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In reality, they would be a bit late, since the OU SAE chapter has had two black members, although not in several years. Apparently, the chanting students didn't know about their black fraternity brothers.
The reaction from the university was swift and unequivocal. Stating a policy of zero tolerance for "threatening racist behavior," OU President David Boren expelled the two ringleaders shown on the video and banned SAE from the campus. The other members of SAE were given just days to remove their belongings from the building and find other lodgings.
Some observers have since said that the expulsions were done without the legally required due process and in violation of the expelled students' civil rights and the university's own procedures.
The national SAE headquarters also disowned the racism in the OU branch. "This is absolutely not who we are," SAE said in a statement. Observers say the national fraternity was within its rights to suspend the student chapter.
In the days since the incident, one of the two expelled students, Parker Rice, has issued a public apology for his actions, which was published in The Dallas Morning News. "I am deeply sorry for what I did Saturday night. It was wrong and reckless. I made a horrible mistake by joining into the singing and encouraging others to do the same," Parker Rice said in his statement.
"At this point, all I can do is be thoughtful and prayerful about my next steps, but I am also concerned about the fraternity friends still on campus. Apparently, they are feeling unsafe and some have been harassed by others. Hopefully, the university will protect them," Rice added.
There have been reports of verbal and physical assaults on fraternity members not involved with the video.
The other student involved, Levi Pettit, has made no comment, but his parents have apologized for him. In a statement, his parents said their son made a horrible mistake and apologized to African-Americans, students and university faculty. "He is a good boy, but what we saw in those videos is disgusting," his parents said. They went on to say that they believe that in his heart, their son is not a racist.
Of additional interest to us here are the comments of Maria Dixon Hall about the episode. Dr. Hall, who is both a professor at Southern Methodist University and a United Methodist minister, is an African-American. Rather than cheering the university's quick and strong reaction to the racist rant, Hall views it as a missed opportunity to teach "pre-adults" (her term for the 18-21 demographic) an important life lesson. In the judgment of TWW, her response is well-reasoned and is not a knee-jerk reaction. We can only summarize it here, but it's listed first in the links below and is worth your time to read in its entirety, including what she has to say about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the grace of God.
Hall points out that many pre-adult students have "never formed an independent idea of their own" when they enter college. Rather they've been shaped by parents, teachers, churches and the culture. "They are so programmed when they hit our [college] doors that it takes almost four years for them to really start figuring out what kind of ice cream they really like," Hall says.
She adds, "Sadly and often tragically, unlike high school, they find out that one bad night, one stupid decision, one wrong turn can lead to life-changing consequences."
At such points, however, Hall says, "when done right and when at all possible (barring criminal behavior), the university and its professors can shine a hopeful light and offer an opportunity to begin again ...." Because of that, Hall says she believes OU's response missed the mark. "While [OU football coach] Bob Stoops and President Boren were making the heroic rounds as defenders of civility, in my humble opinion, they missed a wonderful opportunity to teach their students how to live, disagree and unite as a civil community," Hall says. "They perpetuated our society's Hunger Games philosophy of total annihilation -- blame them, shame them and erase them."
Hall goes on to name four teachable moments that might have been capitalized on:
Moment 1: Outrage = Hypocrisy. "No one enjoys being called a nigger, especially me. But after living 49 years on this planet in black skin in America, I am not shocked [or] horrified when I hear it, whether it is directed at me or not," Hall says. She is bothered by progressives who act as if they have "never ... thought a negative thought about a black person, even as they locked their doors when approaching 'that side of town.' Since we all know that we all have said things behind closed doors that would have us vilified if they ever saw the light of day, how about we cut these boys a little slack?" Hall says.
Moment 2: Racism is a congenital heart condition. "White children learn the lessons of bigotry when their parents isolate them from 'those people' by sending them to private schools instead of the public schools in their neighborhoods. Their arteries become clogged with prejudice when the only people of color they encounter are those who serve their meals, clean their rooms or carry their bags," Hall says. ''So after 12 years of a steady diet of erasure, dismissal and hypocrisy when these boys have a full-blown cardiac arrest of racism, rather than giving them a defibrillator of God's grace and challenging them to see the sacred worth of all -- we pull the plug and do a dance on their graves."
Moment 3: The best way to deal with a racist is to show them the dissonance in their lives. "Rather than marching and shouting, what if President Boren invited the young men on that bus who sang their hateful song to sit and watch the video with the black staff members of the SAE house who fixed their meals and cleaned their rooms? ... What if after their live performance President Boren finally allowed Walter, the man who cooked their meals for the last 15 years, to ask the young men one simple question: 'is this what you really think of me?'" Hall maintains that most racists "hold to their views in isolation. I believe when those young men came face to face with the people who cared for them and loved them, the full impact of their behavior would then be clear," Hall says.
Moment 4: It is all about outcomes. Hall says that "every lesson has an outcome whether intentional or not." So we should ask what we want these young men to learn. "If we wanted them to learn that racism is bad, well, we missed it. Instead, they have learned the opposite. They have learned that racism must never be articulated; it must be hidden; it must [be] enacted but never espoused. ... Removing them from campus ... teaches them nothing except to make sure they aren't being recorded when they rant and chant."
Hall goes on to say that Martin Luther King Jr.'s "most enduring premise was that while laws could give us the right to go to school and eat at the lunch counter together, only the gospel of Jesus Christ could heal the heart condition known as racism." She maintains that there is a time for marching and there is a time for conversation. "This was a time for conversation and intervention," Hall says.
We quote Hall's concluding remarks in full: "Look, I know it is easier just to be done with these students. Bashing them is incredibly popular and dismissing them from the island of humanity appears to be all the rage. Unfortunately, I am called to the two most idealistic professions -- teaching and preaching -- and I believe in the power of conversion. I believe in the power of Grace. I believe in a God of Second Chances. I believe in a God who is a master teacher.
"I know. How silly of me."
More on this story can be found at these links:
A Teachable Moment: How OU Failed Transformation 101. Patheos
Report: University of Oklahoma Student Apologizes for Racist Chant. CNN
No, It's Not Constitutional for [OU] to Expel Students for Racist Speech. Washington Post
The Big Questions
1. In what settings and under what circumstances is a zero tolerance policy the right response? When does adhering to zero tolerance do more harm than good? Does zero tolerance ever "throw out the baby with the bath water"? Does a "zero tolerance" policy justify violating someone's civil rights? Can respecting civil rights aid in utilizing teachable moments? How does zero tolerance line up against the gospel of Jesus Christ?
2. Do you agree that teachable moments were missed in this case? What if, as Hall suggested, President Boren had invited the young men on that bus to sit and watch the video with the black staff members of the SAE house who fixed their meals and cleaned their rooms? Might it have helped if the students on the bus were to sit and talk with black SAE alumni -- their own fraternity brothers? Might that have caused real change in the hearts of the offenders? Or might it have caused them to be more secretive about their racism?
3. With the OU incident in mind, respond to Hall's comment: "I believe in the power of conversion. I believe in the power of Grace. I believe in a God of Second Chances. I believe in a God who is a master teacher." Why do you think she referred to her own statement as "silly"?
4. Are there any ways in which you think you might contribute to racist assumptions in young people by what you don't say or do? Explain. Is there a qualitative difference between willful and careless acts of prejudice? How do we, as sinners, steer others away from the path of prejudice while we may be walking it ourselves?
5. What has been your most effective means of learning life lessons? How do we "unlearn" things in which we are deeply invested, but which we have assumed to be true without examining the evidence? Is severe penalty the most effective teacher in every case? If not, what works better?
6. Should these two fraternity members be forgiven? If so, who should have the option of doing the forgiving and in what form should that forgiveness come? If not, why not?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Psalm 25:4-5, 7
Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation ... Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions ... (For context, read 25:4-10.)
These words from Psalm 25 are a prayer. In the petition to be taught God's paths, the psalmist is probably not asking for knowledge. No doubt, he could already recite the Ten Commandments. He could probably even tell you some of the ways that the great scribes and teachers of Israel had interpreted those commandments and the various situations they had described in which each of the big ten should be applied.
No, what the psalmist was praying for here was that he be made "teachable," that he be enabled to so internalize what he already knew about God's ways that they would become the guiding force in the critical situations of his life. In other words, he was asking that he learn on a gut level the things God wanted him to know, and that he learn them without having to attend the school of hard knocks.
Clearly, he's already been to that school, for he also prays, "Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions."
Questions: What has helped you to internalize God's ways? What do you think today about the transgressions of your youth?
Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (For context, read 12:9-21.)
This is a verse that first came to mind when reading Hall's article about how the OU incident might have been handled differently.
Questions: How does this verse apply to Hall's remarks? Where have you seen this biblical principle work effectively? How should this verse inform us in situations where evil refuses to be overcome with good?
1 Corinthians 1:21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. (For context, read 1:18-31.)
Paul uses the word "foolishness" several times in the context verses for this passage, and he seems to mean it in the same way that Hall used "silly" to refer to her conclusions.
Regarding this verse, one biblical commentator said, "Satirically, God at the most foolish and weakest, as seen in the crucified Jesus, trumps the greatest human wisdom and strength."
Questions: Why do the "wise" sometimes miss the significance of Christ and the cross? What does ministry devoid of God's foolishness look like?
Colossians 3:9-11
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! (For context, read 3:1-17.)
This is part of Paul's discussion of how to live a holy life. Since Christianity was born in Judaism, some early believers felt that anyone other than Jews who embraced Christ had to also adhere to the Jewish dietary, Sabbath and other religious practices and, if they were male, be circumcised. Paul, however, insisted that under the gospel of Jesus a renewal takes place, and in that paradigm, "there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!"
Paul also referred to this renewal as a wardrobe change in which we've "stripped off the old self" and "clothed [our]selves with the new self."
Questions: Probably most Christians would see in these verses a condemnation of deliberate racism, but what does it suggest we do about our unexamined behaviors and attitudes that allow stereotyping of people -- and even of fraternity members -- to continue to find fertile ground within us? How do you express God's renewal in your life? Is how we treat people who seem culturally different a matter of right versus wrong?
How would you describe your spiritual wardrobe change: a quick-change act? a disguise? a "what not to wear" lesson? permanent attire?
1 John 4:20
Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. (For context, read 4:7-21.)
Hall quoted a version of this verse in her article when she said, "... most racists ... hold to their views in isolation. I believe when those young men came face to face with the people who cared for them and loved them, the full impact of their behavior would then be clear -- 'How can you profess love for a God you have not seen while hating (hurting) your brother that you see every day?'"
Questions: Where do you need to work on seeing others as brothers and sisters? How does your love for God express itself in your human relationships?
For Further Discussion
1. How would you have handled the OU situation if you had been in charge?
2. If you were a counselor to the young men involved in this incident, what would you advise them to do now?
3. One of the two students has not publicly commented on his part in leading the song on the bus, but his parents have said that in his heart, he is not a racist. Given his actions, what do you make of that claim? How do you define "racist"?
4. Respond to this, from one TWW team member: "I appreciate the professor's comments about this being a teachable moment, and because of her situation, she has a right to make her suggestions, but I would suggest that expelling the two students is a lesson that will not be forgotten. ... I don't think people who think lynching is a funny matter that can be part of a song deserve anything better than immediate expulsion from school."
Another TWW member responded, "I agree. But is this enough to effect insight and change of understanding, attitude and behavior? What if Maria Dixon Hall's suggestion was added to the expulsion -- that the offenders be confronted with the real people that are being denigrated? One accepted change theory says: 'Change occurs when there is a suitable amount of pain and a suitable amount of hope.'"
5. What do you make of this? Although OU President Boren brought a heavy penalty against the students involved in this incident of racism, he previously reacted more mildly when a school football player was videotaped punching a female student in the face, breaking several facial bones. That player was given a year-long suspension from the team but not expelled from the campus. Boren said, "The University is an educational institution, which always sets high standards that we hope will be upheld by our students. We hope that our students will all learn from those standards, but at the same time, we believe in second chances so that our students can learn and grow from life's experiences." Boren went on to say that the offending player will be given a chance to "earn his way back on the team."
Commenting on Boren's actions in the two cases, Fox sports journalist Clay Travis said, "Oh, so the star running back gets a second chance for breaking four bones on a female student's face on video, but the guys in a frat don't get a second chance for saying something racist on a video?" (See Oklahoma Stands Tall Against Racism, Weak Against Violence. Fox)
6. Discuss this, from TWW team member Mary Sells: "We seem to have a society where punishment equals removing a person from the situation where they learn, live, work and ... sin. An outsider looking at this model in the prison community says it creates factories of like-minded sinners rather than conversion from sinfulness to goodness. There is little rehabilitation offered other than what one might find in one's own heart. That's all well and good if the heart is stronger than the surroundings -- yet I think it often is not."
7. Share some personal stories of life lessons you learned the hard way.
Responding to the News
"Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths" -- the prayer from Psalm 25 that we be made teachable is one that every Christian could pray frequently. Most of us know quite a bit about the Bible and about God's will for us in general, and we have no shortage of clarity about the difference in right and wrong. But there is a real difference between head knowledge and the commitment of our will to live by what we know.
We should also consider what unfair biases we may be passing on to younger generations and seek God's help not to do so.
Closing Prayer
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