Garcia-Wilde said “strolling” across stage is a commencement tradition for black fraternities and sororities at the University of Florida.
Another tradition is involuntary branding/tattooing.
Next time you watch a football game, including games involving UF grads (Emmitt Smith was one) you may see a nice big Omega or Sigma-shaped scar on the upper arm, placed there courtesy of a hot wire hanger.
We have universities throwing the book at fraternities and sororities for having harmless ‘Taco Tuesday’ or other themed events.
But black Greek system members have and continue to practice some of the most brutal hazing and rituals. It’s an open secret on many campuses and many grads/alumni speak about it years later.
Their punishment: none.
I said irony was thin on the ground but not in this instance. One might think a group so aggrieved about slavery ie being owned as chattel that they would oppose any and all attempts at being branded or marked.