Posted on 01/25/2007 3:04:07 PM PST by TaxRelief
GREENSBORO -- Guilford College has asked five students involved in a weekend fight that some have labeled a hate crime to move off campus while police and school officials investigate.
The students, three Guilford football players and two Palestinian students the players allegedly attacked, will still be allowed to attend class and study in the college library, said Guilford President Kent Chabotar. A third Palestinian student, who attends college in Raleigh and was visiting friends at Guilford, has also said he was assaulted during Saturday's altercation.
Chabotar announced the school's request at an emotional forum held Wednesday evening near campus, and stressed the college was still working to figure out what happened.
"I'm saying we need to get the truth," Chabotar said, adding that administrators were hearing "a core of things that are very consistent" about the fight.
Authorities have charged Michael Bates, 19, of Reidsville; Michael Robert Six, 20, of Greensboro; and Christopher Barnette, 21, of Semora, with misdemeanor assault and ethnic intimidation, according to court documents. They were released Monday on $2,000 bail.
The documents state the three players taunted Guilford students Faris Khader and Osama Sabbah, and North Carolina State University student Omar Awartani, with racial slurs and called them "terrorists" as they assaulted them with their fists and feet.
An arrest warrant said Six used brass knuckles.
Awartani has said he suffered a concussion and had trouble walking on his own for several days after the attack. Sabbah's aunt said Wednesday her nephew also suffered a concussion and had his hand placed in a cast.
School officials believe about 12 people were involved in Saturday's altercation. Administrators at the school, which has a Quaker background, said Wednesday they are still trying to determine whether some of those involved were fighting or trying to break it up.
None of the players charged or the students they allegedly attacked have returned messages seeking comment.
Police said they have assigned a detective to investigate the fight, which was reported to authorities on Sunday when Sabbah, Khader and Awartani went to the county magistrate's office and swore out complaints against the three players.
"We're just trying to get a handle on it now before we release any more information," said Greensboro police Lt. Brian James.
During Wednesday's meeting with Chabotar, students, staff and parents took turns expressing their anger, sadness and concern about the fight. Many echoed their support of various speakers with the Quaker phrase, "Friend speaks my mind."
"I think that the culture of aggression that we have needs to be addressed," said Natalie Bent, a Guilford freshman from Durham.
What!? He said that? Where? The link is blocked where I am now.
Race I saw that one and for the life of me I couold not figure it out.
It was still in the cached version
(5)
Stats
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 142 lbs
Measurements: 38-36-32
Hair color: Brown
Hair length: Medium
Eye color: Green
Ethnicity: Middle Eastern
Skin color: Tanned
Experience: Some Experience
Compensation: Depends on Assignment
Info
Last activity: Jan 14, 2007
Joined: Jul 17, 2006
Osama37
Male
20 years old
greensboro, North Carolina
Mayhem #177218
Model
About me
You wanna know bout me then get to know me live. For the most part my name is Osama Sabbah". I was born in Palestine and I grew up there. i like to joke alot. im serious only when i shouldnt be, and i make fun of everything else. i have a short attention span. but i am ammused with almost anything. i can get annoyed really quick if i dont do the talkin, so up spot lights and ill be the center of attention.and no i aint white...im better.
im trying to become a famous model because where i was raised this i something forbidden, so im trying to walk across the flowing water.. hopefully it will work with everyone's support
thanks for everyone that give me his/her support..
Hey Osama.....BUSTED!!!!
"oh poor me! Those mean old white football players jumped us and made us squeal like pigs!" Spoken in falsetto of course.
Kudos to WFMY for printing that!!!
Given that the arrest warrant was sworn out after the alleged victims went to the magistrate, it seems that it is only the alleged victims' word that states "brass knuckles" were used. A fact which I, for some reason, find implausible.
Michael Bates - Reidsville. I live not far from Reidsville - it is a very small town out in the country, farming country. I go to Reidsville to get stuff at the Southern States for my garden. Sometimes DH and I lunch there - good food, some very small town attitudes. Lots of hotrod cars and trucks. Nice people for the most part, but I could imagine that a smart mouthed guy might bite off more than he could chew with a football player from Reidsville.
Again, "brass knuckles" has an anachronisitic sound to it. I would not be surprised at all if this were a staged event and that the victims were not victims of anything. One would hope that any wounds would have been seen by a medical professional who could confirm that the wounds were consistent with such things.
MINE TOO!!!!
LOL!
<< None of these accused young men have yet to be interviewed by any college official. The Greensboro Police Department has refused to take their statements and declined to review physical evidence including pictures of a vicious stabbing and belt whipping that was inflicted by Khader (an alleged victim) upon Michael Six during the altercation.
<< We also believe that a letter emailed on Sunday, by a college official, to all students of color greatly inflamed emotions needlessly. Here is the first paragraph from that letter from the Guilford College Director of Multicultural Education: >>
<< "By now, most of you have heard about the situation that occurred on Friday night between some football players and Faris Khader, Osama Sabbah, and Omar Awartini (a student from NC State). Faris, Osama, and Omar were defending themselves against students (and possibly perspective students) that were attacking them physically and simultaneously verbally with phrases like "sandnigga'", "terrorist", etc. The incident was a hate crime." >>
<< We are deeply saddened by the inaccurate portrayal of these young men in this altercation by their school. When all of the FACTS are revealed, we believe that those who are sensationalizing this story will be rightly embarrassed and hope the retractions will receive the same level of visibility as premature and false charges. Under our system of government, our sons are presumed innocent of these charges and we hope that the community and the media will let the system run its course in determining their innocence or guilt. >>
The flat statements by the director of multicultural education describing what the football players supposedly did, WITHOUT the use of any qualifying words like "allegedly," are very likely DEFAMATORY if the allegations against the football players are untrue.
Guilford College better HOPE the charges turn out to be true, because if they aren't they are seriously exposed to a BIG liability.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.