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Blackface and fraternities

The November 2001 incident at Auburn University, chronicled at tolerance.org, was the most high-profile incident of blackface at a frat party. But it was far from an isolated incident. In 2001 it also occurred at the University of Mississippi, though that frat was reinstated this week, as well as at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the University of Louisville. And this year incidents have already been reported at Oklahoma State University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Virginia, and Swarthmore.

originally posted by zagg

Posted by Adam on November 19, 2002 1:02 PM |

Comments

as we were driving through downtown Burlington [VT] the day of halloween we saw these two frat-looking guys [UVM students, unsure] who were dressed up as venus and serena williams. full blackface. I could not believe my eyes.

Posted by: jessamyn | November 19, 2002 7:07 PM

Venus and Serena aren't just confined to Burlington, unfortunately:



Two of the University of Virginia's oldest fraternities have been suspended by their national organizations while under investigation for a Halloween party at which a few guests were photographed wearing blackface.



Photos from the party, hosted Oct. 31 by Zeta Psi and Kappa Alpha, circulated on the Internet for several weeks before they came to the attention of campus and fraternity officials Monday. University sources who saw the photos said they showed at least three costumed students with their faces painted black or brown. One man was dressed as Uncle Sam; two other men were dressed as tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams.




Get this (emphasis added):



The Zeta Psi chapter is on social probation, which means it can perform community service but may not have any events with alcohol. "Whether or not the intent was racist -- and I do not believe it was -- this was still a grossly insensitive thing to do," said Richard Breeswine, executive director of the national headquarters in Pearl River, N.Y.




jesus. From today's Washington Post.

Posted by: nedlog | November 20, 2002 11:40 AM

see my comments at the later post regarding horowitz at uic.



really now! swarthmore!! a notorious bastion of "liberal fascist political correctness", "feminazis" etc. quite an eye-opener to see the garnet sages showing their true colors (i.e., cracker).



even berkeley frats are guilty of the same sort of outrages--including virulent and hateful stereotyping of central & south americans and hispanics. they've had the "jungle" parties with the afro wigs and fake bones through the nose, they've had the "banana boat" parties where people either wore sombreros and got drunk on tequila or else dressed as rambo...and, as you mention above, they get shut down only to come back again like vampires or rats. i am of the extremist and no-fun opinion that a reputable school shouldn't have anything to do with the pan-hellenic organizations, but i'll probably have my house bombed for saying so. "but they do so much for charity and the alumni associations!" how about creating a hostile and elitist educational environment, not to mention training the future leaders of america that racism is funny.



if you think of how many of our political and corporate leaders came from a social milieu such as this (which is most of them) the state of our nation is somewhat less of a surprise.

Posted by: fertile_jim | November 20, 2002 5:22 PM

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