Posted on 09/17/2007 7:16:26 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
A national fraternity says a decision by University of Wisconsin Police to cancel an event that was to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month is "very close to racial profiling, if not racial profiling."
The Madison branch of Lambda Theta Phi, a Latino fraternity, had arranged for the celebration to be held Saturday in Memorial Union's Tripp Commons, but was told last week that the event would be canceled due to concerns the University Police had about security.
Agustin Garcia, national chairman of the Lamda Theta Phi Foundation, said in a telephone interview from Florida this morning that the police would not give the fraternity specific reasons why they thought the event was unsafe.
"They kept coming back to the music and the nature of the event," said Garcia. "They said the event was unsafe but we don't have a reputation for problems, so that's where we got concerned with racial profiling."
According to Garcia, the fraternity felt there was no reason behind the decision to cancel an event planned only to be a dance with "a melody of Latin music."
Garcia said when the fraternity learned of the cancelation Sept. 11 they did everything to try and prevent it, even offering to pay for additional security.
But according to University Police Assistant Chief Dale Burke, the event was deemed unsafe because of how widely it was advertised. Burke said police became concerned about security after an officer discovered a Facebook advertisement put out by the co-sponsor of the event.
"These events are only for UW System students and their guests and the advertisement had gone out multi-state," Burke said in a telephone interview. "Once that occurred, there was no way to take it back."
Burke described the Facebook ad as a "come one, come all" invitation and said University Police did not feel they could effectively guarantee the safety of UW students at such an event.
According to Garcia, the fraternity is looking at the cancellation as a violation of their right of assembly.
"The whole situation is so shady and creates a very negative attitude for Hispanic Heritage Month," he added.
Local members of the fraternity could not be reached for comment this morning.
My thoughts are that this proclivity to celebrate one racial group at a time is in and of itself a racist endeavor. I don’t think any of us have an aversion to a theme dance or something, but a month long harange for a select race of people? I don’t like it when they do it for blacks, and I wouldn’t like it if it were done for whites.
We’re supposed to all be in this bowl of soup together. The moment one of us attempts to well up, the rest slip down a little. These are poor ideas from the get go.
I wouldn’t even mind a heritage night. Heck, you could learn some cultural nuances. That could be productive. A whole month? A whole month of holding one race up for study? Just wierd.
My thoughts exactly...how can a “Latino” fraternity that chooses its members based on their race be irked when someone else possibly bases their decision on the same thing?
The rule of thumb I use when judging groups based on race is this. Would a white group of people be able to start a white club on this campus? That pretty much lays it on the line. And I could think just about everyone would understand. Like I said, just about...
I’d like to apply for an “Anthill Heritage Month,” honoring those property owners who can count more than four dozen anthills on the front lawn. Barring that, I’ll settle for a bourbon and cigar month.
There are plenty of Scottish, Irish, etc., WEEKENDS. You got it right. A whole month? The university police made the right decision. It has nothing to do with race. It is about safety. When ever some racist group doesn’t get their way they scream racist.
Seems to have taken about a nanosecond for this to go all the way to Florida too. That’s always a good sign. Not.
vaudine
I can count 5 or 6 times Minute Men and other anti illegal alien groups have been denied permits, booths, marches, etc.
That was racial profiling too if they insist this is!
We’re supposed to all be in this bowl of soup together.
True, but some ingredients in the soup feel they are more important than others. Consider a bowl of gumbo. The roux is the most important part of the gumbo. now the crab would argue that it is more important than the oyster.
Now with respect to the crab and the oyster, they both have festivals celebrating themselves. Why than do they not have a celery festival? Do they not add to the great taste of the gumbo? Latinos are like the celery wanting a festival to celebrate their importance in gumbo/society.
I say no. Making gumbo without celery, especially illegal celery, is fine with me.
They should have claimed they were muslims.
When is American Heritage Month?
Thanks Vaudine.
They should have claimed they were muslims.
Wow, you are on to something there. Latino muslims would be a real minority group. Bet there would be a heck of a lot of goverment handouts and protections for this group. The spotted owl would have nothing on these guys.
Lets start it up.
Thanks Rineaux. Well I like celery, but I’m with you on the illegal part.
Oh! Just give it up guys. Get over yourselves.
It ain’t the Eighties anymore, mijo. If your boys all over the Midwest can see the announcement on Facebook, so can the Unicops. Deal with it.
I agree. I think we should get rid of all those racist groups out there. The United Negro Collage Fund, NAACP, La Raza... are just a few that come to mind. Just imagine the uproar if any of those groups were for "whites only"!
Personally, I'm sick of the racist door only swinging one way.
That's too deep for these idiots.
Besides, aren't "Hispanics" white? Or will they claim to be Black now?
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.