First off, do you actually wonder why the fraternity statement is total BS? I don't, and you shouldn't either. The fraternity isn't mad these members did this, the behavior is obviously completely acceptable by KA standards. The proof is, tons of members of KA saw this, and liked it, and probably shared and laughed about it, it wasn't a KA member that said, "Hey Bros this is not cool, take it down or I am telling..."
Right?
So then that means the fraternity (as in the national body) is just mad over the negative PR. The members got suspended, not because of their actions, but because of the actions of the general public. The fraternity is not mad their members did this, the fraternity is mad their members got caught doing this, and mad that other people are mad about it.
Right?
If all of us saw this, and thought, oh well, thats Mississippi and said nothing, guess what KA would say? Yep, it is Mississippi, and that is just how it is, and we believe in free speech, freedom of association, freedom to be racist, or not, or whatever excuse people make to look the other way.
Right?
So to all my friends working in higher education? Working in Greek Life specifically... I know we hate how national organizations look the other way on hazing, on sexual assaults, on alcohol abuse, but will we fight the same on racism? I mean we haven't... but yet so many of you go HAM on Trump, HAM on claims to be progressive but daily we let students get away with this? Daily we let Greek Life marginalize minorities and exclude people, daily we let this happen. I worked in the industry, I could have done more and I didn't, I'll admit it. Now I am here to say enough, and we need to stand up to this or it will never end.
Right?
So... is the photo offensive? Or is the action offensive? Will you say oh well, or will you say enough? Will Greeks begin to admit to their racist past, and present, and then try and fix the future? Or will we all continue to just look the other way and wish things changed... cause guess what, they won't change unless we start doing something about it...
Right?
I think the saying goes we can't expect a different result unless we do different things. Right? So will we stop looking the other way? Will we stop pretending Edgewater doesn't exist? Will we stop pretending recruitment wasn't designed to keep out difference? Will we have the hard conversations? We have pretended for a long time... will there actually be a hard conversation around this at AFA this year? Let's be honest, the track record in the industry is that we want these conversations to go away...
Right?
Let me be clear, this is not a ploy for me to come and speak to your campus. I actually figure this means less friends will want to book me, cause hey I am mad, and I won't hold it in anymore... you want me to come to campus, I want to be honest... let's start keeping it real here, cause I love Greek Life, I love my fraternity, but all have flaws and they won't get fixed unless we try to fix them...
Right?