- Joined
- Nov 25, 2007
- Messages
- 9,295
Doing something stupid is not illegal, but it can get you fired and it can get you expelled. It's called accountability. Should they go to jail? No. Should they be expelled? Eh, maybe.
It's all fun and games until you're on the front page of CNN and the Departments of Education and Justice turn their eyes your way.
You know- what if they actually were goofing around doing what they said- singing Christmas songs and pretending to be the "Ghost of Christmas past/ present etc... the bad decision might boil down to wearing a pillow case instead of a sheet ?! Because if they were dressed like the Charley Brown picture below and singing Christmas carols it would be ok? There are folks on here who want to see these kids tossed because they may have inadvertantly looked more "sort of, kind of" like KKK as opposed to "sort of -kind of" like Charley Brown? (But is Charley Brown's version the only acceptable ghost? Google "Charles Dickens " A Christmas Carol" and apparently that ghost has rather a pointy head)
I don't remember the KKK doing a lot of Christmas singing- (which these kids were shown doing in the video clip) and their story seems to correspond to what they say they were doing on tape . Really perhaps people- at least people on a web site devoted to these schools- ought to find out the whole story before they invest too much sanctimonious outrage and pictures of KKK clowns and climb on a bandwago that automatically assumes that they were emulating and acting like bigotted axxhxxxs and deserve to be tossed out. If they actually were trying to look like they were klansmen then for sure they ought to hit the street. If they were actually getting hazed then some upperclassman is going to be up the creek without a paddle. But absent anything other than what the Cadets have apparently said- perhaps jumping to outrage and Scarlet Letter treatment is a tad bit misplaced .
It was pointed out in the statement by The Citadel Minority Alumni Association that this is not the first, second or third time problems like this have occurred. I imagine, as alumni, they have both loyalty and insight into the inner-workings of the institution, as opposed to uninformed opinions on the internet. And their assessment came quickly and clearly.
Harmless prank or cultural issue?
Me when I read this:
President Rosa seems to be out front on the issue and has enough watchful eyes following his every move.
Were you thinking about an argument between a pot and a kettle?
C'mon Mom.
Slow your roll. Your reference to Mother Emanuel Church and the pictures, placed next to one another, are inflammatory to say the least, although I don't believe that it was necessarily your intention. It contributes nothing to the fact finding process. If fact, it poisons it. I always assume that all 18-23 year old males, whether on their mom's couch in the basement or enrolled at an SA or SMC, are knuckleheads. I also assume that the parents of said knuckleheads (myself included), should set an example of circumspection and calm.
The outcome of this very consequential to everyone at The Citadel, not just those involved, who could be marked for life. President Rosa seems to be out front on the issue and has enough watchful eyes following his every move.
Not all 18-23 year old are knuckleheads. I am sure these kids made a big mistake with no real intention of offending. They did offend though. I worry about their state of mind now. I hope they get counseling. My son is at another large base now. I check the base news from time to time. There have been two suicides there the last two weeks.
You're making my point.
These kids could be stigmatized for life, not unlike the Duke LAX knuckleheads in attendance at their stripper party.
I'll defer to the developmental neurologists, whose consensus is that the male human brain is not fully developed until age 25.
Dyslexia... I think you meant 52
Harmless prank or cultural issue?
C'mon Mom.
Slow your roll. Your reference to Mother Emanuel Church and the pictures, placed next to one another, are inflammatory to say the least, although I don't believe that it was necessarily your intention. It contributes nothing to the fact finding process. If fact, it poisons it. I always assume that all 18-23 year old males, whether on their mom's couch in the basement or enrolled at an SA or SMC, are knuckleheads. I also assume that the parents of said knuckleheads (myself included), should set an example of circumspection and calm.
The outcome of this very consequential to everyone at The Citadel, not just those involved, who could be marked for life. President Rosa seems to be out front on the issue and has enough watchful eyes following his every move.
Harmless prank or cultural issue?
Putting the pictures side by side only makes sense to me, to come to a conclusion. And, it is what every media outlet would do. Plus... I am a visual learner. And a picture is worth a thousand words.
Are they just snowflakes, or are there deeper issues?
And yes, I completely understand about the maturation of the human brain in teenagers aka the knuckeheads. I'm the mother of identical twin sons.
As I said before, I don't think these kids should be unduly punished. They didn't cause physical harm to anyone. And The Citadel leadership, I think, has responded quickly and appropriately to get ahead of any damage.
None of which changes the fact that The Citadel appears to have a cultural issue on their hands. South Carolina has a very racist history. Seriously, ISIS could take a page from the KKK. I'm very sorry if anyone thinks I'm being pedantic about history. But truly, the slow barbeques done by KKK makes ISIS style beheadings appear quite humane. It. Is. Not. Funny.
Which makes me very glad there is some push-back on this.
Just saying.