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UT frat suspended over incident Complaints about blackface episode bring action
Knox News-Sentinel ^
| October 31, 2002
| By J.J. Stambaugh
Posted on 11/01/2002 12:53:53 AM PST by ninonitti
A University of Tennessee fraternity has been suspended because of an incident last week in which white members painted their faces to look like the black pop group The Jackson Five.
The national office of Kappa Sigma has suspended its UT chapter, which means the fraternity "no longer has standing as a registered student organization and is suspended from participating in university activities, such as Homecoming," according to a statement issued Wednesday by UT Vice President and Provost Loren Crabtree.
Fraternity members couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday, but Crabtree said the national office was cooperating in an ongoing investigation.
A number of black students complained to campus officials last week after a group of fraternity members allegedly walked from their fraternity house to a party on the Cumberland Avenue Strip dressed as the Jackson siblings, according to UT's account.
Even if the national Kappa Sigma organization reinstates the UT Lambda chapter, UT might not choose to recognize the group, according to Crabtree.
"We will require the leaders and members of Kappa Sigma to demonstrate a commitment to uphold our expectations for civility, ethnic diversity and racial harmony," Crabtree said.
Crabtree indicated that individual students involved in the incident might face university sanctions once the investigation is concluded.
Crabtree said the incident was "particularly distressing to the members of the (UT) administration because all fraternities and sororities participated in a workshop a year ago to address a similar situation at another institution."
Crabtree also pointed out measures that UT has taken over the past few months to widen the African and African-American Studies program and a planned semester-long program beginning in January to "celebrate Africa's cultural, entertainment and educational contributions to non-African cultures around the world."
A training program on race and diversity will begin next spring, and a special session covering the same topics will be added to the summer orientation program for new students, Crabtree said.
TOPICS: News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: blackface; jacksonfive
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I searched the UT site for a Department of Germanic or Italian Studies and came up empty.
Could it be that UT is being niggardly in it's funding of the study of these ethnic groups??? I'm sure Ms Crabtree would love to hear some diverse comments:lcrabtr1@utk.edu
1
posted on
11/01/2002 12:53:53 AM PST
by
ninonitti
To: ninonitti
I wonder if the national fraternity chapter or UT administrators ever saw Eddie Murphy in Coming to America.
Apparently, it's funny when a black person paints his face white but it's racist if a white person puts on black makeup.
To: ninonitti
Electric Aunt Jemima
Goddess of Love
Khaki Maple Buckwheats
Frizzle on the stove
Queen of my heart
Please hear my plea
Electric Aunt Jemima
Cook a bunch for me.
- Frank Zappa
3
posted on
11/01/2002 1:11:08 AM PST
by
ppaul
To: ninonitti
I did the same thing with a group of friends in a junior high "talent show" back in about 1968. We lip synced to the song "ABC" by the Jackson 5. We lost the talent show but weren't kicked out of school.
I don't know what these students did but it sounds like the PC crowd needs to lighten up.
To: Oldeconomybuyer
I don't know what these students did but it sounds like the PC crowd needs to lighten up.They went to a private party in costume.
Last night, I attended a middle school football game where same of the younger kids in attendance were in costume. At least two young black kids from the community had painted their faces white as ghosts, and left the makeup on without the full costume. I probably should have been offended, but I was too busy watching the kids enjoy themselves. This attitide that the University is showing does not reflect the one of the community that surrounds it. It is just plain silly.
To: HennepinPrisoner
NBC television has no problem with it (brownface that is)
To: HennepinPrisoner
"Apparently, it's funny when a black person paints his face white but it's racist if a white person puts on black makeup."
I don't recall anyone finding it racist when Billy Crystal wore realistic makeup to do his imitation of Sammy Davis Jr. on Saturday Night Live - because it wasn't racist, just funny. But highly realistic makeup - whether it's Crystal doing Sammy Davis, or Eddie Murphy doing Richard Simmons - isn't at all the same thing as blackface.
Blackface has a long, racist history, and it's dishonest to pretend that history doesn't exist. It's also dishonest to pretend there's no difference between what Crystal and Murphy do and a bunch of drunk frat boys putting on blackface.
7
posted on
11/01/2002 3:38:20 AM PST
by
Ampersand
To: ninonitti
OK, so I'm wondering.........if a group of black students painted their faces white and went to a party as the Osmond Brothers, would the same "punishment" be imposed?
Sheesh...............like that would ever happen............................
........blacks posing as the Osmond Brothers.
To: Ampersand
...a bunch of drunk frat boys putting on blackface. Drunk? Sounds like you've got prejudices of your own!
P.s. Is it racist is a black shows up at a party in blackface?
9
posted on
11/01/2002 4:27:10 AM PST
by
F-117A
To: ninonitti
Pathetic.
To: ninonitti
In the college business, we call this "separating the wheat from the chaff". The F'ups always find a way to F'up.
To: HennepinPrisoner
A little boy and girl go trick or treating. They knock on the door of this house and the man who answers it says, "Well, you two are awful cute. Who are you supposed to be?"
We're Jack and Jill", they reply.
The man says, "You can't be Jack and Jill, you're black!"
So, they go off and a short while later they come back dressed differently. They ring the doorbell and once Again the man opens the door.
"Well now, you're just darn cute. Who are you this time?"
"We're Hansel and Gretel", says the little boy.
"Well, I hate to disappoint you son, but you can't be Hansel and Gretel because you're black!"
Heads hung low, they leave. Not too much later, the man hears the bell ring again. This time when he opens the door, there stand the two children but this time they are BUCK NAKED.
"Oh my! And just who are supposed to be now?!!", he asks.
"Chocolate M&M's", says the little girl. "I'm plain, he's got nuts.
12
posted on
11/01/2002 5:23:23 AM PST
by
DH
To: RightOnline
...because of an incident last week in which white members painted their faces to look like the black pop group The Jackson Five.
And this situation is different from what's seen everyday in schools where young whites dress to look phat in Hip Hop fashion, right? </sarcasm off>
To: ppaul
Apparently, it's funny when a black person paints his face white but it's racist if a white person puts on black makeupThat's it exactly the PC crowd is amused by reverse minstrel shows but horrified at the reverse.
It's like the old story about some liberal commenting on the passing of a black friend: "I never noticed what color his skin was" was his reply to a question about the deceased.
It's this lunancy that fosters affirmative action with it's emphasis upon race above all else at the expense of quality of the individual.
To: ninonitti
Yesterday, I walked into a Burger King in downtown Manhattan. In the spirit of the day, one of the workers was dressed up as Count Dracula.
Little did I know at the time that I was supposed to express my outrage that this young black man would paint his face white.
(I'm obviously so out of the loop that I didn't know that this wasn't "PC". Can I still register my complaint with Al Sharpton? Will he rally to my defense to help combat this terrible racial insensitivity?)
To: ninonitti
"We will require the leaders and members of Kappa Sigma to demonstrate a commitment to uphold our expectations for civility, ethnic diversity and racial harmony," Crabtree said."You WILL submit to the thought police....and you will like it.
To: ninonitti
SPIKE LEE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH BLACKFACE. RENT IT TODAY!
To: ninonitti
Now UT is insulting the sacred memory of Al Jolson!
Oh, Mammy!
(Guess I'll just go re-read "Little Black Sambo")
18
posted on
11/01/2002 6:00:54 AM PST
by
Redbob
To: GirlShortstop; RightOnline
19
posted on
11/01/2002 6:01:51 AM PST
by
ppaul
To: ninonitti
Even if the national Kappa Sigma organization reinstates the UT Lambda chapter...Lambda?
Hey, are these guys gay?
20
posted on
11/01/2002 6:04:37 AM PST
by
ppaul
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