Support NeoGAF

[TacticalFox88]

On Thursday night, employees at a Raleigh’s restaurant near North Carolina State University discovered a green notebook that had been left behind by members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity on campus. Among the many comments scrawled in the small notebook were references to rape and lynching, recycling familiar narratives about entrenched misogyny and racism in fraternity culture.

“That tree is so perfect for lynching,” one note read.
“You can never trust a n***** as far as you can throw them,” scribbled another.
Additional entries included: “It will be short and painful, just like when I rape you”; “if she’s old enough to pee, she’s old enough to me”; and “let’s go to Raleigh and yell at some n******.”

“It was just a group of young men at state making jokes about raping people, raping children, raping dead women, making very overt racist comments,” said NCSU senior Katie Perry, who handed the notebook over to local news station WRAL after her co-workers happened upon it.

Pi Kappa Phi’s national organization has since placed the NC State chapter on interim suspension and issued a public statement condemning the notebook’s comments. “It’s unacceptable. It’s offensive, and the things written in there are something we’re taking very, very seriously,” Pi Kappa Phi Chief Executive Mark Timmes insisted. “It’s not consistent with our values.”

Despite repeated denunciations of bad behavior from national fraternity chapters and university leaders, however, incidents like the NCSU pledge book abound. This one is simply the latest in a series of high-profile news stories about fraternity culture’s intersection with racism and misogyny.

At Penn State, the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity has been suspended over allegations that members used a private, invitation-only Facebook page — dubbed “Covert Business Transactions” — to post photos of passed out women, many of whom were nude. Similar to the NCSU episode, members of the fraternity commented on the photos with observations such as “banged her lol” and “Lol delete these photos or we’ll be on cnn in a week.”

Shortly before the Penn state incident, a video of members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the University of Oklahoma chanting a racist song went viral, leading to the expulsion of two students and removal of the campus SAE chapter. The fraternity’s national website boasts ties to the “antebellum South” and has come under fire for the racist actions of its members many times over the past several years: In 2013, the frat’s

Washington University in St. Louis chapter was suspended after pledges reportedly sang racial slurs to African American students; in 2014, SAE’s Clemson University chapter hosted a “Cripmas” party, named after the California-based “Crips” street gang; and in 2006, an SAE member at the University of Memphis left the fraternity after two other frat members harassed him for dating a black woman.

The recent wave of publicity over fraternity members’ misconduct has reignited a discussion about the role Greek culture on campus and the lack of oversight and accountability for reprehensible behavior.

“We are absolutely seeing a light being shined on Greek life right now, but these things are not unique to Greek life,” said Allison Tombros Korman, executive director of Culture of Respect, a preventative sexual assault group. “Sexual assault or inappropriate behavior or inappropriate chanting or comments — those aren’t just happening in Greek life.”
Other contend that while such social issues like racism and sexism are not exclusively contained to fraternity culture, they are especially prevalent there.

“I experienced different types of violence at fraternities,” a former student at the University of Virginia told ThinkProgress. “I got groped at parties, a guy threw me over his shoulders and dragged me up the frat stairs and I fought my way out of his arms. When I was dragged upstairs, I was shaking and said to other frat members ‘he just tried to drag me up the stairs.’ And they were like, ‘go home, you’re lying. You’re drunk, that didn’t happen. Go home. And they kicked me out the frat.”

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/20...y-suspended-notebook-detailing-rape-lynching/

Hoooooly Shit.

 

[Stinkles]

#notallfrats.


Still never heard a compelling argument for building a club based on peer pressure that didnt invole the convenience of mild corruption in later life. Frats could go away forever tomorrow with zero ill effects.

Point of going to college is to grow up, not revert.

 

[commedieu]

but we've moved so far past racism and sexism tho..

Why does it keep coming up every day?! Sheesh, its as if we haven't, and its a severe problem that we need to admit is there and address.

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

#notallfrats.


Still never heard a compelling argument for building a club based on peer pressure that didnt invole the convenience of mild corruption in later life. Frats could go away forever tomorrow with zero ill effects.

Point of going to college is to grow up, not revert.

But what about all of that great #charity work they do?

 

[John Kowalski]

lmao fratbros can't be trusted with a fucking diary

 

[Tunavi]

Even without the oppressive ones, frats are dumb

 

[JDSN]

Black people need some extra loving to do.

 

[Pterion]

Frats are just misunderstood and need more loving, am I rite?

 

[potam]

but we've moved so far past racism and sexism tho..

you're right, fratbros prove that modern western society is entrenched in racism and sexism

 

[Jackpot]

a discussion about the role Greek culture

a light being shined on Greek life right now

those aren’t just happening in Greek life

I feel they've misappropriated this term.

 

[Alex Anderson]

Quality, quality human beings who scrawled that right there.

 

[commedieu]

you're right, fratbros prove that modern western society is entrenched in racism and sexism

Nah, i think the constant flow of rampant racism and sexism from all walks of life proves that. Like women not getting paid the same for equal work. Or people not being able to pass someone reading a name on a resume.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

“It will be short and painful, just like when I rape you”; “if she’s old enough to pee, she’s old enough to me”; and “let’s go to Raleigh and yell at some n******.”

Jesus fucking Christ.

 

[delta25]

#notallfrats.


Still never heard a compelling argument for building a club based on peer pressure that didnt invole the convenience of mild corruption in later life. Frats could go away forever tomorrow with zero ill effects.

Point of going to college is to grow up, not revert.

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

It's almost like frat boys are exactly like you'd expect them to be.

 

[spindashing]

Not all frats, right? Kids will be kids, right?

How fucking disgusting.

 

[Derwind]

Boys will be boys and all that jazz.

“I experienced different types of violence at fraternities,” a former student at the University of Virginia told ThinkProgress. “I got groped at parties, a guy threw me over his shoulders and dragged me up the frat stairs and I fought my way out of his arms. When I was dragged upstairs, I was shaking and said to other frat members ‘he just tried to drag me up the stairs.’ And they were like, ‘go home, you’re lying. You’re drunk, that didn’t happen. Go home. And they kicked me out the frat.”

Sweet fucking jesus.

That is absolutely abbhorrent.

 

[xbhaskarx]

No one who's in a frat could be an evil person

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Remember guys, these are the future leaders of our politics and corporations.

 

[DrZeus]

#notallfrats.


Still never heard a compelling argument for building a club based on peer pressure that didnt invole the convenience of mild corruption in later life. Frats could go away forever tomorrow with zero ill effects.

Point of going to college is to grow up, not revert.

Agreed.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

It's almost like frat boys are exactly like you'd expect them to be.

Frat boys often talk about raping babies?

 

[Stinkles]

I feel they've misappropriated this term.

The Greek system began when classics and Greek and Latin were actually taught. Now it's just a callsign and a reasonable warning on buildings that they're may be date rape drugs in the punch.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Black people should meet them half way and at least try to understand it from those kids' perspective. It's the only way we as a people can come together. I'm tired of talking about race, I'm past it. I don't even see race anymore, we're all one race, the human race. I don't think punishing the kids for this is the right way to go about this entire thing. All it does it reinforce their views on life, I say let them go with a stern talking to, why ruin their college lives over harmless jokes in a notebook? FIRST AMENDMENT!!!!

 

[TacticalFox88]

Jesus fucking Christ.

It's like these dumbasses don't know that babies fucking pee too.

Shiiit.

 

[Xcellere]

“if she’s old enough to pee, she’s old enough to me”

Last time I checked, newborns are perfectly capable of peeing, so they're fair game. Alrighty then.

 

[Demon Ice]

But bro frats do like SO much charity work man you don't even know bro

 

[John Kowalski]

Black people should meet them half way and at least try to understand it from those kids' perspective. It's the only way we as a people can come together. I'm tired of talking about race, I'm past it. I don't even see race anymore, we're all one race, the human race. I don't think punishing the kids for this is the right way to go about this entire thing. All it does it reinforce their views on life, I say let them go with a stern talking to, why ruin their college lives over harmless jokes in a notebook? FIRST AMENDMENT!!!!

I noticed you're more obvious nowadays.

 

[kewlmyc]

Some of those read like freaking /b/ posts. Disgusting.

Is this the same fraternity as the one who was singing about killing blacks?

 

[FZZ]

The "if she's old enough to pee, she's old enough for me" is a dark joke I've heard used before. It's similar to a dead baby joke, just in case anyone didn't realize that.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

But bro frats do like SO much charity work man you don't even know bro

Well in a lot of circumstances, they do. Not these people, though, more than likely. And even if they did, so what? They're racists and should be stripped of membership and exposed for it.

 

[potam]

The "if she's old enough to pee, she's old enough for me" is a dark joke I've heard used before. It's similar to a dead baby joke, just in case anyone didn't realize that.

I'd like to think the people in this thread realize they're joking about raping newborn babies, but...

 

[DedValve]

You guys need to stop overgeneralizing here its pretty disgusting. A few members of a FEW frats did horrible things yes but fraternities are a great way to establish eternal bonds and brotherhood as well as connecting and networking with others who will no doubt help you in the future. Building a strong alliance at a young age is crucial and those frats that did do wrong should be punished but only the members and the parties involved, not the fraternity itself which has probably been around for a century or more.













#notallfrats
#sheshouldn'thavebeendrunk
#lightenUp

 

[Angelus Errare]

I noticed you're more obvious nowadays.

When you get PMs from people saying you're racist because your sarcasm flew over their heads, you too will change. D:

 

[Reeks]

Suspension, eh? Expulsion, please. In no other realm does this behavior lead to suspension....

That'll teach 'em and show the country it's taken seriously.

 

[Derwind]

When you get PMs from people saying you're racist because your sarcasm flew over their heads, you too will change. D:

Oh damn, really?

 

[DedValve]

I misread suspended for expulsion.

I..well now.

When you get PMs from people saying you're racist because your sarcasm flew over their heads, you too will change. D:

Its really hard to make funny sarcastic posts in text without blowing it away. Especially in emotionally charged topics.

 

[John Kowalski]

When you get PMs from people saying you're racist because your sarcasm flew over their heads, you too will change. D:

yeah, that's what i thought! fighting the good fight still

 

[Angelus Errare]

Oh damn, really?

I got a few from the ol Ferguson thread. Though I'll admit, I was totally being lazy with the post in this thread.

 

[Cyan]

Suspension, eh? Expulsion, please. In no other realm does this behavior lead to suspension....

That'll teach 'em and show the country it's taken seriously.

The frat is suspended, not the people in it.

 

[BitStyle]

I can't even feign surprise anymore at this kind of behavior from fraternities.

Remember guys, these are the future leaders of our politics and corporations.

And it's depressing...

 

[Stet]

I'd like to think the people in this thread realize they're joking about raping newborn babies, but...

Oh whew, that excuses the other stuff.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

I misread suspended for expulsion.

I..well now.



Its really hard to make funny sarcastic posts in text without blowing it away. Especially in emotionally charged topics.

Student organizations are generally never expelled. Usually suspended for a time in which the current membership would have all left the school. So around 5 years max. Maybe 6.

 

[FZZ]

Oh whew, that excuses the other stuff.

No one said that.

 

[zeemumu]

I feel they've misappropriated this term.

It's all Greek to them.

 

[Theecliff]

Is being an absolute cunt like a requirement to become a 'frat boy' in America or something? So many shitty stories coming out recently. Disgusting behaviour.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

Black people need some extra loving to do.

Frats are just misunderstood and need more loving, am I rite?

Common just needs to remake this:

 

[GoldenEye 007]

The Greek system began when classics and Greek and Latin were actually taught. Now it's just a callsign and a reasonable warning on buildings that they're may be date rape drugs in the punch.

They also began when secret societies were illegal and students wanted more out of their college experience beyond literary societies. Dat prohibition at work again.

Greek simply means Greek-letter society. Meaning most of the organization names and some aspects use Greek terminology and letters.

 

[potam]

Is being an absolute cunt like a requirement to become a 'frat boy' in America or something? So many shitty stories coming out recently. Disgusting behaviour.

kinda. But remember how many tens of thousands of frat members there are. Not all of them are shitty human beings, most are just douchebags.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Is being an absolute cunt like a requirement to become a 'frat boy' in America or something? So many shitty stories coming out recently. Disgusting behaviour.

No actually. Some chapters sure. But a requirement? No.

 

[Cyan]

Yep.

I've always assumed jerks on /b/ and other forum boards, the same ones who post this stupid shit, are the kinds of people that would fit in perfectly well with a frat.

That's why it's always kinda funny to see some people using fratbro as an insult, especially online. Dude, you're all the negatives of that stereotype and none of the positives...

Are there positive stereotypes about frat boys?