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We reported yesterday that the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the University of Oklahoma would likely be facing some harsh repercussions following the release of a racist video recorded inside a chartered bus. The video shows members of the fraternity chanting “There will never be a n*gger SAE!” as well as a reference to hanging from a tree.
That video is below.
The national office of SAE has responded. The SAE chapter at OU has been closed, all members have been suspended, and those individuals involved in the incident have been removed permanently.
From SAE:
Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s national headquarters has closed its Oklahoma Kappa chapter at the University of Oklahoma following the discovery of an inappropriate video. In addition, all of the members have been suspended, and those members who are responsible for the incident may have their membership privileges revoked permanently.
The fallout doesn’t stop there. University PD preemptively went to the SAE house last night as a precaution. When the officer assigned to the house had to leave on another call, the house was vandalized. This is according to NBC News. “TEAR IT [DOWN]” in black spray paint now appears on the side of the house.
It looks like the SAE house has been vandalized. One side of the house reads something like "tear it down." @OUDaily pic.twitter.com/dZebbDQT2Y
— Dana Branham (@danabranham) March 9, 2015
The university is also investigating the situation, but meanwhile, SAE members were told to vacate the campus. University President David Boren also said the following in a statement:
“I have just been informed of the video, which purports to show students engaging in a racist chant. We are investigating to determine if the video involved OU students. If OU students are involved, this behavior will not be tolerated and will be addressed very quickly. This behavior is contrary to all of our values.”
Racism sucks. It’s a stain on Greek culture and a thorough house cleaning is well overdue. It’s great to see the SAE national office and the University of Oklahoma take the proper initial steps toward thwarting racism from their respective domains as much as possible.
UPDATE: Two students identified as playing leadership roles in the video have been expelled from OU.
From University of Oklahoma President David Boren:
I have acted today to expel two students who were leaders in the singing of a racist chant. See press release – DBo pic.twitter.com/VypOiVqXi7
— David Boren (@President_Boren) March 10, 2015
Image via Twitter/ @mikebrowncover
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Dillon Cheverere
Dillon Cheverere (@DCheverere) is the Vice President of Media for Grandex, Inc. Email: dillon@grandex.co
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Hey guys, we really appreciate you advancing the “All fraternity members are privileged, racist, white assholes.” Good work, dipshits.
OU Sig Alphs had been on the ropes for a long time. Always getting in trouble and not giving a shit. The university had given them so many second chances over the years. Word was they sold the property to OU several years back just to avoid being kicked off campus. You reap what you sow…
^lol been on the ropes….
So how does it look then when an entire charter bus full of white, racist ass holes chant about not letting N***ers into their fraternity?
Advancing a stereotype is one thing, but what this chapter did is definitely unacceptable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmpDtoVbdho
“Hell I ain’t gon lie, that motherfuckin song is catchy.” I like this guy.
There was at least one blackmale as far as I could tell.
Totally unbecoming of gentleman and scholars. Behind closed doors is one thing, but whoever allowed that to be posted on social media is a fucking idiot.
It’s not okay behind closed doors either… wtf
as much as I hate to double dip, I know some fucktard is gonna say “well all of you say TNM” There’s a difference between joking about a stereotype and singing about lynching someone for being a different color
I’m not defending what they did in any way whatsoever, and I’ll probably get lapped to hell for this, but is there really that much of a difference?
You double dipped the chip and you lost. From now on, when you take a chip – just take one dip and end it.
Fuck laps and what not, point made.
Being an SAE Nationals PR guy would not be at the top of list of things I want to be right now.
I’ve actually met the guy, he has nerves of steel after all the stupid shit that we’ve pulled in various places.
None of these ass hats ever deserved to be known as a True Gentlemen of SAE. For our black members it took a lot of balls to go against the heat from their families to not join the multiculturals like the alphas or the omegas and join a social fraternity and this is what they have to deal with now. Phi never you racist cunts.
Brother zeros. All of them.
I can’t imagine how black SAE’s from other chapters are feeling right now.
My best friend and big brother is black, he is also our EDA and one of the greatest men I have ever met. I know he is disappointed to see members of an organization he holds so dear make such ignorant remarks. Brotherhood sees no color for us up here.
One of the reasons I picked my chapter over the others was because of how accepting and diverse they are.
Building brotherhood breaks down the barriers society tries to put up; We come together to become something more than what we are already.
Some black kid’s parents won’t let them join non black fraternities. This instance certainly isn’t going to help. just sets everyone back.
same as the rest of us, pissed off at these ass clowns, wondering why they would dare call themselves sig alphs.
They deserve to be punished. That kind of behavior does nothing but make themselves, their fraternity, and all fraternity men look like shit. It’s not what we or our organizations are about. Fuck them.
Quit your rambling and shut up. Fuck them for saying a few racist words when they’re drunk at an event with their brothers? They should be expelled and have their lives ruined? You sir, are what we call a pussy. Go join exec board.
Whenever a person comes to our chapter from another asking for a place to stay, we more than often give them a bed they can crash on for a few days. If I ever got stranded or needed help in a random state, I would expect that I would be able to contact a local chapter and they could help me out because that’s what our brotherhood should be about. It is sad to know that I wouldn’t be welcomed to certain chapters because of the color of my skin even though we should share the same ideals being from the same organization.
I’m glad they’re being made an example of. I hope we can all move past these “traditions” and be accepting of all of our brothers no matter where they are from or what they look like.
Happy Founder’s Day?
It’s good that OU took a stand to this- unacceptable behavior for fraternity men whose example many follow. Quite a sad situation for the parties involved for a very poor lapse in judgement. Sad to see this on video in 2015.
This being said, I cannot stand by the graffiti of the house. Just because certain people bother you by their actions doesn’t mean you take matters into your own hands. Hopefully there is an investigation into that. – that kind of behavior should not stand as well.
This is more than a “poor lapse in judgement.”
Here’s the thing people need to understand about opinions. They don’t change easily. This video, as awful as it is, did not make new people think fraternities are all racist. The people complaining about this the loudest, already thought that. People hold on to beliefs so strongly, that many of those same people, still refuse to acknowledge that the Rolling Stone story was bullshit. So we can go on about how these guys made us look bad etc, and they did. But the truth is, all the people blowing up internet comments sections about how horrible Greek life is, already thought that before this video. They didn’t need this evidence, they don’t need any evidence at all. They had one bad interaction with a fraternity or sorority, and that’s all they’d ever need. Videos like this merely give them an outlet to justifiably spew their hatred towards something they don’t understand.
Fuck them, phi never. Thats not what we’re about.
Our founders day is meant celebrate 159 years of upstanding brotherhood and fraternal bonds but now it has been bismurched by the actions of a few ignorant assholes.
Sad what the actions of a few dumbfucks can do. I really hate that chapter
I love ur profile pic
I’m just going to sit this one out.
What do you expect from a chapter that throws people off of their balcony?
The logical reaction to a video is to vandalize someone’s shit? And just like UVA a few months ago, I guarantee none of the administration give a flying fuck. What a sick definition of justice. Whether you want to admit or not, the only racism Americans recognize in 2015 is white on black.
Didn’t realize this site was followed by so many social justice warriors. I thought liberal geed fucks were the ones who took one isolated incidents and used it to define someone’s moral stature. Maybe TFM’s not what it used to be, but if a video is all it takes to completely turn your back on your “brothers”, maybe the folks reading aren’t who they used to be either.
So now that guy’s facebook profile is being passed around…His profile picture is loaded with shares(mainly black people).Here’s hoping nothing happens to him :/.
I’m sorry to say that this is nuts.. To expell students for singing a racist song is ridiculous. In America, there used to be this thing called freedom of speech. You might not like what someone has to say, but it’s not your right to change it. Everyone’s different, stop trying to conform everyone.
Hundreds of men it took to build that organization… And it only took one bus full of drunks to tear it down. It’s unfortunate that they tarnished a respectable name.
SAE already had a tarnished name. This just adds to it.
If they don’t tear the house down, the chapter will just be back in a few years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x5ZRAVXxr8
Shit like this wouldn’t happen if people remembered the number one rule. Chapter business is chapter business. Don’t post shit on social media, stop snapchatting everything to everyone. No matter what it is. This is piss poor risk management.
Why are yall down voting me? Racism is terrible and has no place in society but most fraternities do some questionable shit. Whether it’s hazing or general debauchery. Most issues I’ve seen are because someone broke the rule. Like leaking emails or recording video.
Or you could try not doing disgusting shit like this. That would probably be better.
When the fuck are people going to learn that everything can be recorded with literally a flick of a finger.
Happy Founders Day PA
Good riddance.
There’s a great video on SAE national’s page with an Oklahoma SAE rush chairman talking about being a true gentleman. Croc of shit.
Excellent work and coverage of the issue. These ass holes deserve everything they get.
No room for it in today’s world
Again I have to raise the free speech concern. Time and time again scotus has upheld that even the most reprehensible speech must be protected under the first amendment because of how sacrosanct it is. If westboro baptist church can get off of multimillion dollar damages from protesting soldier funerals in order to protect free speech shouldn’t a bunch of 18-22 year olds have the same consideration when all they did was say n*gger?
The First Amendment protects you from the law. These guys didn’t break the law, thus are not in trouble with the law.
It bothers me that so many people still don’t fully understand how the first amendment works
Agree with you as far as SAE disowning them is concerned. But, as it is a public university, if Oklahoma takes punitive action, then it does become a First Amendment issue. Clearly these idiots did not mean for this to in any way constitute a direct threat, or fighting words.
Snyder v Phelps had nothing to do with the law, it was a civil suit. The court ruled that the first amendment protects people from torts of emotional distress even if the speech is outrageous.
What is the revocation of their charter if not a tort? What is their song if not outrages speech? Would this even be an issue if people were not emotionally distressed by this?
Revocation of the charter is an example of freedom of association. SAE has every right to disown them. However, Oklahoma, being a public university may not punish them. Nor may some OK student who saw the video, and was offended, sue them.
The revocation of their charter is most certainly not a tort. A tort would be someone suing them as a result of the emotional distress caused by this video.
Technically a Tort can be an legal action resulting in harm or loss. Revocation of an official document recognizing an institution can be seen as a legal act and obviously there is loss there
One main thing you are missing: universities do not have to follow the laws that you are speaking of. They are exempt from a ton of laws, for better or worse.
Actually no, public universities are barred from punishing speech. Every time a public school has instituted a speech code and it’s been challenged, it has been struck down.
No it doesn’t. It protects people from undue punishment from the state for speaking, writing, assembling, or the other symbolic forms of speech that the courts have ruled on, like flag burning.
Yeah, but we aren’t talking about multimillion dollar damages here. We’re talking about if they should be allowed to be a fraternity after this. And the answer is no. No one is saying they can’t say what they want. We’re just saying if you want to be a racist piece of shit and brag about it, you don’t get to call yourself Greek.
I’m more concerned with the fact it seems some people are intent on having them expelled. Yea take their house but to expel them is overkill
The 1st amendment protects you from any punishment or recourse because of what you say FROM THE GOVERMENT. SAE nationals and OU are private organizations, they can take whatever action they want
OU is a public school dipshit.
You’re a special kind of stupid aren’t you son
That doesn’t actually matter. Government funded and government run are totally different. All private and public schools are subsidized by the government.
Any school receiving federal funding cannot violate First Amendment rights.
1 step forward with the philanthropy article, and I can’t even count how many backwards with this video coming out. But the news would never cover a philanthropy event where we do something good.
This is what happens when you eliminate the pledge process. You allow dipshits like these people remain in your chapter
I think these guys are assclowns ass much as the next guy but I don’t think racism is grounds to expel a student. Don’t get me wrong what they said was wrong and insensitive, but they did not verbally or physically assault any African Americans. Pulling their chapter is okay, having them vacate the building is okay, but expelling them is a little far.
Over/Under 90% of the asshats singing were wearing rented tuxedos? I’m taking the over.
I in no way support the men in the video, but I don’t understand how someone can be offended by a word they use and call their friends. If you want the word to go away, everyone needs to stop using the word and its variations.
If you haven’t accepted the fact that everyone can be racists except for whites then I don’t know what to tell you.
I meant how could they be offended when everyday I hear someone say “what’s up, nigga?” It’s the same word whether you try to make it show affection or not.
Yeah I guess when people say the N word to describe a black person it’s just friendly and all in good fun, especially when they talk about not letting them into their fraternity and, y’know, fucking lynching them in the same sentence.
racist bastards
Although I do not approve of what SAE did I will be the first to say they SHOULD NOT have been kicked off campus. It is Americas great freedom to respect the rights of others to be separate if they so choose. They are a private organization and should be allowed to choose who they want in their chapter. If anything they should be fined for hate speech .
Every chapter needs a No Phones Policy,
No, every chapter needs a “don’t be a racist fuck” policy.
That works as well
Hope nationally they can recover. Seems like nearly every time there’s a negative fraternity story it’s about SAE. Would hate to see my Dad’s fraternity go under
I’m not saying they were right for chanting that, but what happened to due process?
This isn’t a legal system or a court of law. SAE Nationals governs their fraternity and they shut it down. I don’t see how people don’t understand or can’t comprehend this.
No, I understand it is nationals, but it just seems like a knee-jerk reaction to ban all members of the chapter and immediately kicking them off without a thorough investigation (hell, it hasn’t even been a full day yet has it?)
I agree it is really fast, but 1. the video shows there doesn’t need to be an investigation, that’s some deathblow evidence, and 2. SAE had to get ahead of this real fast before the media jumps on Greek life even more than they already do. This semi-cuts off the problem at this garbage chapter. Good move by them.
You are definitely right about the second point and I do agree they need to maintain face by doing it, but if it was a minority chanting or if it was on, say a sorority formal bus, then the chapter as a whole is being punished (some might say rightly so since they didn’t speak up against it). I’m from the South and it seems like a lot of fraternities around here probably do have a handful of people who probably would chant something similar and thereby get the whole chapter in trouble. I don’t know, it just seems that whenever race or rape is involved the whole is considered guilty from the start without really looking into the situation. Obviously there is evidence in this case, but when it comes to these sorts of issues the best thing to do is to take a step back and look at it without emotion (recent events throughout the country, both in and out of the Greek system, show that people do the opposite)
Have you seen the video? there’s your evidence. And we already had to drop pledging before our insurance dropped us. Between the insurance that would go up again and the National pr do you think the council had a choice?
They’d have to be taken to court or arrested for due process to apply. Private organizations have the freedom to ban whoever they want from being members
Due process went out the window when there was video evidence
If you can’t go Greek go Pike or TKE, but if you’re just a natural fuck up go SAE.