Frat Learned Racist Chants On Leadership Cruise
[su_right_ad]The University of Oklahoma SAE chapter learned racist rants on a leadership retreat four years ago.
President David Boren said the school interviewed more than 160 people during its investigation into members of its now-defunct Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter who were captured on video taking part in the chant, which included references to lynching, a racial slur and the promise that the fraternity would never accept a black member.
“That chant was learned and brought back to the local chapter,” Boren said at a news conference in which he disclosed the school investigation’s findings. “Over time, the chant was formalized by the local chapter and was taught to pledges as part of the formal and informal pledgeship process.”
Modal Trigger Oklahoma University President David L. BorenPhoto: AP
A statement released Friday by the Evanston, Illinois-based national Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity said its own investigation is ongoing but confirmed the chant likely was shared during its annual six-day retreat. SAE’s Executive Director Blaine Ayers said in the statement he believes some members shared the chant during an informal “social gathering” outside of the normal slate of classes, seminars and other educational functions.[su_center_ad]
Suzanne McFly March 28th, 2015 at 11:19 am
Bet the racist fraternity never thought the President of a college in Oklahoma would be the one to begin their end.
Jon C March 28th, 2015 at 11:28 am
“SAE’s
Executive Director Blaine Ayers said in the statement he believes some
members shared the chant during an informal “social gathering” outside
of the normal slate of classes, seminars and other educational
functions.” Full statement: https://www.sae.net/oklahoma And what
happened is something that I am sure you, Mr. Alan Colmes,
have seen first hand at least once in your life. Some foolish idiot
tells another foolish idiot something over a late night round of drinks.
That second foolish idiot (from U of OK) rather than forgetting it (or
even reporting it) takes the time to remember it AND takes it home with
him. Nothing at all to do with anything National taught or teaches. In
fact, the very opposite is true. “Pundits are wrong to turn isolated
mistakes made by individuals into wholesale indictments of fraternal
organizations that have been vital parts of the higher-education system
for more than 150 years. We are in the business of helping students
grow, which means spending time correcting mistakes instead of
condemning the entire system.” http://ow.ly/KU6Wk
Um Cara March 28th, 2015 at 11:34 am
A more interesting statement from the national organization might have been ‘We are ashamed we created an environment where a significant number of our members spread a song that gleefully celebrates lynching. We have decided to shut down the organization as it is apparent that we suck.’
Jon C March 28th, 2015 at 12:59 pm
“Significant number”?????? Prove that comment of yours “Um Cara”. After reading, in full, my posting. And that would be just for starters. Or would you rather talk about closing every single kind and type of group on/off campus? And closing every type, kind of business and corporation? Or would you rather talk about and come up with ways to find and remove all the fools, idiots and”evil doers” we have in our society and culture in all of the above areas? And find ways to repair and fix our society and culture?
Um Cara March 28th, 2015 at 3:36 pm
“Significant number”?
It’s subjective – one could be a significant number to me, 1000 might not be significant to you. I’d think for the national org, if ‘significant’ isn’t ‘anything more than 0’ (which again, is where I would set it), it might be something like ‘enough people that it spreads the song far and deep enough to wipe out one of our chapters’
Prove that comment of yours “Um Cara”. After reading, in full, my posting. And that would be just for starters.
LOL, look at Bossy McBossypants. What’s next, Jon C? Orders to say ‘Thank you sir, may I have another’?
And closing every type, kind of business and corporation?
If you want to put this in terms of biz & corps, sem problema. The SAE brand is associated with being pro lynching, pro sexual assault, and the death of a black pledge not too long before the following song was made public:
Time to dissolve, there are lots of other fraternities out there – I doubt the world will be ‘significantly’ worse after the national org finally realizes they are done.
fahvel March 29th, 2015 at 3:18 am
I missed something. What is this jon babbling about?
burqa March 29th, 2015 at 6:52 am
Good question. looks to me he wants to shut down all the frats and organizations on campus even if they had nothing to do with it. They all gotta go, from the Shakespeare Appreciation Society to the Black Student Association to the Kate Upton Fan Club – outcha go!
Not sure if he would include fantasy football leagues.
burqa March 29th, 2015 at 6:11 am
Good points.
I heard a tape of the chant and it was not one or two, but a group I’d also describe as ‘significant’ in number. Boren said 180 people have been interviewed and if indeed the chant was regularly chanted then it seems reasonable to presume most, if not all of the members heard it at one time or another at least once and probably more often than that.
I would be interested to know how many businesses in that college town have scraped an SAE decal off the front window or door of their establishment.
burqa March 29th, 2015 at 6:44 am
Boren letter: “it does appear that the chant was widely known and informally shared amongst members on the leadership cruise.””
Ok, so they probably didn’t chant it at a formal meeting where some fink would tape it.
Sooooo, Jon C, how do you think it was “informally shared”?
3×5 cards?
A lot of drinking takes place on those cruise ships and here we have a bunch of college kids “informally shar[ing] the chant.
Just a guess, but I think it is very likely they “shared” it by chanting it at the top of their lungs while doing some heavy drinking. Lots of people on that cruise ship should have heard it.
I think it is very unlikely they did the chant only once in a soft whisper, like one is supposed to use in a library.
Obewon March 28th, 2015 at 1:26 pm
ΣΑΕ’s racist Leadership imploded their fraternity nationally. Good luck citing SAE membershit as a value on any resume.
rg9rts March 28th, 2015 at 2:05 pm
I only cite Delta
burqa March 29th, 2015 at 6:04 am
Do they still answer the phones, “This is Delta Delta Delta, may I help-ya help-ya help-ya?”
rg9rts March 29th, 2015 at 6:08 am
Toga Toga Toga
rg9rts March 28th, 2015 at 2:01 pm
This is leadership???
viva_democracy March 29th, 2015 at 1:43 am
I don’t think anyone’s surprised by this, but if you’re really against racism, then you would’ve walked away once the racist chants came out. You wouldn’t participate.
fahvel March 29th, 2015 at 3:15 am
what the hell is a leadership cruise?
Warman1138 March 29th, 2015 at 5:16 am
Sounds like Boren is trying to blow smoke up somewhere it doesn’t belong.