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It’s fine to feel however you feel, but when an organization operating under the imprimatur of a university casts the school in a bad light, it’s news, and it requires a quick and decisive response from the university.</p>
<p>A frat that already has a history of instigating racial incidents should perhaps be a little more aware.</p>
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<p><a href=“http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/20140121asu-suspended-fraternity-mlk-party-draws-criticism.html[/url]”>http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/20140121asu-suspended-fraternity-mlk-party-draws-criticism.html</a></p>
<p>And some people wonder why others rule out schools that have any fraternities.</p>
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<p>How about creating a hostile educational environment for the targeted marginalized group…especially an EEOC protected class. </p>
<p>If EEOC employment regulations permit employees treated in similar ways use that as grounds against public and private employers/supervisors/colleagues, then what’s to stop students, faculty members, admins, and staff members from doing the same against the fraternity and the officers/participants at the party? </p>
<p>Also, if college is supposed to be the last stage of teaching late adolescents/young adults appropriate/legal adult behavior in the workplace and life, suspending them for a year or few at a minimum…especially in light of prior cited offenses if they are found guilty of such offenses may send a stronger message than defending them using the variant of “kids will be kids” defense.</p>
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<p>Social divisiveness and other issues were reasons cited for why back in the 1870’s my LAC passed a ban on fraternities or any clubs/organizations which are exclusionary on basis of anything else other than academic merit* and/or lacking in transparency**. </p>
<p>If anything, they went so far as to write bylaws which technically gives the college the power to expel students if they were found to have joined a fraternity/sorority during their undergrad career. </p>
<p>In practice, this is never practiced as students who desire joining such organizations and perform their due diligence learn enough about my LAC’s reputation to apply elsewhere. </p>
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<li>Academic merit/honor societies like Phi Beta Kappa are allowed.</li>
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<p>** In short, no secret societies.</p>
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<p>Given how marginal that fraternity was already<em>, it seems difficult to see its actions as marginalizing anyone but itself</em>*. The effect would be much different if it were one of the major fraternities at a school with a fraternity dominated social scene.</p>
<p>Also, a student - college relationship is not the same as an employee - employer relationship. An employer typically has much more power and responsibility for an employer than a college has for a student.</p>
<p><em>Only 6% of male students at ASU are in fraternities, and the TKE chapter involved is on probation.
*</em>Wouldn’t be surprised if it got derecognized completely by the school for violating the “no parties” rule in its probation, and cut off by the TKE national which presumably wants nothing to do with that embarrassment.</p>
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<p>That may be more (legally) difficult to do for a public school than for a private school.</p>
<p>“Given how marginal that fraternity was already<em>, it seems difficult to see its actions as marginalizing anyone but itself</em>*. The effect would be much different if it were one of the major fraternities at a school with a fraternity dominated social scene.”</p>
<p>How the University handles the situation (tolerate, slap on the wrist or punish) can DEFINITELY marginalize people, its alumni community and future applicants. For the institution, this is akin to some others colleges’ handling of sexual assaults on campus. Frankly, this kind of thing can erupt practically anywhere. What’s important is what the level-headed people around will do – that’s more indicative…</p>
<p>And UCB: you’re way off base minimalizing the watermelon stereotype and its obvious hateful intent in this context.</p>
<p>I agree that our country has made being outraged or offended into a pastime. That said, we need to take these race issues seriously and address them so we can bring some healing to the wounds and move on as a united nation. Only members of the affected group get to decide what offends them. Since I am not black, I don’t have the right to comment on whether any of this offense-worthy.</p>
<p>However, if an ethnic or geographic people group have distinctive customs, clothing styles, and traditional foods and are proud of their heritage and current culture, would it necessarily be “mocking” them to reproduce that for their holiday? These frat boys were likely not well-intentioned, but my guess is that it was their attitude that was the problem more than their dress or decorations. If the party had been Hawaiian-themed (which is a pretty common college party theme), they served pineapple, and kids showed up in flowered shirts, would they be mocking the native peoples of Hawaii, who have also been oppressed? When the American supermarket puts taco kits on sale for 5 de mayo, is that so stereotypical as to be “mocking” Mexicans?</p>
<p>People are so sensitive that even trying to make conversation about what happened is bound to upset people. It’s an impossible situation. If you make a comment, you’re adding fuel to the fire, but if you can’t talk about it, it never gets resolved.</p>
<p>People can say insulting things about fraternities and nothing happens. Is it ok to promote a frat stereotype? I think that the term ‘frat boys’ is insulting.</p>
<p>And why is stereotyping them as basketball players an insult? The majority of NBA players are people of color. They are famous. They make a lot of money.</p>
<p>The real problem is that due to the sins of the past and some in the present too, there is a presumption that whites hate/disdain/dislike blacks. That presumption causes blacks to assume a malicious intention in stuff like this. No doubt it is there sometimes, but not always.</p>
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<p>That makes about as much sense as ruling out all schools that have men, on the grounds that they perpetrate most of the sexual assaults.</p>
<p>BTW, in the pictures I saw, it was a girl who was the only one holding a watermelon.</p>
<p>Seems to me that ASU did the right thing in suspending TKE indefinitely. Now they will deal with the individuals involved according to their rules.</p>
<p>This kind of thing happening on MLK day just makes me sad and tired, sad and tired.</p>
<p>My belief is that these guys intended to mock black people, and that this was offensive and outrageous. However, I also believe that there are and should be strong limitations on what a public entity like ASU can do to punish speech. In this case, the school can punish them for having a party, which makes it easier.</p>
<p>Folks, I never said this wasn’t news or dosen’t justify some sanction imposed by ASU.</p>
<p>But when you think about, this specific kind of nitwit display by campus greeks is not unheard of. Similar incidents at Auburn and other places come to mind. Atlanta Constitution editorial writer Cynthia Tucker wrote very purposefully and soberly about the Auburn incident some years ago Incidentally, Auburn is her alma mater and had only a handful of Black students when she was an undergrad.</p>
<p>I agree that a minority student might think twice about attending a place where the administration seems to minimize or dismiss significant episodes of bias, but I also agree with Mom2CK’s point about students not letting particular unpleasant events or issues sidetrack them or get in the way of their goal-- which is to get an education (and hopefully enjoy it). I imagine that the depth of feeling about such an event will vary from campus to campus.</p>
<p>One thing that might cause me to severely upbraid the frat boys is the knowledge that they were already on suspension, for fighting and causing grave harm to an African American student. I don’t have all the facts on that, and the incident may have had no particular racial animus but if it did, then these fellows need to feel the hammer of ASU for this latest escapade.</p>
<p>But ultimately, like Consolation, I am just saddened and tired.</p>
<p>How can people NOT see that this party was meant to be offensive? Scheduled for MLK Day, directions to “dress black”, serving watermelon to draw up an old stereotype? This was meant to be an insult and to pretty much let any black students know there is no point in trying to rush that fraternity.</p>
<p>As for asking how being stereotyped as basketball players is insulting - it goes back to the “keeping in your place” attitudes. You might want to ask if anyone showed up in a doctor’s coat, or wearing a judge’s robe - oh, of course not - showing up like that wouldn’t be viewed as funny.</p>
<p>As for theGFG’s “The real problem is that due to the sins of the past and some in the present too, there is a presumption that whites hate/disdain/dislike blacks. That presumption causes blacks to assume a malicious intention in stuff like this. No doubt it is there sometimes, but not always.” What do you mean by SINS OF THE PAST???</p>
<p>Try spending a day in the shoes of my daughter’s black boyfriend and see the treatment he gets in many public places.</p>
<p>I’m shocked, shocked to hear that frat boys did something outrageous and offensive at their party!</p>
<p>Come on people. Doing stupid, offensive, and outrageous things at parties is what frats are for.</p>
<p>LOL, Coureur!!!</p>
<p>Their parents must be so proud.</p>
<p>The watermelon was offensive. However, here out West, I would be surprised if many college kids even knew much about that symbolism today, (but admittedly, I could be naive about that). Also, while the athletic attire could well have intended to “mock” in this case, I do know first hand that many White boys and young men idolize Black athletes, so I wouldn’t be surprised if at least some of them dressed up as people they truly admired.</p>
<p>If they admired African Americans, they could have pair up with the African American frat to do charity work as many groups do on MLK day, making it a day of service.
[Welcome</a> to MLKDay.gov](<a href=“http://mlkday.gov%5DWelcome”>http://mlkday.gov)</p>
<p>Instead of spending the time drinking & posting instagrams of themselves throwing gang signs.</p>
<p>What is offensive about watermelon? (I really don’t know)</p>
<p>It is a pretty sad commentary when one group intentionally demeans and degrades another group in such a racist fashion, and the only response is “so what?”.</p>
<p>KKmama, did you see I included in my comment “and some in the present too”? Don’t try to paint me as unsympathetic to the fact that there are legitimate incidents of racism today.</p>