A Greek Tragedy
(Full PDF of the issue)
Editorial by: Andrew Gioia on April 20th, 2007 at 9:33 AM

The parties were no different from someone eating Italian food, joining the Cornell Bhangra team, or Cornell holding an event celebrating Mexican culture. The only problems here are hyper-sensitive ethnic groups looking for any chance to cry racism.



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As if last year’s stabbing wasn’t evidence enough, “systematic, institutionalized racism” has once again decided to rear its ugly head. Obviously, if one isolated racially-motivated crime every 100 years is proof of such an endemic, a pair of fraternities throwing Mexican-themed parties is just one more perfect example.

Over the past few weeks, after a recent spike in the publicity of racially themed parties at college fraternities, Cornell was bombarded with complaints over a few particularly “offensive” ones of our own. The most recent offenders were Sigma Alpha Epsilon, which hosted a “Border Patrol” party, and Lambda Chi Alpha which held its “South of the Border” night, both of which supposedly glorified Mexican stereotypes.

The response? A flurry of op-eds and one very poorly organized protest on Ho Plaza. With arguments squared solely on the back of hearsay and speculation and few actual facts as to what went on at those parties, that is to be expected. It didn’t, however, deter important groups like Black Students United, Cornell Alliance for Immigrant Rights, the International Socialist Organization, and the Cornell Organization for Labor Action from begging Cornell to abolish all such racially themed parties.

Their point is simple: any type of context involving stereotypes outside their own is inherently racist. These parties, much like the ones across the country, featured nothing more than a few sombreros, lots of Corona, a Mexican flag, and some red, green, and white streamers. It was an excuse to drink Mexican beer and celebrate Spring break, and any expressed Mexican-American party on campus would have been identical to this; because this party was thrown by white men, though, it is naturally mocking of that culture.

There is an important distinction between being outwardly derogatory toward another culture and actually enjoying some of the things that that culture has to offer. The parties were no different from someone eating Italian food, joining the Cornell Bhangra team, or Cornell holding an event celebrating Mexican culture. The only problems here are hyper-sensitive ethnic groups looking for any chance to cry racism. Besides, can’t this merely be seen as minority cultures finally rubbing off on college students? It’s just as likely the result of a misplaced and overly aggressive focus on diversity here at Cornell.

Outside of these specific Cornell parties, though, many of the protestors’ general attitudes are particularly alarming. Proving just how out of control they’ve become, one angered grad student was quoted as saying that not only do these fraternities fuel systematic discrimination, but that they are “interpersonal acts of violence” towards the people they’re making fun of. This couldn’t be further from the truth: stabbing someone in the chest is an act of interpersonal violence, attending a party wearing a sombrero or even in blackface is not.

Rally organizers were quick to relate this to last year’s stabbing, saying that “such subtle acts of oppression can lead to more blatant events such as the stabbing of Charles Holiday by a white student on Cornell’s Campus last year.” Though it’s convenient for them to consistently bring this up, in no way do these parties or any racially themed party present a safety concern for minorities or anybody. It is shameful that these protestors claim that they’ve been “attacked” or are victims of violence because of some perceived racism on campus, and to unfairly attack these specific fraternities in turn is similarly irresponsible.

If you don’t feel safe on campus because a fraternity bought a big Mexican flag or because they decided to dress up in baggy clothes, you have every right to stay home. No matter how loud you scream or how many things you demand from Cornell, though, you don’t have the right to not be offended. Freedom of expression is far more important, and will always be more important, than hurt feelings.

Unfortunately, that sentiment was rarely found at the rally on Ho Plaza. As reported by the Sun, one student warned the party-goers not to “dress up as something you don’t understand.” If someone wants to wear a poncho to a party, despite the fact that you may not think he “understands” the meaning, effect, history, symbolism, or whatever else behind it, he can wear that poncho. No elitist attitude that thinks only minorities have the right and ability to use whatever it is they’ve claimed as their own can stop him.

Another organizer similarly misses the mark entirely, saying that “fraternities and sororities are supposed to be bastions of society and you’re telling me it’s okay that someone dresses up in blackface and have no one do anything about it?” In no circumstance have fraternities and sororities ever been considered “bastions of society;” they’re nothing more than groups of similar students living together. And unless by “do anything” you mean abolish everything with a hint of ethnicity that you don’t approve of and hang those fraternity members, people are doing something about it—they’re protesting.

Not only is it “okay that someone dresses up in blackface,” but it is necessary that Cornell holds itself to the same standard as the rest of the country and allows the freedom of all expression, no matter how much you may disagree or how many of your feelings get hurt. A fraternity or any group of people should have the full right to throw a “South of the Border” party, dress up in the most stereotypical Mexican clothing, hire a mariachi band, and do whatever else they deem fit. In no way is that a crime.

In fact, millions of American’s do that every year. The only difference is that it’s called St. Patrick’s Day, and instead of exploiting Mexican stereotypes they use Irish Catholic ones. Not only do Irish-Americans know full well of the green clothing, four leaf clovers, leprechauns, pots of gold, rainbows, and incredible amounts of binge drinking on March 17th, they take full part in it. Does anyone cry about people “not understanding” what it’s like to wear a green novelty hat and sing drinking songs? Of course not, only the Mexicans, African-Americans, and other oppressed groups do that.

The rally and the response these parties received was at best a muddled reaction to hyped up stories of other fraternity parties around the country. In fact, no one at that rally even attended one of Cornell’s fraternity parties, which is probably the reason no one had their facts straight there.

What these minority groups (or at least the protestors who have taken it upon themselves to speak for the rest) ultimately want is to be the only ones who can talk about, dress like, or do anything regarding race; everyone else is, naturally, racist. If a fraternity wants to have a “South of the Border” party, they have every right to do so and these protestors have every right to get upset. Unfortunately, one cries a lot louder than the other.


Andrew Gioia is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at agg23@cornell.edu.

http://www.cornellamerican.com/article/211/