she did in fact use that word. She should be required to explain herself and apologize. She’s already suffered plenty from what I can tell, although I don’t believe she’s made any kind of public statement in her own defense. Do you think she should?</p>
<p>It’s almost as if you know this girl personally.</p>
<p>There are racists on every college campus all the way up to the Ivy League. YOU think about it. We know for a fact there are racist adults–lots of them. Millions of kids are growing up in households where they hear racial slurs or stereotypes–if not from their parents, their grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. You think they all just magically show up at college with tolerant, progressive attitudes? </p>
<p>If you do, I’d love to know what the secret formula is for stamping out racism overnight. Because our country could use a lot less of it right now. </p>
<p>“It stretches credulity to think that a student would knowingly post a pic protesting the historic integration of her sorority. Really, you think any young person on Bama’s campus would want to be labeled “racist”? Today’s educated youth abhore racism!”</p>
<p>It doesn’t stretch credulity at all, when it’s part of a culture in which actual grown women ‘intervene’ in who their sororities choose as current sisters because oh-the-horrors if the women at the Junior League in Smallville, Alabama found out the Pi Phis had a black girl. (Not picking on Pi Phi, just using a name.) </p>
<p>The fact that the idea of a black girl in a sorority is even remotely noteworthy or a “controversy” in the first place is what appalls the rest of us.</p>
<p>I had always heard about UA as a place that was rising, esp as it was offering $ to OOS students to pull them in. I now have to pause before recommending it, because it’s clear that there are still significant backwards elements in the culture. </p>
<p>For all the supposition that the photo was faked, Chi Omega National HQ has <em>confirmed</em> that it was real and that the young woman has been kicked out of Chi O (as well she should be, and good on them for doing so quickly). SO enough already. It was real, and it was dealt with. </p>
<p>“Um, she would have seen them running with her on Bid Day, so no, its not possible that she was unaware that these two Black women were in her pledge class. This is the thing that no one can explain away. And no sane person would post such a nasty comment and think they could get away with it.”</p>
<p>One would think that no sane grown woman would be intervening in who her college sorority chose to pledge, and one would think that no sane person would think that a ‘good frat’ would refuse to party with you if you pledged a black girl, but apparently both of those things go on at UA.</p>
<p>With all due respect, that’s going way overboard IMHO. There are still “significant backwards elements” THROUGHOUT our culture. No less than the president of the university responded to this situation, forcefully I might add. What perfect places are there where you don’t have to “pause before recommending” them? Because I haven’t heard of any. Every school has its little dark secrets, even vaunted places like Dartmouth, Swarthmore, and Smith. As long as human beings inhabit them, they’re not going to be perfect. Why not applaud Alabama for trying to dilute the heavy role of Greek Life on campus by rewarding academically talented out of state students? </p>
<p>You’re painting with an awfully broad stroke here, @Pizzagirl.</p>
<p>I agree, Lucie. PG, you can’t tell me there weren’t racists at Northwestern or people with other kinds of “backwards” views. I certainly knew some.</p>
<p>The issue of racism on college campuses has been brought to light numerous times over the past few years. And it is not just schools in the Deep South. It’s Dartmouth. Princeton. Michigan. UCLA. Places where people should “know better.”</p>
<p>I didn’t say that there weren’t racists or jerks every single place. And I’m glad that the administration (and Chi O national) quickly stood up and said - this isn’t right.</p>
<p>But c’mon. A place where it’s still noteworthy to admit a black girl into a sorority? Where there are still elements of “what will the cool frats think, they won’t want to party with us”? How can you not say that’s appreciably backwards?</p>
<p>I mean, that’s like saying it’s noteworthy when a woman becomes a doctor or a lawyer. No. That was noteworthy 40, 50 years ago when women were routinely denied admission to graduate schools based on gender. It’s not noteworthy today, because we passed that era years ago.</p>
<p>But it’s no different from a sorority at Northwestern only wanting to admit the most gorgeous and wealthy girls, or the daughters of famous people, to get the guys from the “hot” fraternities to want to host mixers with them. It’s no different from the news media making a huge deal over a woman achieving a leadership position in government or corporate America. Come on–you’re the one always calling people out on this stuff here!</p>
<p>As a person who was born in the South, is a URM, and a lover and scholar of history I have to say I completely disagree with the showing of the Confederate flag in any place except in someone’s home (because that’s private property) or in a museum where it belongs. I know that people go on and on about how the Confed flag is “just a flag”, but I honestly believe that’s a pile of you-know-what plain and simple. Because the Confederate flag is not “just a flag”. Anyone who insists that it the flag is just a representation of the Southern resistance to the North’s “aggressive interference” is either being silly or willfully blind to the hundreds of years of slavery that the flag was used to protect. It is a symbol with a long and terrible history behind it. It is a symbol that for years was used to defend a system of slavery, oppression, and terrible violence against a group of enslaved people. It was, and still is used, by the KKK to strike fear into the hearts of their victims and as a symbol of their supposed white pride and racial purity. Even now, when I know that flag has no power of me, whenever I see the flag I automatically tense because wherever I have gone North, South or otherwise and that flag is shown; people of color are not treated with kindness or even simple civility. When my grandmother came to visit me she fainted dead away upon seeing the flag because when her brother was lynched the flag was flown above his head. Just like the swastika, the Confederate flag has NOT and will never be “just a flag”. The long, terrible, and evil history behind it prevents it from acting as such. </p>
I think it’s pretty different if sororities are thinking these things on the basis of race. Those other issues don’t cause people to say, “What is this, 1954?” And yet, that’s what people all over the country (including some in and from the South) think when they hear that Bama sororities have made the awesome stride of admitting a few black women the year after a huge PR debacle.</p>
<p>By the way, are the fraternities more integrated? Why is this always about the sororities?</p>
<p>What?? Yes, they do. Every time I see women’s rights get rolled back (mandatory ultrasounds, limits on access to birth control, etc.) that’s exactly what I think.</p>
<p>Have been following this thread and understand the frustration of UA and how difficult it is to overcome perception when every small step back undoes giant steps forward. However, regarding sensitivity to confederate symbols, I wanted to give another perspective from the wife of a southern white guy who graduated from Ole Miss in the 70’s and a member of the fraternity that participated in Old South (or Ole South?). He has a picture of himself in full confederate uniform atop (is that a word?) a white horse along with his fraternity brothers. The cheerleaders would throw thousands of confederate battle flags into the stands for the students to wave at every home game. He said you just saw things differently when you are raised in the south, at least in MS and TN, in the 50’s and 60’s and didn’t see anything wrong with any of that, at that time. He thought everyone was too sensitive and this was about southern history, yada yadda yadda. It was easier to go with the flow, not make waves, and have fun. Fast forward 20 years and he was quite vocal to friends and family praising Ole Miss for banning the confederate flag and is embarrassed about all the confederate symbols that were such a big part of his college years because they reflect absolutely nothing good. Individuals have the right to display them but I can’t imagine what point of pride they are displaying - slavery, segregation, treason…is that something to be proud of? The civil war was not about state’s rights - that was marketing used to deflect the slavery issue – the war was about slavery, the economics of slavery. Thoughts from another southern white guy.</p>
<p>“I think it’s pretty different if sororities are thinking these things on the basis of race. Those other issues don’t cause people to say, “What is this, 1954?” And yet, that’s what people all over the country (including some in and from the South) think when they hear that Bama sororities have made the awesome stride of admitting a few black women the year after a huge PR debacle.”</p>
<p>Sally :It’s almost as if you know this girl personally." NO, but you sure seem to pretend you do. I have never said the girl is innocent. All I have said is that without more info, it makes little sense that she would have intentionally sent such a message. I have been called racists on various forums, simply for reminding people that this might have been an unintentional mistake. Charges of racism bring out the emotions, so I guess its understandable. </p>
<p>“There are racists on every college campus all the way up to the Ivy League. YOU think about it. We know for a fact there are racist adults–lots of them. Millions of kids are growing up in households where they hear racial slurs or stereotypes–if not from their parents, their grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. You think they all just magically show up at college with tolerant, progressive attitudes?” I never said I knew that she wasn’t racist! I only said it makes no sense that a young person on a huge campus would think she could get away with such a statement. Gee. </p>
<p>“If you do, I’d love to know what the secret formula is for stamping out racism overnight. Because our country could use a lot less of it right now.” Yes, and we could also use less war, and ignorance in general. So what is your point? That doesn’t mean we throw people under the bus before knowing for a fact they have done wrong. Search your own heart for racism. Stop accusing others who you don’t even know!</p>
<p>“Pizzagirl”- It stretches credulity to think that a student would knowingly post a pic protesting the historic integration of her sorority. Really, you think any young person on Bama’s campus would want to be labeled “racist”? Today’s educated youth abhore racism!</p>
<p>“It doesn’t stretch credulity at all, when it’s part of a culture in which actual grown women ‘intervene’ in who their sororities choose as current sisters because oh-the-horrors if the women at the Junior League in Smallville, Alabama found out the Pi Phis had a black girl. (Not picking on Pi Phi, just using a name.)” Yes, but the girl was not one of those women, was she? </p>
<p>“The fact that the idea of a black girl in a sorority is even remotely noteworthy or a “controversy” in the first place is what appalls the rest of us.” Then why do you and others obsess about it? Why is Al.com writing story after story about it, when UA has the most diverse Greek system in the state, except for maybe UAB?</p>
<p>“I had always heard about UA as a place that was rising, esp as it was offering $ to OOS students to pull them in. I now have to pause before recommending it, because it’s clear that there are still significant backwards elements in the culture.” Oh Lord have mercy. You do that then. If you think you will find more diversity at Auburn, Penn State, etc., go for it. UA has one of the highest percentages of African Americans in the nation. If the environment was so racist, why are so many of them going there? </p>
<p>“For all the supposition that the photo was faked, Chi Omega National HQ has <em>confirmed</em> that it was real and that the young woman has been kicked out of Chi O (as well she should be, and good on them for doing so quickly). SO enough already. It was real, and it was dealt with.” I don’t assume it was faked or autocorrected, but those are possibilities I have yet to see disproven, and neither have you! You don’t know how they “confirmed” anything. You are treating this accusation like belief in God. </p>
<p>Pizzagirl - "I didn’t say that there weren’t racists or jerks every single place. And I’m glad that the administration (and Chi O national) quickly stood up and said - this isn’t right.</p>
<p>But c’mon. A place where it’s still noteworthy to admit a black girl into a sorority? Where there are still elements of “what will the cool frats think, they won’t want to party with us”? How can you not say that’s appreciably backwards?</p>
<p>I mean, that’s like saying it’s noteworthy when a woman becomes a doctor or a lawyer. No. That was noteworthy 40, 50 years ago when women were routinely denied admission to graduate schools based on gender. It’s not noteworthy today, because we passed that era years ago." </p>
<p>Its still noteworthy because you and others give it so much attention! UA has integrated its Greek system, and now has far more Black sorority and other minority sorority sisters than most other Southern flagship schools. Greeks, like all other social groupings, typically congregate within their own races. The kids who join these chapters are no different. Its not an Alabama problem. If you can’t deal with the troubled history of race at UA, then maybe you shouldn’t go there. But thousands of Blacks do, and love it! It is by far more diverse in AA enrollment than many other state schools. </p>
<p>LlariaCelestis: "As a person who was born in the South, is a URM, and a lover and scholar of history I have to say I completely disagree with the showing of the Confederate flag in any place except in someone’s home (because that’s private property) or in a museum where it belongs.
Well that is your right. And I wasn’t trying to stir up a debate on the Confed. flag, but someone else mentioned it, and I offered my opinion. </p>
<p>“I know that people go on and on about how the Confed flag is “just a flag”, but I honestly believe that’s a pile of you-know-what plain and simple.” Well no, that is your opinion. I was not raised to see the flag as a beacon to racism! </p>
<p>" Because the Confederate flag is not “just a flag”. Anyone who insists that it the flag is just a representation of the Southern resistance to the North’s “aggressive interference” is either being silly or willfully blind to the hundreds of years of slavery that the flag was used to protect. " What hundreds of years are you talking about? Slavery was legal in the Union till 1865. The CSA was not created primarily to protect slavery. Lincoln even promised to make slavery forever legal in the South, if the Southern states would simply agree not to secede. They did it anyway, because they had other motives. Maybe consider some other sources of history? </p>
<p>“It is a symbol with a long and terrible history behind it. It is a symbol that for years was used to defend a system of slavery, oppression, and terrible violence against a group of enslaved people. It was, and still is used, by the KKK to strike fear into the hearts of their victims and as a symbol of their supposed white pride and racial purity. Even now, when I know that flag has no power of me, whenever I see the flag I automatically tense because wherever I have gone North, South or otherwise and that flag is shown; people of color are not treated with kindness or even simple civility. When my grandmother came to visit me she fainted dead away upon seeing the flag because when her brother was lynched the flag was flown above his head. Just like the swastika, the Confederate flag has NOT and will never be “just a flag”. The long, terrible, and evil history behind it prevents it from acting as such.” </p>
<p>So if I told you that people all over the world have been killed by American bombs, from planes with the US flag, are we supposed to never fly the US flag? I understand your pain, but you need to know that not all Southerners see what you see when they look at that flag. I don’t support the state govt flying the CSA flag. But I do support the right of private citizens to fly it. You don’t have to like it. But we have freedom of speech in this land. What means one thing to you., means something different to others. Its called tolerance. </p>