Students Face Impeachment, Probation, for attending tequilla-themed party

[KarateCowboy]

If you don't like the rules, then stage protests and sit-ins, kind of like what African Americans did during the Civil Rights Movement. If a college has these racist policies, then you alert the media and bring attention to the issue.

Oh, I get it, I was supposed to say that I don't like the rule and let me type furiously on my keyboard about racist colleges. Nah, if the college has racist policies and I am a student there, I'll be the first one out there with a sign or campaigning to get myself and like-minded people on the student council to change those archaic, racist rules.

Hehe, going out of your way to avoid the issue there? A sombrero by itself is not offensive, how it is used can be offensive. This may come as a shock to you, but perhaps you are not the one to dictate what people find offensive or not. Many Latino student organizations have a problem with how Mexicans are portrayed. You can argue the student council is going overboard and the situation could be handled differently, but you should not walk around complaining because there is now a large enough population that speaks out about a stereotype. As said earlier, just because you were unaware of the offense for a long time doesn't make it okay. No one is stopping you from saying or doing what you want, but don't expect others to sit back and ignore you.

What do you mean by segregationist? Most people are not segregationists, true, what does that have to do with this topic?

Mentally infantile because they consider it offensive? How are they bigots?

Do a survey and ask Mexicans if they find theme parties where people "dress up like Mexicans" donning pancho, sombreros and fake moustaches is offensive, insensitive, or a poor choice? Do they feel honored by these parties? Do you feel these parties are harmless fun or perpetuate a hurtful stereotype?

Until you have this information, it's not your place to say whether people should be offended. How very paternalistic of you.

How are they bigots? By matching the definition of bigotry: an obstinate devotion to your own opinions and intolerance of differing opinions. You keep writing about how people have different beliefs about what is offensive or not. The bigots in this case are the school government and administration showing an obstinate devotion to their own extreme opinions. You could write an essay about all the ways they are being bigots. Normal, psychologically healthy adults do not get so upset about something like this.

 

[Maren]

I think the real question is, why is this thread in American politics? Bowdoin is a private university, not public. Additionally, I know of no political party advocating these types of rules, much less nationwide. Instead, this thread seems to be created to smear one party based on the policies of a very small private college.

 

[Albion]

I sympathize with those who are disgusted at something like this happening, but I immediately think, "Why don't people choose their college with appropriate care?"

Sure, it's possible to attend a liberal college and get by without this or some other suppression of free speech smacking them down, but folks--you have to consider it just like you'd take account of the tuition, driving distance, academic reputation, and a dozen other things that go into making a selection!!

http://campusreform.org/?ID=7352

Students who attended last weekend’s “tequila themed party” at Bowdoin College are now being threatened with disciplinary action, including a year of social probation and impeachment from the student government.

Earlier this week, Bowdoin administrators launched an investigation into “an act of ethnic stereotyping” when a group of students allegedly hosted a racially charged party. Students were encouraged to bring tequila to the party and some students were photographed wearing sombreros. The theme, however, did not sit well with administrators or the student government.

If you want to know what American 'progressives' want for the nation, just look at how things are on average university campuses. It's where their best and brightest are preparing our nation's youth, molding their young and impressionable minds into thinking this kind of culture is 'enlightened' and 'progress-minded'.

Remember folks: this is their mainstream. If you like this kind of stuff, vote 'progressive'. If not, then I urge you to move in a more moderate direction.

It blows my mind:
One of the party’s hosts was placed on social probation until March 2017, asked to complete an educational program and an Active Bystander Training, kicked out of her dorm room, and banned from social events on campus, such as an upcoming Spring Gala.

Most people, regardless of politics, will agree that nothing like this would happen if they had worn cowboy hats and had a Jack Daniels Party. However, you have to not be 'progressive' to see why, and to think there's something wrong with the inconsistency.

 

[Albion]

I think the real question is, why is this thread in American politics? Bowdoin is a private university, not public.

Because it's part and parcel of an important development in American political life--the Left's steady march towards authoritarianism and the suppression of free speech, free association, due process etc.

 

[keith99]

So if the rule violated was against lets say, whites and blacks co-mingling would we still be seeing the above argument from you?

The ironic part is such a rule could be rooted in the same idea, just applied from a different place, that people have a right to not be offended. Racists are typically very offended with those of different races mingling.

 

[HannahT]

Earlier this week, Bowdoin administrators launched an investigation into “an act of ethnic stereotyping” when a group of students allegedly hosted a racially charged party. Students were encouraged to bring tequila to the party and some students were photographed wearing sombreros. The theme, however, did not sit well with administrators or the student government.

How are they going to prove that having such a party is 'an act of ethnic stereotyping' with the intent of being a 'racially charged party'?

They would have to prove this intent in order to show how this violated any rules. They can't just say - cause we said so - and expect the survival of the college.

Seriously - these kids just wanted to get drunk and have a good time. That was the intent.

Their enrollment will go down, because people aren't going to pay good money to deal with loons that make up things like this. I mean - ask the campus's that just last year had to deal with this stuff! Yep, their enrollment went down. Don't blame the bigots for that either - you asked them to leave...and they obligated.

 

[Albion]

How are they going to prove that having such a party is 'an act of ethnic stereotyping' with the intent of being a 'racially charged party'?

They don't have to prove anything. Proof is not important when institutions don't follow their own regulations and assert that anyone who merely says he "feels" "uncomfortable" -- even without any actual encroachment or intimidation -- is to be considered violated. By the way, this story wouldn't be especially interesting it something very close to it hadn't happened already on major college campuses across the country.

You remember, for instance, that Duke University ruined the lives of its entire Lacrosse team, without any due process, even though the evidence showed conclusively that some of those persecuted by the school couldn't have done what was alleged, and the accuser was shown to have lied about it.

Or the case of the fraternity at the University of Virginia that had its house vandalized and the fraternity sanctioned by the university although it proved that the alleged actions of a sexual nature couldn't have taken place during the party described by the accuser because no party had been held. The school's answer? Well, women ARE abused in the way that the accuser's story portrayed, so the accuser is to be believed anyway, even though her particular story was fiction. And as for the fraternity's rights? Not a concern.

 

[revanneosl]

I'm delighted at all of the conservatives here discovering a new appreciation for free speech. You are all hereby invited to my next American Flag burning party!

 

[The Cadet]

@EVERYONE who responded to me: Yeah, I think I'm in the wrong here. :/

 

[Albion]

I'm delighted at all of the conservatives here discovering a new appreciation for free speech.

New? The Constitution is well over 200 years old now.

 

[HannahT]

You remember, for instance, that Duke University ruined the lives of its entire Lacrosse team, without any due process, even though the evidence showed conclusively that some of those persecuted by the school couldn't have done what was alleged, and the accuser was shown to have lied about it.

Sigh. Yes.

No doubt this school will get sued, and have to pay just like Duke was.

 

[Albion]

Sigh. Yes.

No doubt this school will get sued, and have to pay just like Duke was.

And that makes you sigh?

 

[revanneosl]

You remember, for instance, that Duke University ruined the lives of its entire Lacrosse team, without any due process, even though the evidence showed conclusively that some of those persecuted by the school couldn't have done what was alleged, and the accuser was shown to have lied about it.

One of them is an equity trader with Deutsche Bank, and another one is an associate at a pretty fancy law firm, after clerking for a Federal Judge, so I think that "ruined" is a pretty disingenuous verb to be using in this instance. Perhaps something more like, "Duke University briefly inconvenienced its entire Lacrosse team"

 

[AHH who-stole-my-name]

Because it's part and parcel of an important development in American political life--the Left's steady march towards authoritarianism and the suppression of free speech, free association, due process etc.

Agreed and this is why they will ultimately fail. Don't get me wrong. I have several good friends on the left but the far left will begin to eat their own pretty soon as the huberious of those who have gained the momentum of the past few years will look around and see those, also of the left, but not as radical as they are as somehow false or weak and begin attacking them on their stance.

This has happened many times over the coarse of human development and it's gotten so bad with some of the faithful that there are actual laws on this site, If I'm not mistaken to not bring into question the strength of anothers faith.

 

[AHH who-stole-my-name]

And that makes you sigh?

Well, to be fair about this. It was the prosecutor who was running out the clock on this for his political purposes and I remember he lost everything and was disbarred for it. I think Duke got scared and they need to look at that. Hopefully a few heads were turned in that farce.

 

[Albion]

One of them is an equity trader with Deutsche Bank, and another one is an associate at a pretty fancy law firm, after clerking for a Federal Judge, so I think that "ruined" is a pretty disingenuous verb to be using in this instance. Perhaps something more like, "Duke University briefly inconvenienced its entire Lacrosse team"

"Briefly inconvenienced" them by summarily cancelling their Lacrosse season (they were all varsity athletes who had gone to Duke to play Lacrosse), expelling them from school, accusing them of rape, etc. and holding them up to nationwide ridicule and shame...

...without any evidence.

Oh yes, they were smart enough to go forth and try to put their lives back together, but no, I cannot agree with your flippant and trivializing response to the injustice done these people strictly for political purposes.

 

[Hank77]

without any due process,

This is a big deal and is a problem in universities and colleges across the country, including publicly financed ones.

Students create their own code of ethics and people are mad because they're enforcing those rules, how is this any different from a club with bylaws? If you don't like the rules, join the organization, and petition to change the bylaws. Simple.

The reality, people are mad because there is less tolerance for bigotry these days.

No I'm mad because they are allowed to make un Constitutional rules in publicly financed schools and punish students without due process.
I'm also upset when I see supposedly conservative Christian colleges not upholding their commit to freedom of speech and due process.
https://www.thefire.org/cases/texas-christian-university-student-suspended-for-social-media-posts/
Personally I think some of the posts written by this student are disgusting but that doesn't change the fact that he has the right to say them, especially on his own social media page.

If you don't like the rules, then stage protests and sit-ins, kind of like what African Americans did during the Civil Rights Movement.

On some of these campuses you would be punished for doing just that.
It was wrong to punish blacks for staging peaceful demonstrations and speaking out and it is wrong to punish students for the same.
Considering how poorly our high school graduates understand our government and the Constitution I don't have much confidence in their abilities as college students to write by-laws that effect the whole student body's future and represent the views of this country as a whole.

 

[HannahT]

And that makes you sigh?

Nope. It's unneeded drama is what I sigh at. If they were responsible campus authorities it never would have happened.

 

[Redac]

I'm delighted at all of the conservatives here discovering a new appreciation for free speech. You are all hereby invited to my next American Flag burning party!

[snip]

Always makes me think of this:

 

[HannahT]

One of them is an equity trader with Deutsche Bank, and another one is an associate at a pretty fancy law firm, after clerking for a Federal Judge, so I think that "ruined" is a pretty disingenuous verb to be using in this instance. Perhaps something more like, "Duke University briefly inconvenienced its entire Lacrosse team"

So, you think anyone that is accused, shamed, and cyber bullied...and have to deal with all that fallout and much more is a mere inconvenience? lol who is using a disingenuous word here? Those accusations will follow them most of their life. Ask many others that have been in similar circumstances.

Those men shouldn't have to deal with this type of 'inconvenience' if the campus's took their position seriously.