CNN: Not A Racial Attack, But A War Game “Gone Too Far”
Source: Racially-charged incident at high school for the deaf was a ‘war game’ that ‘went too far’
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A racially-charged weekend incident at a high school for the deaf — now being investigated by police as a possible hate crime — was a “war game that went too far,” a source close the investigation told CNN’s Kyra Phillips Thursday.
But the source said, instead, the incident was not an attack but a game that got out of hand when students used poor judgment.  To read the full article, click on this:  http://tinyurl.com/2q6jsg
Commentary: When I first heard this through sources at Gallaudet last weekend, I didn’t want to print until I knew for sure, as is customary for me. Many times I’ve heard rumors and chose not to publish them. Then, when it became official, I used a question mark as it remained unclear if a hate crime occurred or not. As the police investigation remains incomplete.
However, a lot of questions remain. The person’s rights may have been violated as he was restrained for forty five mins to an hour. Perhaps not. Was it with his permission or not? Did he go to the RA to report it or was it discovered first when someone stumbled on the scene? How thoroughly did the students comprehend the implications of these symbols or did they have a superficial understanding? One has to wonder… What kind of black group would call itself the Black KKK?    One of the seven perpetrators is Black, too.
What many people don’t understand that a lot of horseplay does happen in the dorms. Is the person who was tied and marked feeling traumatized by his peers’ treatment? Perhaps not, if it was just a war game. There are many details we don’t know and media are notorious for inaccurate reporting.  The school’s response was appropriate, though, considering the atrocious symbols used during this incident.
Davila is correct. This kind of activity cannot be tolerated at all. Hopefully some valuable lessons will come out of this experience.
The police investigation will decide if it is really a hate crime …. or a stunt by teenagers using incredibly bad judgment.
Source: Racially-charged incident at high school for the deaf was a ‘war game’ that ‘went too far’
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A racially-charged weekend incident at a high school for the deaf — now being investigated by police as a possible hate crime — was a “war game that went too far,” a source close the investigation told CNN’s Kyra Phillips Thursday.
But the source said, instead, the incident was not an attack but a game that got out of hand when students used poor judgment.  To read the full article, click on this:  http://tinyurl.com/2q6jsg
Commentary: When I first heard this through sources at Gallaudet last weekend, I didn’t want to print until I knew for sure, as is customary for me. Many times I’ve heard rumors and chose not to publish them. Then, when it became official, I used a question mark as it remained unclear if a hate crime occurred or not. As the police investigation remains incomplete.
However, a lot of questions remain. The person’s rights may have been violated as he was restrained for forty five mins to an hour. Perhaps not. Was it with his permission or not? Did he go to the RA to report it or was it discovered first when someone stumbled on the scene? How thoroughly did the students comprehend the implications of these symbols or did they have a superficial understanding? One has to wonder… What kind of black group would call itself the Black KKK?    One of the seven perpetrators is Black, too.
What many people don’t understand that a lot of horseplay does happen in the dorms. Is the person who was tied and marked feeling traumatized by his peers’ treatment? Perhaps not, if it was just a war game. There are many details we don’t know and media are notorious for inaccurate reporting.  The school’s response was appropriate, though, considering the atrocious symbols used during this incident.
Davila is correct. This kind of activity cannot be tolerated at all. Hopefully some valuable lessons will come out of this experience.
The police investigation will decide if it is really a hate crime …. or a stunt by teenagers using incredibly bad judgment.
October 6th, 2007 at 9:29 am
These are just a bunch of kids showing their wiggles off to the Kappa Gamma fraternity. I just hope Davila makes the bold decision that will pave the way toward the field of tolerance and that is to boot Kappa Gamma out of the University.
October 6th, 2007 at 9:32 am
That news follow-up is tiny and buried way down a list of other news follow-ups. In the rabid land of the news media, bad news and quick impressions…and Deaf students are getting bad publicity, indeed. They must look like irresponsible, out-of-control kids more interested in rioting, closing school buildings, and now marking up their black members with inflammatory symbols.
We need good publicity to change that. It will make a difference to future employers, banks, housing, and services.
October 6th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Definitely war game went too far and even so, these boys will still have to face consequences, regardless. I don’t think this should be prosecuted as a hate crime. Disorderly conduct, yes. Still, what was in the back of their minds when they did that? Aside from the war games, did these two group of boys typically get along with each other? if so, then that is what it was, war game gone too far and not related to race.
Richard, until you know who these boys are, I think it’s wrong for you to assume things and your comment in itself is considered biased and that is where most hate crimes stem from.
October 6th, 2007 at 10:17 am
To Richard Roehm #1,
These kids are in high school, therefore it had nothing to do with the Kappa Gamma.
I suggest that you read much more carefully this time.
October 6th, 2007 at 10:18 am
To Richard Roehm #1,
And next time!
October 6th, 2007 at 11:29 am
What can’t MSSD principal take care of this stuff .. not Gallaudet or President Robert Davila. I saw him on CNN video. It looks bad. MSSD is a Deaf high school – not college. Can you clarify this why Davila involved into this?
October 6th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Misha,
Please delete Richard Roehm’s comment, #1 !!!! It is not appropriate to judge any fraternity and sorority at Gallaudet.
Again, please delete his comment.
White Ghost
October 6th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
hi, mz,
just that this situation is a little out of control, is it because of unusal activity, or is it because of deaf particants with the peculiar activity??
deafk
October 6th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
White Ghost,
Just playing Devil’s Advocate- is it appropriate for YOU to judge anybody? Yet you have made posts that judge in the past.
Therefore, your comment is invalid, and you do not have a right to ask MZ to delete an entry. That’s an infringement of freedom of speech.
Or are you one of the idiots in KG?
WW
October 6th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
No, I am not the member of KG. However, MSSD does NOT have any fraternities! They are ONLY the high school students, NOT the college students!
Richard Roehm is happy to destroy the ASL and the supporters. That is what he really wants. He thinks that oralism are growing much more than the ASL. Go read his f**king blog.
White Ghost
October 6th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Cognitive bias run amock. People will base their opinions on whatever’s information is available to them. A human trait. That’s why I don’t say nothing. We weren’t there to begin with.
October 6th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Could the poster be stereotyping at a certain fraternity? There are bad apples everywhere and a certain group does not speak for the entire fraternity. Bob Davila, Steve and Fred Weiner, Jay Innes, Dwight Benedict are members of that fraternity and they are very good people. I understand it is easy to blame the entire entity because of what the few has done.
I remember when I was at a Deaf residential school we have done so much horseplay and do get out of control sometimes. Sometimes game playing roles get out of hand because of emotionally charged release within ourselves targeted the wrong people. It is like the one at MSSD when one has been oppressed all their lives and suddenly they become the oppressor. It was not intentional also many hearing people get the wrong idea that it is racism like their communities which is not. This is very hard to explain as the Deaf does not do racism, in my opinion, like the hearing population does. We all have that negative stored within and that is part of human nature, and what needs to be done is how to control it.
October 6th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Stephen Hardy – Oh please! The names you dropped often engage in White privilege. Jay Innes has a tendency to insult intelligences. While he can be very slick he’s an example of dysconscious Audism at its worst ever. Dwight Benedict most constantly plays favorites.
October 6th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Unfortunately the bad news get the most attention while the good news get less recognition. It doesn’t surprise me that this article is found near the bottom of the CNN page.
All fraternities and sororities have their share of bad apples. KG is no exception. I do have some friends who are KG members, just like I do with members of other greek groups.
Personally I will not worry about what a commenter has to say, especially if that person’s credibility is dubious. I believe that’s common knowledge among the Deaf Community.
October 6th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Bingo, there you go, girl!
Of course! We do have the bad and good apples around the greek groups.
So what, Richard?
White Ghost
October 6th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Yes The incident has nothing to do with the fraternities and sororities. It is way off the point. I will not publish (even reject) the negative comments from that person in my own blog. It has gotten out of control. It is no use but respect and openminded without attacking each others.
October 7th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
well it all because of Jena 6 and makes things worst. those guys horseplaying were playing at the wrong time. I think it is time for any of whites people to back off and don’t play with Africa America. I think it safe to say whites should play whites so it won’t be in media C***!
October 8th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
As a former MSSDer Alumni, clearly we are in a different world post 9/11.
I tried to think back when I was at MSSD from 77-81 if we had any racial incidents or incidents of hate crimes or violence took place. Black and White students like myself intermingled and I don’t recall any racial issues. The only thing I can recall was students getting in trouble or busted for drugs. Drugs was a common place during my time. I remember staff always checking in students rooms to inspect for drugs. Students being kicked out or suspended was due to drugs. So the world during my time was different and I remember we had a lot more dorm supervision and strict rules.
Today, I do not know nothing about how they supervise the dorms and what amazes me that the quality of education seems to have gotten out of hand these days. In my day, students really would not have thought of this. I know I didn’t and my fellow MSSD Alumni wouldn’t either. We even had interracial couples dating and it was a common place and not an issue as it is today as I strongly believe the media portrays this extensively and people react on what they see from the media.
I know I was guilty of doing that myself. For instance, after 9/11 happened, we learned from the Media about the Muslim people and the story of the Jihad, and that the jihad was in the Koran. I am a graduate student and taking a course about religion and we are learning about Islam right now and the facts that I have about the concept is based on the facts from the media which is inaccurate. The more I learn about the history the better understanding I have about the concept. It was purely set up for political reason and in order to understand their plight, we have to go back in history to understand the concept, many of these groups became extremist due to an idea that they want to pursue which is the same for some groups like KK, the former Nazi’s etc.
Clearly, the media has an influence on all of us including young people. I did not like Muslims I associated them with 9/11 and almost all of us did that but now I have better understanding of their religion and my inner dislike or “hate” of them has disappeared.
My last comment to say is that even if white students horse playing doing war games with “white supremacy issue” such as the Nazi is still inappropriate regardless, students need to be taught to develop respect for one another and maintain civility.