Can Frat Bros Can Save The Republic?
After weeks of appalling demonstrations by college students, the character displayed by these young men should give us a glimmer of hope.After weeks of appalling demonstrations by college students, the character displayed by these young men should give us a glimmer of hope.Ole Miss frat kicks out member who carried out 'racist actions' during counter-protest against pro-Palestinian students
A University of Mississippi fraternity kicked out a member who carried out "racist actions" during a counter-protest against pro-Palestinian students Thursday.
Time referred to a clip of a "student making racist gestures, seemingly imitating a monkey, toward a Black woman."
Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters stated Sunday that the "racist actions in the video were those of an individual and are antithetical to the values of Phi Delta Theta and the Mississippi Alpha chapter. The responsible individual was removed from membership on Friday, May 3."
In addition, the university opened a student conduct investigation over "actions that conveyed hostility and racist overtones," National Public Radio reported.
More from NPR:
One video shows a Black woman and a group of white male counterprotesters yelling at each other. In it, a man imitates the sounds and dance of a monkey toward the woman, while others in the crowd chant "Lock her up!"
In a letter to students and faculty the next day, university Chancellor Glenn Boyce said that "university leaders are aware that some statements made were offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable," and have launched an investigation into the conduct of one student. "We are working to determine whether more cases are warranted," he added.
"Behaviors and comments that demean people because of their race or ethnicity marginalize them and undermine the values that are fundamental to a civil and safe society," Boyce wrote.
The school's student government issued a statement saying “unacceptable remarks were made" during the incident that "departed from our cherished values.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Georgia) shared the now-viral video on X and captioned it, "Ole Miss taking care of business." Numerous commenters accused Collins of racism.
More than 200 students showed up to the counter-protest with U.S. flags and red, white, and blue attire to drown out a much smaller group of pro-Palestinian protesters.
The Clarion Ledger reported that the pro-Palestinian protesters were evacuated from campus.
WMC-TV said in its video report that a pro-Palestinian protester threw a water bottle into the crowd of counter-protesters — and then bottles and food were flying in both directions.
Pro-Palestine protests on Ole Miss campus youtu.be
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Black college student arrested after allegedly posting fake racist frat party invite that read, 'No blacks'
A black student at East Carolina University was arrested after police said he posted a fake racist fraternity party invite that read "No blacks."
The arrest comes after another student was initially accused of posting the invite, after which he said he received death threats.
What are the details?
James Daniel Edwards, 19, was booked Friday at the Pitt County Jail on a misdemeanor cyberstalking charge that came with a $1,000 bond. Edwards' race is listed as black in jail records.
Officials said Edwards turned himself in at the jail, the News & Observer reported.
ECU student arrested for fake racist fraternity party invite https://t.co/B6lcb2D6IA https://t.co/5XurCGLxgr
— WITN Headlines (@WITN) 1633380773.0
What's the background?
In August, police in Greenville, North Carolina, launched an investigation regarding a Yik Yak app post inviting people to a Theta Chi rush party with one eye-opening caveat: "No blacks," the invite read, according to WITN-TV.
Yik Yak allows users to post anonymously in a local area, the News & Observer reported, adding that the frat party never took place.
What's more, the name and phone number of ECU Theta Chi Chapter member, Austin Hunter, were attached to the invite, the station said.
"It's caused a lot of stress and anxiety," Hunter told WITN after his name was cleared. "To be accused of something that I didn't do, that really sucks. My name and number were posted in the college newspaper, and I was being harassed with calls and texts, and I even received death threats."
Greenville police spokesperson Kristen Hunter told WITN the department worked closely with Yik Yak to find out who actually posted the racist invite — and warned users that their anonymity only goes so far when posts are malicious.
"If you have any type of social media app, there is a digital footprint," Hunter added to the station. "There is a way to track this type of activity and behavior. So, I would certainly caution anybody that's looking to utilize anonymous apps that we can find you."
Suspect is member of different frat
The two-month investigation culminated with the arrest of Edwards, who is a member of ECU's Pi Lambda Phi chapter, WITN said.
According to a previous WITN report, Edwards' intended major is political science, and Pi Lambda Phi's website lists him as vice president of recruitment.
When WITN reached Edwards on Monday afternoon, the station reported that he said "no comment" until he gets a lawyer.
'Don't spread rumors'
Austin told WITN he hopes the outcome of the controversy teaches others that accusations before all the facts are in can have long-term consequences and should be avoided.
"Because something is posted, doesn't mean it's true," he told the station. "Don't spread rumors. What happened to me can happen to anyone."
What did the college have to say?
"We are aware of the arrest by Greenville Police of an ECU student related to a racist Yik Yak post earlier this semester," John Mountz, ECU director of student engagement said, according to WITN. "We appreciate the efforts of the Greenville Police to identify the individual who made the post and to clear the name of the student and the Theta Chi fraternity listed in the original post. We will continue to work with our students and campus to build a welcoming and inclusive community for all."
(H/T: The College Fix)
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