Community Chat

[Pashmina_1]

On 3/28/2015 sidsmom said:

I think it's so sad people can't move forward with this. The ones that are forgiving & moving forward were there with Levi Pettit during the apology. It's silly to say 'he didn't mean it' or 'empty apology'...how does one know that? No one governs your mind other than yourself. I'm accepting his apology. If implying Levi Pettit's apology is hollow, you're also discounting the acceptance of the Africian American community of Oklahoma City, as well. Their action of standing with Levi Pettit speaks volumes.

If members of the African American community are OK with his degree of apology, it's OK with me, as well. It's time to forgive & move forward.

Agreed.

[Irshgrl31201]

On 3/28/2015 baker said:

We taught our son from the time he was old enough to understand not to discriminate against any one for any reason. These people learn to think the way they do from the cradle, it doesn't matter how educated or uneducated they are, it's ingrained. The only reason any one recants or apologizes is because there are ramifications to their actions.

I don't believe this for one second and that is because my father was raised for the majority of his life up until the age of 16 with his father. Not only was my dads father a racist, but also a member of the KKK. His fathers family had money and when my dads mom divorced him he used that money to get buy custody of my dad. My dad didn't see his mom at all for almost 4 yrs. My father left home at almost 16and to be honest didn't know what he thought of black people (because he was never let to be around any) he only knew what he heard and at first he was scared until he joined the service and met them there. He learned what his father taught him was not only not true, but how much hate his dad had in him for anyone of difference. In my whole life, I have never heard my dad say anything racist or for that matter even bad about ANY RACE. He was very accepting of different cultures. When my sister started to date a black guy in high school (in a very small town in NC in the 70's) he invited the boys parents over and talked about how the families needed to support each other but this just wasn't done a lot at the time.

I never met my grandfather but I do know my dad looks a lot like him but those were the only similarites they shared.

[Sister Golden Hair]

On 3/28/2015 Pashmina said:

Well I know I am certainly not the person I was at age 18-21. I did a lot of silly things I'm not proud of and I've matured since then. My guess is that is true of most of us whether anyone chooses to admit it or not.

I disagree with your belief for some people. I'm the same person just older. I have many friends that have never changed in their views and attitudes.

My Father taught me to treat people the way I want to be treated and that has always been in my heart.

I'm 63 and I always had great respect for my parents forever, even though they are both gone.

I'm proud of the person I was and still am. My credit goes to my parents and their loving ways.

[HollyDays]

On 3/28/2015 sidsmom said:

I think it's so sad people can't move forward with this. The ones that are forgiving & moving forward were there with Levi Pettit during the apology. It's silly to say 'he didn't mean it' or 'empty apology'...how does one know that? No one governs your mind other than yourself. I'm accepting his apology. If implying Levi Pettit's apology is hollow, you're also discounting the acceptance of the Africian American community of Oklahoma City, as well. Their action of standing with Levi Pettit speaks volumes.

If members of the African American community are OK with his degree of apology, it's OK with me, as well. It's time to forgive & move forward.

You interviewed everyone in the Black community to get their opinion on whether they are OK about it? PLENTY of them are not happy. You don't represent an entire community and it's not your place to forgive on behalf of an entire community.

[RainCityGirl]

On 3/28/2015 Irshgrl31201 said:

On 3/28/2015 RainCityGirl said:

I read the article by the professor. It was an interesting and very magnanimous take on the issue. I would be more in agreement if she were talking about high school or junior high school students. As for teachable moments, I think we're beyond that at the University level when it comes to bigotry. The only teachable moment I see is that there really ARE consequences to our actions. But then this is a society in which no one is ever to blame for anything. This isn't the only Frat to be kicked off a campus for bad behavior, and it won't be the last They are on campus at the University's discretion. It's rather revealing to look at the reasons these living groups emerged in the first place, but I digress. If these boys can take credit for anything, it would opening our sleepy eyes once again to what lies in the underbelly of the American psyche. We need to constantly remind ourselves as to how far we have come, and how far we still have to go.

I don't agree with that at all. That age alone even with out going to school and experiencing different people and cultures is a great time for growth and change. Most kids amongst the same people and opinions and simply mirror what they hear without ever experiencing anything different until they get away and find they may feel differently or have positive experiences when they do. There were probably kids in that group that may have not felt that way at all. There are study after study showing how strong herd mentality is. She, as a college professor obviously sees this often for it to have shaped her own opinion in such a way.

I have no problem with frats getting kicked off the campus, they really enforce the herd mentality to not think for yourself in a lot of cases.

You don't have to agree with me. As a teacher, that's my take on it. It's one opinion, just as that college professor's is one opinion. Other professors may not feel the same. I hope that this is a defining moment for some of those young men and that it leads them in a positive direction and a new road to travel. I think that now is the time for the Panhellenic Council to take a long hard look at all the chapters around the country and for individual Greek houses to really scrutinize what is happening under the guise these so called prestigious brotherhoods. The SAE fraternity has the motto "True Gentlemen." Seems to me that was lost somewhere along the way to the infamous bus ride.

[Irshgrl31201]

On 3/28/2015 RainCityGirl said:

On 3/28/2015 Irshgrl31201 said:

On 3/28/2015 RainCityGirl said:

I read the article by the professor. It was an interesting and very magnanimous take on the issue. I would be more in agreement if she were talking about high school or junior high school students. As for teachable moments, I think we're beyond that at the University level when it comes to bigotry. The only teachable moment I see is that there really ARE consequences to our actions. But then this is a society in which no one is ever to blame for anything. This isn't the only Frat to be kicked off a campus for bad behavior, and it won't be the last They are on campus at the University's discretion. It's rather revealing to look at the reasons these living groups emerged in the first place, but I digress. If these boys can take credit for anything, it would opening our sleepy eyes once again to what lies in the underbelly of the American psyche. We need to constantly remind ourselves as to how far we have come, and how far we still have to go.

I don't agree with that at all. That age alone even with out going to school and experiencing different people and cultures is a great time for growth and change. Most kids amongst the same people and opinions and simply mirror what they hear without ever experiencing anything different until they get away and find they may feel differently or have positive experiences when they do. There were probably kids in that group that may have not felt that way at all. There are study after study showing how strong herd mentality is. She, as a college professor obviously sees this often for it to have shaped her own opinion in such a way.

I have no problem with frats getting kicked off the campus, they really enforce the herd mentality to not think for yourself in a lot of cases.

You don't have to agree with me. As a teacher, that's my take on it. It's one opinion, just as that college professor's is one opinion. Other professors may not feel the same. I hope that this is a defining moment for some of those young men and that it leads them in a positive direction and a new road to travel. I think that now is the time for the Panhellenic Council to take a long hard look at all the chapters around the country and for individual Greek houses to really scrutinize what is happening under the guise these so called prestigious brotherhoods. The SAE fraternity has the motto "True Gentlemen." Seems to me that was lost somewhere along the way to the infamous bus ride.

This we can agree on. I don't know the situations of the boys in these cases or what their families are like. I really really really hope this is a turning point for them. A wake up call. I also agree about scrutinizing what is happening on campuses, I have thought that for a long time with a lot of different circumstances that don't seem to be taken seriously. I have seen secksual assault cases brushed under the rug. They have seemed to have for a while almost protected that pack mentality with these frats. There have been several frats closed at NC State for various reasons.

[hyacinth003]

As soon as it becomes wrong to talk about killing police officers and how bad they all are, then I will be concerned about what some dumb college kids sing.

As a matter of fact, some state senator has said very offensive things about the police, and he is still there.

Two wrongs don't make a right, but that is what concerns me more.

I care way more about an atmosphere that is dangerous for police officers to protect the rest of us.

Hyacinth

[hyacinth003]

Nebraska state senator Ernie Chambers is who I am referring to.

Go read his comments for something that ought to really disturb you.

Because I think what he says is PERVASIVE too.

Hyacinth

[Barbara in Virginia]

The Interfraternity Council has a lot of work to do, along with its individual members. (Panhellenic is for the sororities.) Apologies are just the beginning. These incidents that have been exposed of late are pretty institutionalized, and in multiple fraternities, and in all parts of the country.

Back in the day when I was an active member of my sorority at a large campus we NEVER heard of this kind of se x ual abuse, including having s e chs with drugged and unconscious young women; deaths that resulted from hazing; deaths resulting from falling out of windows or off roofs; or ugly, public, displays of racism.

This was not part and parcel of youthful hijinks.

Behind much of this disgusting behavior is easily obtainable underage drinking and illegal drugging.

To turn this culture we find today around will take vigorous involvement of alumni with the local chapters and continuous instructive programs, beginning with pledge classes and continuing through the time that members are collegiate active members. Hopefully the Nationals will not be left with the only remaining recourse of shutting entire chapters down.

And the sororities need to do the same, BTW.

[Lila Belle]

On 3/28/2015 hyacinth003 said:

As soon as it becomes wrong to talk about killing police officers and how bad they all are, then I will be concerned about what some dumb college kids sing.

As a matter of fact, some state senator has said very offensive things about the police, and he is still there.

Two wrongs don't make a right, but that is what concerns me more.

I care way more about an atmosphere that is dangerous for police officers to protect the rest of us.

Hyacinth

I'm concerned about both. Singing about blacks hanging from trees and death to cops, or death to any group is wrong and should be condemned.

To say otherwise is saying it is okay to condone or advocate lynching or violence against certain groups.