The University of Michigan’s Theta Xi fraternity isn’t winning many folks over by inviting big name Detroit rapper Big Sean to town for a concert.
That’s because, as The Michigan Daily reports, three years ago the frat had planned to hold a “Hood Ratchet” party which, among other things, was to feature a “twerking” contest and the Facebook page of which had used “various gang references.”
Campus outrage followed, with cries that the Facebook page “parodied Black culture and misogynized women.” The party eventually was scrapped, and the frat apologized.
Nevertheless, Theta Xi was suspended by UM from the Interfraternity Council, and the university made its members attend “bystander intervention workshops” and design “an educational program on issues of race.”
The Big Sean event also is scheduled on the same date as Black Homecoming, a prominent party hosted by HEADS and Sister 2 Sister.
In a series of Twitter posts Monday afternoon, students criticized the concert and said the 2013 party was what prompted #BBUM, a Twitter hashtag later that year aimed at allowing Black students to share their campus experiences which went viral.
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Music, Theatre & Dance junior Diego Zimmerman, speaker of the Black Student Union, tweeted, “Insult the Black community, bring one of the best performers to concert at the same time as their annual homecoming, more like #ThetaSigh.”
LSA senior Cam Dotson and vice president of finance of the Interfraternity Council tweeted that he thought “theta Xi is moving forward with building a positive culture and this event is brought forward in good faith.”
You know the history of what y'all did, decide to get a black artist and consult no one in the community about the message u r sending out
— LoyLod (@mayorlyon77) September 19, 2016
Insult the Black community, bring one of the best performers to concert at the same time as their annual homecoming, more like #ThetaSigh
— ¿ (@yo_diego_yo) September 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/Theezy/status/777918811911680000
Instead of bashing, let’s figure out a way to figure out an actual solution, and move forward for the betterment diversity issue on campus
— Shimmy Turner™ (@90sVon) September 19, 2016
What would placate those still upset at the frat? It already was subjected to re-educat– er, already mandated to atone for its racial and cultural sins … and a few years hence it has invited a a big name in the black entertainment industry to perform for the UM community.
Good thing Theta Xi didn’t invite someone like Charlie Daniels, eh?
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