When I first saw the video of the University of Oklahoma chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon participating in a racist chant, it was, of course, shocking. However, I definitely wouldn’t say it was surprising.
The response from OU President David Boren was nothing short of remarkable. Not only did he swiftly condemn the actions of the fraternity, but he also expelled the two students identified as the chant’s leaders.
Even though the response has largely been condemnation, other responses have been incredibly disappointing. The ‘boys will be boys’ and the ‘blame hippity-hop’ crowd has gotten considerable airtime to help downplay what these students actually did.
Calling what they did solely tasteless, stupid or bone-headed is incredibly disingenuous because the chant itself was textbook racism. They didn’t do the chant because they were drunk and dumb. If you listen to what they were saying, it suggests their own inherent and perceived superiority over black people.
What legitimately scares me about this whole ordeal is the fact that, if this had not come out, these boys could have gone on to work for law enforcement or in politics, places where they would have to either interact with or make decisions about black people’s lives.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t another fraternity hate piece. I’m a part of a fraternity here at the University of Wisconsin. Joining UW’s Theta Chi Fraternity — Psi Chapter has been one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I know for a fact that we, as a chapter, would never support the despicable things chanted on that bus.
But the fact that there is evidence showing how the chant was taught at other SAE chapters brings up the question of what other customs a given chapter could have. One of the sentiments I have observed from members of Greek organizations is the boys in OU should not have done the chant in public.
I understand we all have our unique rituals and chants with respect to our organizations. But private or public, this should not have been done in the first place. If even a sizable minority engages in this type of stuff, it’s on you and others to get that toxic, stereotype-reinforcing behavior out of your organization because it has zero place in Greek life. If you think any different, you’re exactly what’s wrong with Greek life.
I have also heard “Not all Greeks!” not only on our campus but all across the country. People say, “Stop lumping all fraternities with those racist assholes from Oklahoma!” or, “Nobody ever looks at the good the Greek community does!” My response to this is the extension of a hearty congratulations to the white males in Greek life. You now know how it feels to be stereotyped based on the actions of a few members in your community! I would have thought all of the white privilege would have shielded you from this, but I guess not.
So where do you go from here? Well, instead of griping about how it’s not fair to be stereotyped, just try to do more of the positive stuff your chapter is known for. Get your face out there in the local community and increase your volunteer hours. Be proud of your letters and try to make them mean something great, not just to yourself but to the larger non-Greek community.
The most important thing that I hope results from this is that maybe this will cause Greeks and non-Greeks to think before they stereotype others, and get to know people in a group before they judge that group. It might be easier for people to lump others together, but in the long run, it stifles progress and increases the very hostilities we are still stuck in today.
Miles Brown (mjbrown22@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring political science and history with a certificate in Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies.
