University of Oklahoma SAE Fraternity Closed After Racist Video

[betts]

I believe this time it was warranted though. That kind of thing gives OU (and Oklahoma) horrible press that we don't need. It implies our state is back in the fifties, since many of the SAE's are from private schools and/or upper middle class families. It's bad enough to have racist rednecks, but to have racist college students looks really bad, IMO. That generation should be the one that's becoming color blind. Thank goodness many have.

[kelroy55]

As if there weren't enough things to make OK look backwards.


The University of Oklahoma is investigating a video circulating on social media allegedly showing members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity singing racist language, the school's president said Sunday.

"If OU students are involved, this behavior will not be tolerated and will be addressed very quickly," OU President David Boren said in a tweeted statement, adding that confirmation would cause him to ban the fraternity chapter from campus. "This behavior is reprehensible and contrary to all of our values."

The video shows students who appear to be on a bus singing, "There will never be a n****r in SAE."

Brad Cohen, national president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, tweeted late Sunday that "we have now closed the chapter and will expel all those involved."

University of Oklahoma SAE Fraternity Closed After Racist Video - NBC News

[Urbanized]

Expulsion from SAE isn't adequate. These students should be expelled - NOT merely suspended but instead EXPELLED - from the University. Get your education somewhere else.

[AP]

I absolutely hate this, and one of the worst parts for me is that everyone just assumes that all fraternities and chapters are like this. It's very frustrating for greek members(a huge number of my friends and brothers) that spent their entire college careers trying to change the stereotype of douchey, racisit, rapist, drunken, upper class frat boys. One step forward, two steps back, as they say.

[Pete]

It's just too stereotypical for the public to resist: Seemingly smug, rich, white frat boys in tuxedos joining together in a rousing sing-a-along about the most offensively racist subjects imaginable, on a private charted bus in front of their dates.

And BTW, there were a lot of people on that bus and I didn't hear any of the guys objecting. Therefore the "one or two bad apples" argument is a very hard sell here. They also all clearly knew the song.

[AP]

I'm not disputing the fact the they are all absolute filth. I'm disputing the fact the every other house on every other campus tolerates this type of thing. I know for a fact the chapter I came from doesn't. Just because there are still ****ty chapters that exist solely to party and be douchey frat guys, does not mean that the entire system is like that.

[Pete]

I'm not disputing the fact the they are all absolute filth. I'm disputing the fact the every other house on every other campus tolerates this type of thing. I know for a fact the chapter I came from doesn't. Just because there are still ****ty chapters that exist solely to party and be douchey frat guys, does not mean that the entire system is like that.

Yes, I agree.

I've been talking to some of my frat brothers trying to take an honest account of our basement songs and none of us can remember a racial component. I can still remember pretty much all of them.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Whatever you do, do not read the News9 Facebook comments. They somehow make Oklahomans look worse.

[OKCisOK4me]

Can we start a separate thread for this SAE nonsense? It's staining this thread.

[kevinpate]

And once again we learn just how wise Mama Gump was.

[kevinpate]

Whatever you do, do not read the News9 Facebook comments. They somehow make Oklahomans look worse.

I tend to avoid the train wreck, er, um, comment sections for the papers and the tv stations.

[kelroy55]

Whatever you do, do not read the News9 Facebook comments. They somehow make Oklahomans look worse.

Isn't that the politicians job?

[BBatesokc]

Expulsion from SAE isn't adequate. These students should be expelled - NOT merely suspended but instead EXPELLED - from the University. Get your education somewhere else.

I understand this knee-jerk reaction COMPLETELY. However, I don't agree that expulsion from OU is the answer - or should even be a consideration in my opinion (which I'm certain will not be a popular opinion on this forum).

For one, how are they even going to identify those who participated. You can really only make out one of the participants in the video. This was done on a private bus, off campus at an SAE event.

Do you severely penalize the fraternity? Yes. Do you kick out the members who participated from the fraternity? Yes. Do you consider some sort of probation within the university for the student's who participated? Possibly.

They are definitely very immature, privileged, and stupid YOUTH. I'm thinking some mandatory sensitivity training/classes etc. along with being booted nationally from their little all white club. By-the-way, has there been any report confirming SAE's have no black members or haven't in recent years?

That said, do we really want to set a standard where if a student tells an off-color joke (in a private setting), or joins a group others deem 'racist' then that student is expelled from school? Personally, I don't want to see that. Heck, campuses all over have clubs, scholarship funds, etc. dedicated to single/specific races all the time.

I don't condone what they've done and they need to be punished. But I think expulsion from college is very short sighted.

[Pete]

From a practical matter, at least a couple of the guys in that video will be identified and that will be shared on the Internet. It always is.

Given the outcry, I can't imagine anyone thus identified would want to continue on at OU. Their lives would be a raging sea.

[kevinpate]

Brian, well said.

Being stupid shouldn't carry far harsher consequences than engaging in some criminal conduct. After all, we let folks convicted of DUI continue to drive. Sure, they have restrictions, but they can still drive. Expulsion from college for being stupid, drunk or sober, is a bit extreme.

Not defending the stupidity of the song, nor the stupidity of thinking it's all good fun to sing the song. Just saying one can punish without being draconian about it.

[kevinpate]

Pete, I do not disagree. And heading off to a new start may be a good choice for some. But it should not be due to being expelled from school over being a tool on a bender, or even for being a sober tool.

[OSUFan]

Brian, well said.

Being stupid shouldn't carry far harsher consequences than engaging in some criminal conduct. After all, we let folks convicted of DUI continue to drive. Sure, they have restrictions, but they can still drive. Expulsion from college for being stupid, drunk or sober, is a bit extreme.

Not defending the stupidity of the song, nor the stupidity of thinking it's all good fun to sing the song. Just saying one can punish without being draconian about it.

Pretty much agree. To be clear if these kids did get expelled I wouldn't shed a tear. However, there are students who have done worse and not gotten that punishment cough ... Mixon ... cough.

[SOONER8693]

Pretty much agree. To be clear if these kids did get expelled I wouldn't shed a tear. However, there are students who have done worse and not gotten that punishment cough ... Mixon ... cough.

cough ... Tyreek Hill ... cough. Those who live in glass houses ................

[AP]

nm

[adaniel]

From a practical matter, at least a couple of the guys in that video will be identified and that will be shared on the Internet. It always is.

Given the outcry, I can't imagine anyone thus identified would want to continue on at OU. Their lives would be a raging sea.

They won't be expelled, but they will (and should) be STRONGLY encouraged to attend school somewhere else.

The damage these kids have done to OU can't even be quantified right now. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it myself.

[Urbanized]

Pretty much agree. To be clear if these kids did get expelled I wouldn't shed a tear. However, there are students who have done worse and not gotten that punishment cough ... Mixon ... cough.

Really? Punching someone who spit on you and screamed the N word in your face is more inexcusable than leading a bus in a vile, racist chant that CELEBRATES the N word? One has mitigating factors, the other does not. I think you have your school rivalry glasses on. Either that or your values are seriously ****ed up.

[Midtowner]

This has got to be a record for fastest pulling of a charter (for good reason, all that was needed is to confirm it was in fact, SAEs). Racist fraternity guys isn't news but the speed that the charter was pulled, under 24 hours since it happened is kind of amazing.

SAE's national leadership is in a very damage control/take no prisoners mode right now. SAE had developed the reputation as nationally, one of the most hazing-est, most deadly fraternity around. Recently, to combat that, pledging was done away with. Just like when Sig Ep went to the balanced man, I think many SAE chapters are only forcing their bad behavior more underground.

My organization just rechartered at OU, so this is one less competitor during recruitment. At least for awhile.

[OSUFan]

Not trying to turn this into an OU/OSU thing. No school in America is immune from having idiots enrolled. However, Hill was immediately booted off the team and is no longer enrolled at OSU.

And yes I do think punching a woman in the face is a lot more harmful than idiot frat boys chanting a song. We don't what words were said during the Mixon incident on either side. We do know he punched a girl. I think violence against is women is much more dangerous than drunk frat boys chanting a stupid song.

[hfry]

Not trying to turn this into an OU/OSU thing. No school in America is immune from having idiots enrolled. However, Hill was immediately booted off the team and is no longer enrolled at OSU.

And yes I do think punching a woman in the face is a lot more harmful than idiot frat boys chanting a song. We don't what words were said during the Mixon incident on either side. We do know he punched a girl. I think violence against is women is much more dangerous than drunk frat boys chanting a stupid song.

This has NOTHING to do with the frat situation but leave it to an OSU fan to bring it up. HIll and Mixon have different situations that led to their acts of violence and each had to pay for it. The SAE song isnt unique to OU's chapter and that is what's sad here. It's a basement song as Pete said and this OU chapter is paying the price for everyone of their members that have ever sang it, and rightfully so.

[Urbanized]

Violence against women is never excusable. OTOH, there can be mitigating factors in many assaults, including lashing out when you yourself are being assaulted. Despite the fact that you and I don't know exactly what transpired there, it's obvious that the university does. Stoops and Boren have never been shy about expelling players, even star players. No way Mixon is still on campus unless there were compelling mitigating factors. In the case of the trash that transpired on that bus there are no reasonable mitigating factors. None.