<p>I agree with cobrat’s analysis.</p>
<p>^^^^Yeah, you often do. However, I doubt many people who would be offended by the situation described in the OP would be sitting around comparing it in their minds to the third estate in the French revolution. Again, COME ON.</p>
<p>I hereby am retro-offended by toga parties. Making fun of the proud Greek empire like that. </p>
<p>This nation has become way too politically correct. Yes the judicial system has inequities but most people who are sitting in jail broke the law whether they are white, black or green. If you are a murderer or rapist it doesn’t matter what color you are and they should be behind prision doors. All races are victims of crime and have members of their race who have been subjected to police brutality. </p>
<p>On another note not all Greek members are white nor or are they necessarily wealthy. </p>
<p>Our experiences in life define what hurts us. If you know someone who is wrongly incarcerated this event you would find it distasteful. To lose a child to drowning you aren’t going to like a dunk tank and if you are Celiac and was kicked out of a restaurant you would be upset. We all have sensitivities and they are all real however that is just life and we can’t live in a world where we are stepping on eggshells everyday because we might offend someone. True freedom is being able to express your opinions without having duct tape put on your mouth. </p>
<p>On the plus side, now I have a legit excuse to skip yoga class, since I wouldn’t want to reappropriate any culture’s cultural markers. Can I keep the yoga pants though? </p>
<p>One of the big charities around here does the jail thing. I think it is the local American Heart Association. Our principal regularly gets “jailed” and has to be bailed out. I don’t know how much bail is but he usually pays it himself. I hate to think we are becoming such a boring society that everything is off limits. I agree with bengalmombengal .</p>
<p>Looking to history to predict the future seems a useful exercise to me. Many people I know are doing this type analysis at present. They are looking at past societal upheavals including, but not limited to, Cobrat’s French examples. It is true I may hang out with more historians than many on this board.</p>
<p>adding: It occurs to me this is another example of how we generalize from our own personal experiences. To me it does sort of seem everyone sits around doing this sort of comparison.</p>
<p>Not everything needs to be tied to the Chinese dynasties or the French revolution. Or huns, goths, vandals or cousins.</p>
<p>I don’t see anything wrong with the fundraiser these college students had planned and it wouldn’t matter if I did find it personally offensive. I think it’s a moral obligation to support people’s constitutional rights to free speech and peaceable assembly. You may not agree with what these students were doing, but your feelings of offensiveness don’t trump their constitutional rights. My belief has always been that as a firm supporter of the ideals of the US Constitution, I must strongly support the rights of individuals and groups to conduct their business even if I personally am strenuously against everything they represent. </p>
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<p>I think the last two posts make an excellent point. Sometimes I do want to exercise my right to be offensive. (post #31) Not in this case. What higher good does it serve? I don’t want to be offensive just because I have that right. If the greek group brought suit to defend their right to hold this fundraiser, I might support them. But I wouldn’t think much of them. </p>
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This is not in any way a constitutional issue. The right to free speech and peaceable assembly just means that the government cannot stop you from saying what you want and meeting with who you wish. It does not in any way prevent people from say “that thing you are doing or saying, I don’t like it”. I don’t doubt that they had the legal right to put on such a fundraiser, just as others would have the legal right to complain and protest.</p>
<p>People here are talking about being offended, and its up to debate and personal opinion as to what they are claiming to be offended about really is offensive or if it is faux outrage and “much ado about nothing” .</p>
<p>No, people here are really talking about the possibility of being offended. I think trying to decide whether or not another person deserves to feel offended can quickly take you down a bad road. Why should someone else get to decide if you or anyone else is offended, or should be?</p>
<p>Seems like a minor distinction. In general, just because someone claims outrage, does that mean others have to cowtow, or is it possible the person claiming outrage is overreacting, being overly sensitive and should get a grip?</p>
<p>In this particular case, it seems to be more a matter of bad timing.</p>
<p>I agree that it is mostly a matter of timing - I think that was my first comment!</p>
<p>After that, I just try to ask “how much of an impact on this person’s life has this really had?” If you are talking about poodles, it is probably something you can ignore. If it is something about a lifelong fear of being imprisoned because of your skin color, substantiated by statistics and the experience of family and friends, well I would take that seriously.</p>
<p>This fraternity and sorority held the same event previously, with no repercussions, according to this:</p>
<p><a href=“Campus Reform the #1 Source for College News”>Campus Reform the #1 Source for College News;
<p>Perhaps alumni of Northwestern (particularly those who are ZBT or KKG) could complain to the administration and threaten to withhold donations in protest. </p>
<p>Understand the reasoning, but that doesnt mean all others should not hold these events. If a person has a deathly fear of elevators, that doesn’t mean one should never hold an elevator party. Cant one avoid what makes them uncomfortable. This type of fundraiser is not likely to trigger PTSD, I would hope. </p>
<p>As I (and others) have said - timing is the big issue here. During previous fundraisers it is unlikely that there was as much tension over police and incarceration.</p>
<p>And what are they complaining about? The frat cancelled it themselves, I thought - the administration did nothing. You are going to call and complain because the frat independently decided it was inappropriate at this time?</p>
<p>@cosmicfish </p>
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<p>This school did not have any students who would find coughing up $3 to be an issue. This school sits in Cummings Research Park where the parents are typically engineers, physicists, physicians, lawyers, or other well-paid professionals. </p>
<p>Some kids chose not to participate because they didn’t bother, kept forgetting to bring their $3, or whatever. When this fundraiser had been run in earlier years (and later years after this pesky office-lady left), typically about 25% of the school showed up in unis for a total variety of reasons. to suggest that this was equivalent to wearing an “I am poor” sign is ridiculous… and, believe me…we had a long list of parents we could have had on speed-dial to call to cough up extra $3 donations to cover any child who truly couldn’t afford the $3.</p>
<p>keep in mind that this school has an annual week-long Senior Trip which is not cheap, even after fund-raising. Going on that trip is a huge deal…the kids have memories and pics to last a lifetime. If the school were really worried about exposing poor kids, that trip would be the first thing to knock off. lol</p>