Racism at OU

[soonerwings]

Well, any mother worth her salt has the answer to that non-question ... They are KIDS ... I've worked for senior partners who exhibited less maturity than those kids ... Scary, huh?

While I was stationed in GA, one of the common expressions I picked up was "some people's kids. . ." That expression was commonly used in response to hearing about general dumbassery that some individual had been a part of. The implication, of course, is that not every parent is equal. I can't guarantee that my kid will never do anything stupid (she will), but I'll bet she never does anything dumb enough to attract the attention of the national media.

That being said, your experience with senior partners is kind of scary. I have NO desire to EVER work in a large law firm.

 

[sh00ter]

Please confine the negative comments about Islam to Al Queda, ISIS, Taliban, etc.

what about the Saudi gov't? What about the treatment of gays, women, etc. by all of the mid-east countries we call our allies? It isn't just ISIS that beheads and oppresses people; it is fundamentalists. My muslims friends (westernized) are more progressive and do think women should be able to drive and go to college but surely we can condemn any oppressive regimes under the "etc." part? Of course, that isn't the point of this thread but I wanted to point this out and ask for future reference what was covered under "etc." Thx JB

 

[Dale00]

If these miscreants wish to sue, it may get interesting. I doubt they will because they are already so ostracized and probably wish to get as far away from the public spotlight as possible.

...In the letter that Boren used to notify each student of their expulsions, he appears to be acting unilaterally as president to immediately expel the students without any prior due process....

...This form of justice appears to be totally at odds with the established procedures of the university regarding punishing student misconduct.

Oklahoma, like most universities, has a student conduct code outlining the reasons students can be disciplined by the school. The code also has an appendix explicitly listing the procedures to be followed when a student is accused of misconduct. There is no listed procedure allowing the school’s president to unilaterally punish any student, let alone expel them. Instead, there is a clear process to be followed, with extra safeguards for students facing expulsion that would be virtually impossible to meet in the two days.

For example, the code clearly states that conducting conducting investigations is the prerogative of the Student Conduct Office, and that any punishment must be preceded by ordering an accused student to attend a “mandatory meeting” to hear and, if the student wishes, answer the allegations against them. Students have at least a five-day window to have this meeting, unless prompt action is “essential” due to a substantial safety concern or the imminent end of a semester.

Student Conduct can only suggest a punishment following this mandatory meeting, and if the student disagrees, the student is allowed to request a full hearing, which is not an appeals body but rather assesses the case independently.

In cases involving a possible expulsion, even more protections exist, ensuring the accused the right to an attorney and the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses against them, as well as present evidence on their behalf. And even if the students’ involvement with the video is not in doubt, they are promised the opportunity to show remorse, suggest mitigating circumstances, or offer other forms of defense.

Instead, Boren appears to have overridden these procedures, and it could end up costing him, personally.

Samantha Harris, director of policy research at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, said that it is almost unprecedented for a public university president to unilaterally expel a student without a hearing or other opportunity to dispute the allegations against them.

“Students in public universities are entitled to some basic type of due process,” Harris told The Daily Caller News Foundation. Immediate expulsions that override due process, she said, could “typically only be permissible where people are deemed a clear and present physical danger.”

“It was not a threat to someone’s life, [and] it was not an immediate incitement to violence.”

Harris cited the case of Hayden Barnes, a student at Valdosta State University who was summarily expelled in 2007 after the school’s president determined that Barnes was personally threatening him with his opposition to several school parking garages. When Barnes sued, a jury found that Valdosta President Ronald Zaccari had acted so illegally that he was personally liable for $50,000 in damages to Barnes. The case is still locked in litigation, but recent rulings in appeals court have opened the door for Barnes to receive hundreds of thousands of additional damages from the university in damages and attorney fees.

While the alleged wrongs in each case are quite different, Harris said the violation of due process in each case appears to be almost identical. Combined with the possible damages stemming from First Amendment violations, Oklahoma could be exposing itself to hundreds of thousands in damages, while Boren could wind up personally exposed as well.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/03/10/ou-could-be-making-a-huge-mistake-with-its-expulsions/

 

[Hobbes]

On The Nightly Show last night, host Larry Wilmore discussed to expel two members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Wilmore began by showing the clip in which former Oklahoma student Parker Rice led his fraternity brothers in a chant of “the worst song ever — sorry Baha Men, you’re not longer number one.” Once the video concluded, he imitated his critics by using a baby voice and saying, “Racism doesn’t exist anymore, Larry. Why do you always have to focus on race on your show, Larry. Just stop.”

“You first!” he replied sternly in his own voice. “I’ll stop talking about race when people stop being racist.”

Wilmore then offered a “quick note to people capturing racism on [their] phones,” asking them to “please stop shooting vertical videos? Have you never heard of aspect ratio or wide-screen? I want to experience my hate in 16:9, not 2:5.”

He quickly turned serious, however, praising the University of Oklahoma for the swiftness with which it expelled the students involved in the chant. “They also kicked the fraternity off campus,” he added, “so don’t worry, you won’t be seeing any more of those frat boys — until they’re your congressmen.”

“Welcome to America everybody,” he continued, “that’s how it works.”

 

[sh00ter]

I think the reaction both in the media, by the University, the national fraternity, and even on this forum has shown that racism can't flourish as is claimed here in 2015...

People "unfriend" people pretty quick and run away from racists so I do not buy the whole narrative that this country is so racist. We have a black president, black attorney general, black SCOTUS justice, countless black CEO's, millionaire sports figures, and NFL coaches, etc...I think malicious white racists (the lynchers or the 1920's, the Texas redneck sleigh-ride people, etc) are dwindled down to almost nothing, and the remaining racism is just bottled up emotion with no real bite. These kids obviously felt powerful to sing a nasty song about black people but in the grand scheme, if they went on to be a congressman or CEO and they didn't grow out of this non-sense, then they'd be ruined forever if their secret got out.

I have found white people that are afraid of being labeled as racists to be the ones so quick to over-react instead of being pragmatic. It used to be just white liberals, but now there is a trend of white conservatives jumping at opportunities like this to try and prove THEY themselves are not racists by going over the top on any hint of any bias by other whites. In some of these cases, the over-reactors turn out to have white guilt about being racists themselves...much like a guy who 1st smells a fart in the room and is actually the culprit. I am comfortable enough with my own convictions to discuss this on a more even keel because I know what is in my own heart. I do not buy the racism-for-profit garbage and I think that this even goes to show how hard it is to be a racist in America in 2015 and how those who would seek to profit from this type of thing with sympathy or financial gain WANT more stuff like this to happen to support their own personal agenda. These are people like Al Sharpton, etc...you know the ones. It is unfortunate there are still whites who fullfill the need for this type of trash, but at least we don't put up with it as in the past so hopefully honest black folks recognize that.

So next time something like this happens, look at how many white folks won't put up with it and then look at who is running our nation and let go of your white guilt because this is a great country and you are a part of what makes it great and do not owe anyone an apology for who you are. We will continue to call out bad behavior but we will not feel responsible for what someone else does (whether involving race, guns, etc.) when we know that good people (black, white, brown, etc.) can do well in this nation if they just take some personal responsibility and be good to others along the way. And based on my theory that in some cases, this type of deal is related to bottled up racism that is in response to all the black crime stories and gangsta rap these boys grew up inundated with as children, I encourage black people to work to break free from those negative stereotypes, police their own communities, improve their lives and eliminate some of the reasons the nay-sayers may use to scrutinize them.

Another theory is that things like this could be a rebellion against 20yrs of hard-core political correctness that these boys grew up with; whereas, they vent it out in a private setting because the nation has gone over the top with political correctness so they want to prove they can still say whatever they want in a setting where they think there is nobody to offend (like a sealed bus full of upper-middle class white people). I think many people agree with that theory despite the fact they'd would not partake in such a hateful chant.

As for the 1st theory mentioned,

I recall Rick Santorum and Neel Boortz both citing 3 things that can greatly reduce your chances of poverty. I think there were other versions so I'm adding on a 4th step: http://www.wsbradio.com/weblogs/nealz-nuze/2012/jan/17/poverty-matter-choice/

1.) Stay in school.
2.) Don’t get pregnant until married
3.) When you get out of school get a job. Any job. And keep that job until you can find one that pays more.
4.) Don't use drugs

God loves all His children and I know he hates how the establishment has divided us. I am thankful my IQ affords me the opportunity not to buy into blanket narratives and will continue to take things case by case just like MLK said we should

 

[inactive]

According to Cleveland County, "BOARD OF REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF OK"

Right, which is what I was wanting to point out that the property is not independently owned but rather owned by the University who has say over the tenancy of the property.

 

[dennishoddy]

Exactly. I support free speech, but they have crossed a line that shouldn't be crossed at all. They earned that expulsion.

If Kayne West had rapped that chant at the Grammy's he would have got a standing ovation.

 

[Lurker66]

If Kayne West had rapped that chant at the Grammy's he would have got a standing ovation.

We'll never know because it ain't happened yet. But we do know what happens when students chant racial stuff on buses.

 

[DrinkYourMilkshake]

Is expulsion the appropriate punishment? I would think that if I had been caught on camera saying something like that, just being on campus would be a day to day game of who is going to just clean my clock out of nowhere.

That said, I honestly do not think they should have been expelled. Not because I even come close to agreeing with the ideology, stupidity or whatever it actually was. I don't think they should have been expelled because that is life. You are going to have sh*theads no matter what. Life is about making the choice to just move past those people. Additionally, academia is notorious for supporting "protests" of some of the most screwed up flavors... some of which I would have found downright offensive if I really got offended by the jack*ssery that other people partake in, including rallies that I have witnessed that I considered racist, sexist etc etc.

 

[Dave70968]

We'll never know because it ain't happened yet. But we do know what happens when students chant racial stuff on buses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Count_(album)

Body Count is well known for the inclusion of the controversial song "Cop Killer", which was the subject of much criticism from various political figures, although many defended the song on the basis of the group's right to freedom of speech. Ice-T eventually chose to remove the song from the album,[2] although it continues to be performed live. While the album received mixed reviews, it was ranked among the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums of 1992,[3] and is believed to have helped pave the way for the mainstream success of the rapcore genre,[4][5] although the album itself does not feature rapping in any of its songs.[6]