Racist Allegations Fly After Hopkins Costume Party

Kathryn Brown
Reporting

(WJZ) A fraternity at John's Hopkins University has been suspended by the school and its national governing body for throwing a weekend Halloween party that some are calling racist.

WJZ's Kathryn Brown reports on the controversial party, which has since led to student protests and a school wide emergency meeting.

Before the party, the chapter of Sigma Chi put out e-mails urging students to attend what it called "Halloween In The Hood," and reminding them to wear the most "dispicable" costumes.

Some partygoers said they saw a costume that resembled a slave and others that were stereotypical, depicting african americans wearing a lot of jewelry and sagging their pants low.

What may have been the most controversial prop at the party was a dark-haired stuffed skeleton hanging from a noose outside the frat house.

"If you know your black history, black folk were hung, so you can't tell us that that's not meaningful to us," said Black Student Union Advisor Deborah Savage.

School president Bill Brody called the fraternity's party "inexcusable."

School spokesman Dennis O'Shea said, "We're just appalled. This is not the type of thing which should be going on in a University community."

School officials also say a University advisor talked to frat members before the party and told them not to go through with it.

On Sunday, three members of the frat went to a Black Student Union meeting, where Union members say they tried to defend the party.

"They claimed they didn't understand why we were upset, why it was offensive," said Black Student Union member Chrisina Chapman.

As student and faculty protesters lined the streets of the Hopkins campus Monday, University officials called an emergency school-wide meeting to address the issue.

Sigma Chi's regional supervisor, John Miller, said he fully supports an investigation into the party.

"I support and I know the general fraternity supports getting to the bottom of this," said Miller. "I believe there is a larger issue at this University."

African american freshman Justin Jones said, "There is this current of, not necessarily that we're not welcome, but that we're here on false pretenses."

In addition to the meeting, Hopkins officials sent out a letter about the incident to the school community. To read the full letter Click Here.

The frat was not only suspended by Hopkins but also by its governing body in Illinois. Officials are also considering whether to disband the Hopkins chapter of the frat altogether.

As University officials continue their questioning they say they have not yet set a timetable for their investigations.

Would like to know what some of my more conservative brethern think about this.

Peace.

__________________
E.Pluribus Unum

People of power have NO good will and people of good will have NO power.

If you think Education is Expensive try Ignorance.

Black people make a nationwide movie called "White Chicks" portraying white women as stupid and materialistic. A frat, (which normally operates off campus) is victimized for the same behavior. I am not saying their behavior isn't abhorant, but we should at least come to a consensus as a nation as to what constitutes racism. You can't say its ok for blacks to mock whites, but not for whites to mock blacks. It doesn't work, there will always be animosity.

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"In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule." - Nietzsche

there are numerous examples of blacks doing the same. Another movie example is White Men Can't Jump. I think both are examples of racism and should be deemed as unacceptable by civil society. I do think it's scary that educated kids really see nothing wrong with the idea of that party. I find it equally scary that those who condemn the above will be the first in line to take their kids to see White Chicks.

__________________
All you need to know about the energy crisis:
ANWR Exploration Republicans: 91% Supported. Democrats: 86% Opposed.
Coal-to-liquid R's: 90% YES. D's: 78% NO.
Oil Shale Exploration R's: 90% YES. D's: 86% NO.
Outer Continental Shelf Exploration R's: 81% YES. D's: 83% NO.
Increased Refinery Capacity R's: 97% YES. D's: 96% NO

SUMMARY: 91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of America’s own oil and gas. 86% of House Democrats have historically voted against.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebellion";p=&quot there are numerous examples of blacks doing the same. Another movie example is White Men Can't Jump. I think both are examples of racism and should be deemed as unacceptable by civil society. I do think it's scary that educated kids really see nothing wrong with the idea of that party. I find it equally scary that those who condemn the above will be the first in line to take their kids to see White Chicks.

I actually thought white chicks was tasteless and dumb for numerous reasons. I will be the first to step in line to protest black people portraying white people in a negative light. Right is right and wrong is wrong no matter what your color.

Peace.

__________________
E.Pluribus Unum

People of power have NO good will and people of good will have NO power.

If you think Education is Expensive try Ignorance.

Despicable.

I don't believe the conservative position is that we live in a color-blind society. The conservative position would be we need to do what we can to make this a color-blind society - especially when it comes to the government's behavior.

I was addressing some black people who do see those stereotype movies. I didn't mean to infer you were one of them. Unfortunately there are some who will condemn the above but not other instances. We're in agreement, your story is a sad commentary.

__________________
All you need to know about the energy crisis:
ANWR Exploration Republicans: 91% Supported. Democrats: 86% Opposed.
Coal-to-liquid R's: 90% YES. D's: 78% NO.
Oil Shale Exploration R's: 90% YES. D's: 86% NO.
Outer Continental Shelf Exploration R's: 81% YES. D's: 83% NO.
Increased Refinery Capacity R's: 97% YES. D's: 96% NO

SUMMARY: 91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of America’s own oil and gas. 86% of House Democrats have historically voted against.

Really? I haven't seen too much of that, but hey thats just me.

Peace.

__________________
E.Pluribus Unum

People of power have NO good will and people of good will have NO power.

If you think Education is Expensive try Ignorance.

If God intended Whitey to rule the NBA, He would have made us taller and able to jump better. We gots to learn to live with what we gots, dig? I mean we can't all be out there shooting rounds at other rappers, or testing our Uzi or MAC-10 rolling through the 'hood. Those are the glamor guys, not us. We short white non-jumpers just stay home and mind the store.

And unlike Wesley Snipes, we pay our business taxes.

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Delivering tasty bite-sized Clues to liberals since 1965.

Speak for yourself. As a white man, I would rather not be lumped together with you and whatever white supremacy club you are a member of.

Thats good man. It sucks the Wayan brothers went from such funny comedy like in living color to cheesy crap like White Chicks and the movie about the Baby Bank Robber.

Unfortunately, I don't really think we are a color-blind society. In some ways I think we are better, and in other ways maybe we are worse. I just gave that example because sometimes Mexicans are racist against Blacks, or Blacks against Asians, or Whites against Blacks etc. and some forms are considered by a lot of people to be "ok" but not others.

I can't see why college kids would do this, but maybe they have just been segregated their whole lives and never made a black friend, and thus they have no problem making such cruel mockery of slavery etc. But luckily I am sure that jerks like this don't represent the views of most college kids.

__________________
"In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule." - Nietzsche