We have an update on the story about the Maryland frat that rejected an applicant for being gay, and it’s good news … kind of. The frat’s been placed on probation. So, that’s justice, we suppose.
Brian Stewart filed a complaint with the school back in October, after they used some colorful slurs to reject his application. The exact nature of the “derogatory social media messages” have not been made public, which is a real shame because we would love to see exactly how vitriolic they are. But that’s really not the point: the point is that the frat acted like a bunch of douches; the victim stood up to them; the school investigated; and now the perpetrators have been held responsible, to some extent.
This took no small amount of courage on Stewart’s part. Standing up publicly to denounce intolerance and discrimination at a powerful institution can’t have been any easy decision, particularly when it was an institution for which he previously had a lot of respect and reverence.
The probation lasts until 2015, and means that the frat won’t be able to participate in official college activities. Boo hoo.
More importantly, the college has held two campus-wide meetings about the incident, prompting lots of discussion and dialogue and healing. Overall, that seems like a pretty productive outcome for what was an entirely ugly incident.
So far there’s been no comment from the Alpha Iota chapter, nor from the national Kappa Alpha Psi organization. But what could they say at this point? “Whoops?”
Actually, there is plenty they could say. “We reject all forms of discrimination, etc. etc. etc.,” or “the members responsible for this reprehensible act have been excommunicated,” or “we pledge a year of fundraising and awareness campaigns to make up for the harm for which we must now take full responsibility,” would all be acceptable.
In the meantime, Brian Stewart is a hero. The end.
hotshot70
I say fine the frat, fine the school, even close there frathouse down.
stranded
I’d rather stay neutral until the homophobic remarks are revealed; otherwise we’re just siding with any accuser. Look at the waitress scandal. We were all rooting for her until we found out she was full of shit. People can cry wolf, or read into things that aren’t there. Also, who were the individuals who wrote the remarks? How crucial was their involvement on deciding whether Stewart could have joined. I’m not entirely sure how frats work. If a member of a frat wrote those remarks, but he has no deciding factor on who can join the fraternity. Then the fraternity should not get in trouble. The decision to place the frat in probation isn’t a good sign, but also not a confirmation. To avoid scandal officials usually over react in order to not look like tolerators of bigotry.
Dakotahgeo
Justice has been carried out, although the fraternity still exists, which is a shame!
jimbryant
Could racism also be involved? Perhaps the perpetrators were black themselves. I need to get more information.
Keep in mind that this is happening in Maryland, supposed liberal state.
BrianZ
Sounds like the school acted responsibly and took the incident to heart with their follow-up with the entire campus. It’s unfortunate that it happened, but confronting this sort of thing head-on is to be commended.
I don’t agree with the idea that the fraternity should be shut down. We can safely assume that there are a few asshats that made a spectacle of themselves. I don’t believe that we should assume that everyone in the fraternity is the same and deserving of punishment.
Deepdow
@jimbryant:
It’s a historically Black fraternity.
Cam
No so long ago the school would have told the student to go away. Nice that bigotry against gays is not officially against policy. 🙂
As for the frat, not participating in school events. I’m wondering if this includes Rush when they try to get new pledges. If it does, then they have really hurt that organization.
BJ McFrisky
Black folk don’t like them no gay folk.
Ain’t news.
True dat.
tjr101
@jimbryant: Yes Maryland is indeed liberal, if only liberal states could expel the minority conservative idiots/bigots it would be a perfect. But it’s a free country.
Cam
@BJ McFrisky:
Gee, what a shock, the guy who continually comes in here to defend anti-gay bigots also is a rac-ist. What a shock.
Red_Dragon_888
People just don’t like ugly and this frat house sound very ugly. I am glad they are getting their just deserts. Of course, a Hero is born and hope he has a bright future in the coming years.
Fitz
I just can’t get too excited about learning that a Fraternity acted like a bunch of entitled asswipes. Had they let him in, he would have proudly become one of them and spent his college life participating in their borderline sociopathic social life.
He was a victim of their vitriol, instead of a proud participant. Boo-f’ing-hoo.
mawbinatl
@Fitz: I don’t think anyone can say that he would have become a willing participant of any fraternity high jinks. That’s just speculation.
He may have joined it to be a part of something that may have helped him out in his career (you know like placing it on your resume?).
He was a victim of their vitriolic behavior and it had nothing to do with his grades, standing and whatever, as I understand it, but everything to do with his sexual orientation.
I applaud him for standing up and fighting back. Too many of us accept intolerance and abuse and just “let it pass”. He, through proper parental upbringing, saw the injustice done and took the proper channels to do something about it.
And not all fraternities are sociopathic science experiments. Some do great things for one another and their communities.
Fitz
@mawbinatl: there are things to stand up for. The right to take part in hazing and gang rapes isn’t one of them.
Kangol
@BJ McFrisky:
Yep, because RUSSIA, the Roman Catholic bishops in the US, the Mormon Church, etc. are all “black folk.” NOT.
JUST.
STOP.
YOUR
[email protected].
BS.
Please. And get help.
Back to the article, good for this young man, and the frat ought to pay for its homophobia. It’s 2013, not 1913 or 1513 or some other era in which homophobia of this sort was considered acceptable.
balehead
I stink think he’s an opportunist looking for cash…..
erasure25
@jimbryant: a liberal state does not mean all people who live there are liberal. That would be…. Stereotyping.