Babygirl
11-07-2001, 09:56 AM
I got this email today:Subject: Fwd: Racist Act Against Black Fraternity - Article and
PICTURES!]
There are even more horrible photos at the web site.
http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_hate.jsp?id=319
>
>AU FRATERNITIES SUSPENDED OVER HALLOWEEN PARTIES AUBURN --
>
> Two Auburn University fraternities were temporarily
suspended Monday
>pending
>a full investigation of
>apparent violations of the university's written policy on
harassment and
>discrimination.Incidents at two Halloween fraternity parties on
Oct. 25 and
>Oct.
>27 werepotentially offensively racist because party-goers dressed
in Ku
>Klux
>Klanrobes and blackface, one with a noose around his neck.The
university's
>recognition of Delta Sigma Phi and Beta Theta Pi wastemporarily
withdrawn
>and
>additional disciplinary action is possible. Thenational offices
of the two
>fraternities have been alerted and are alsoconsidering action.AU
Interim
>President William F. Walker condemned the fraternity actions as
"shocking
>and outrageous."Auburn's action Monday mandates an immediate halt
to all
>social functions ofthe two fraternities.Several white fraternity
members or
>guests appear in photographs posted onthe Internet at one party
wearing j!
>!
>erseys
>in the colors and bearing theletters of a fraternity whose
membership is
>African-American. Several of thephotos show fraternity members in
blackface
>and
>some in KKK outfits."This morning I became aware of pictures that
had been
>posted on theInternet showing scenes from Halloween parties held
by two of
>our
>fraternities," said Walker. "The scenes in some of these
photographs
>includestudents dressed in Klan robes, as well as students made
up in
>blackface.
>Atleast one picture shows a student in blackface with a noose
around his
>neck.
>"These images are shocking and outrageous, and they are
unacceptable. On
>behalf of the faculty, staff, and students I apologize deeply for
the
>hurtthat
>has been caused for so many by the insensitive acts of a few
students."On
>learning about what had happened, I instructed my staff to begin
>workimmediately
>to determine the facts surrounding these photographs, and
toprepare
>recommendations concerning the university's response."I see our
response
>taking several forms. First, we are determined that ourdiscussion
of these
>matters and our decisions concerning them be accessibleto public
scrutiny.
>Second, we are involving many of the various stakeholdergroups on
and off
>campus
>in these discussions. Third, after a thoroughreview of the facts
we will
>decide
>on appropriate punishment. As abeginning, the two fraternities
involved
>have
>been placed on temporarysuspension."Fourth, I am determined that
this
>dreadful moment should serve as apositive opportunity for Auburn
University
>to
>reaffirm its position onissues of diversity and discrimination,
and to
>embody
>that position in loudand clear public statements of policy. It is
my
>understanding that allstudents involved in the discussions so far
agree
>that
>we
>should seize thismoment and turn it to our advantage. I agree and
we will
>do
>so.
>"Perhaps most importantly, this is a time for us to do what we do
best.
>Thatis to educate ourselves, and all of our students, about the
values this
>university embraces and the behaviors that we find acceptable. I
see this
>educational process playing out not only through the policy
statements I
>mentioned a moment ago, but also through public convocations and
forums
>inwhich
>we can talk with one another and draw on experts to help inform
>ourdiscussions.
>"Just recently I signed the Birmingham Pledge and I believe the
words of
>that statement capture the spirit that these very recent events
suggest
>mustbe
>reinvigorated here at Auburn. I appreciate the comments, and the
support,of
>all
>members of the campus community as we move quickly to renew
ourappreciation
>of
>how important tolerance and diversity are in the world welive
in."As
>published in the Tiger Cub, the AU student handbook, "Auburn
Universitywill
>not tolerate discrimination or harassment of its students. Any
form of
>discrimination or harassment related to a student's race, color,
>sex,religion,
>national origin, age, or physical or mental handicap or
disabilityis a
>violation
>of this policy and will be treated as a disciplinary matter."The
policy
>includes a broad definition of harassment, including but
notlimited to
>"slurs, jokes or other graphic or physical conduct related to
astudent's
>race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or physical
ormental
>disability."
PICTURES!]
There are even more horrible photos at the web site.
http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_hate.jsp?id=319
>
>AU FRATERNITIES SUSPENDED OVER HALLOWEEN PARTIES AUBURN --
>
> Two Auburn University fraternities were temporarily
suspended Monday
>pending
>a full investigation of
>apparent violations of the university's written policy on
harassment and
>discrimination.Incidents at two Halloween fraternity parties on
Oct. 25 and
>Oct.
>27 werepotentially offensively racist because party-goers dressed
in Ku
>Klux
>Klanrobes and blackface, one with a noose around his neck.The
university's
>recognition of Delta Sigma Phi and Beta Theta Pi wastemporarily
withdrawn
>and
>additional disciplinary action is possible. Thenational offices
of the two
>fraternities have been alerted and are alsoconsidering action.AU
Interim
>President William F. Walker condemned the fraternity actions as
"shocking
>and outrageous."Auburn's action Monday mandates an immediate halt
to all
>social functions ofthe two fraternities.Several white fraternity
members or
>guests appear in photographs posted onthe Internet at one party
wearing j!
>!
>erseys
>in the colors and bearing theletters of a fraternity whose
membership is
>African-American. Several of thephotos show fraternity members in
blackface
>and
>some in KKK outfits."This morning I became aware of pictures that
had been
>posted on theInternet showing scenes from Halloween parties held
by two of
>our
>fraternities," said Walker. "The scenes in some of these
photographs
>includestudents dressed in Klan robes, as well as students made
up in
>blackface.
>Atleast one picture shows a student in blackface with a noose
around his
>neck.
>"These images are shocking and outrageous, and they are
unacceptable. On
>behalf of the faculty, staff, and students I apologize deeply for
the
>hurtthat
>has been caused for so many by the insensitive acts of a few
students."On
>learning about what had happened, I instructed my staff to begin
>workimmediately
>to determine the facts surrounding these photographs, and
toprepare
>recommendations concerning the university's response."I see our
response
>taking several forms. First, we are determined that ourdiscussion
of these
>matters and our decisions concerning them be accessibleto public
scrutiny.
>Second, we are involving many of the various stakeholdergroups on
and off
>campus
>in these discussions. Third, after a thoroughreview of the facts
we will
>decide
>on appropriate punishment. As abeginning, the two fraternities
involved
>have
>been placed on temporarysuspension."Fourth, I am determined that
this
>dreadful moment should serve as apositive opportunity for Auburn
University
>to
>reaffirm its position onissues of diversity and discrimination,
and to
>embody
>that position in loudand clear public statements of policy. It is
my
>understanding that allstudents involved in the discussions so far
agree
>that
>we
>should seize thismoment and turn it to our advantage. I agree and
we will
>do
>so.
>"Perhaps most importantly, this is a time for us to do what we do
best.
>Thatis to educate ourselves, and all of our students, about the
values this
>university embraces and the behaviors that we find acceptable. I
see this
>educational process playing out not only through the policy
statements I
>mentioned a moment ago, but also through public convocations and
forums
>inwhich
>we can talk with one another and draw on experts to help inform
>ourdiscussions.
>"Just recently I signed the Birmingham Pledge and I believe the
words of
>that statement capture the spirit that these very recent events
suggest
>mustbe
>reinvigorated here at Auburn. I appreciate the comments, and the
support,of
>all
>members of the campus community as we move quickly to renew
ourappreciation
>of
>how important tolerance and diversity are in the world welive
in."As
>published in the Tiger Cub, the AU student handbook, "Auburn
Universitywill
>not tolerate discrimination or harassment of its students. Any
form of
>discrimination or harassment related to a student's race, color,
>sex,religion,
>national origin, age, or physical or mental handicap or
disabilityis a
>violation
>of this policy and will be treated as a disciplinary matter."The
policy
>includes a broad definition of harassment, including but
notlimited to
>"slurs, jokes or other graphic or physical conduct related to
astudent's
>race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or physical
ormental
>disability."