Updated: Texas Frat Bans Mexicans, Interracial Dating, And ‘Fagetry’ (Video)
A Texas fraternity posted a letter containing some stunning rules of behavior.Â
The nation this week was shocked when video surfaced showing University of Oklahoma students, members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, chanting a racist song. “There will never be a n****r at SAE,” the members pledged.
Now, the Sun Times reports that racist chant may be linked to another fraternity at the University of Texas, Austin.
One user of the popular social media site Reddit posted a photo of a set of confidential rules for pledges from Phi Gamma Delta (known as Fiji) at the Univ. of Texas.
Those rules, while they include “no drugs,” and “Respect the Ladies,” also include offensive ones like “No interracial dating,” “no Mexicans,” and – in all caps – “NO FAGETRY.”
That last misspelled rule apparently means no gay people.
The photo was posted to Flickr in 2007, and yesterday, again to Twitter:
@OU_Unheard FIJI fraternity UT rules, “No interracial dating” pic.twitter.com/1rjbHL8uGE
— John Kilgore (@johnckilgore) March 9, 2015
University of Texas, Austin was home to anti-gay researcher Mark Regnerus.
UT’s Phi Gamma Delta frat, in addition to this latest unsettling display of racism and homophobia, was the scene just a month ago of a racist party, where the theme was reportedly “Border Patrol.” Students called it “Western.”
Unlike Univ. of Oklahoma President David Boren, who immediately closed down SAE and kicked the entire frat membership out of their house, officials at UT have refused to take action for either of these issues, and even said the Border patrol party does not violate its rules.
@imnothoracio While the behavior doesn’t mirror UT core values, it’s within students’ right to freedom of speech at private off campus event
— UT Austin (@UTAustin) February 27, 2015
One University of Texas student summed it up perfectly:
It really is that simple pic.twitter.com/u0zWCUBOtg
— Creamy Peanut Butter (@BootyCry) March 9, 2015
Some more recent tweets about UT’s Phi Gamma Delta frat:
“@President_Boren: Updated statement attached. – DBo pic.twitter.com/DabXvjvyby†@UTAustin how is this different from FIJI?
— Horacio Zamora (@imnothoracio) March 9, 2015
@UTAustin Your student body is angry and upset. How many more of these acts do we need to experience to have justice? pic.twitter.com/rGZlaggvYn
— ernesto ➶ (@emtz2012) March 9, 2015
@AlexaJordan24 @imnothoracio @BootyCry UT needs to recognize that something doesn’t have to be overt 1950s racism to be hurtful or racist
— mango baby (@neuroluv) March 9, 2015
Young racists turn into older racists who SWEAR there’s no bias in hiring, or school discipline or who gets opportunities or breaks in life
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) March 9, 2015
“@emtz2012: Protestors at the Fiji house in UT Austin #StopDiscrimination pic.twitter.com/6uFoBMBDMz†*protests for canceling class
— jacqui ✩ (@Jakeylime) February 17, 2015
#RespectMyCulture UT Austin students gather in regards to the Texas FIJI “border patrol” themed party pic.twitter.com/CpXVCDRgvY
— Sandy (@sandy__marin) February 12, 2015
Wow UT frat FiJi racist towards Mexicans And others… And your going to make excuses for this Wow,No backbone @UTAustin
— Jacob C. Howell (@hollywoodhowell) March 10, 2015
By not punishing FIJI fraternity for “border patrol” party, @UTAustin condones racism. http://t.co/U12Req2szv #atx #austin #utaustin #texas
— Underground SketchBK (@UsketchBK) February 27, 2015
UPDATE – 03.10.15:
UT President Bill Powers today released a statement that reads, in part:
“Our dean of students has worked extensively with the [Phi Gamma Delta] group to educate its members on the harm it has caused and to reconcile it to the greater community. The FIJIs have apologized, have been fully engaged with the dean of students’ efforts, and have reached out to Latino groups.”
He also states that the Phi Gamma Delta rules photo may be a hoax:
“Additionally, a photo of alleged FIJI pledge rules has surfaced online. This ugly document appeared in 2007 and was largely believed to be a hoax even then.”
As of this writing the Sun Times has not changed its report.
Raw Story added this correction:
“The Daily Texan reported that the image was posted in 2007 and has not been authenticated.”
NCRM reported in our original version of this story that the photo had been posted first in 2007.
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Image via TwitterÂ
Hat tip: Travis Gettys at Raw Story
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