New UCSD racial incident sparks rage, confrontation

Marc Balanky / Union-Tribune













See all posts about UCSD's "Compton Cookout"


Should public funds be given to "journalists" to shower contempt on minority students, making them want to leave UCSD?

Should fraternities support this type of journalism?

The free speech issue is very important, making this a tough situation. Our society benefits from free speech, but is harmed as it becomes less inclusive.

It's important for all of us that African American citizens become educated and allowed to fully participate in public higher education. In a way the situation is analogous to the Sally Smith situation. The Koala "journalists" don't want irritating "loud" black girls around; the teachers at Serra don't want "irritating" Sally Smith around. The urge to silence voices that make us uncomfortable is rampant in America. Situations with competing moral values, such as freedom of speech v. equal treatment of and participation by all people in our society, are far more tricky than simple questions of right and wrong. It seems to me that UCSD needs to teach students to think more carefully about these issues.

KRIS GREGORIAN

Kris Gregorian and his friends would have us think that he has contempt for black girls because one cute black girl yelled at him at a softball game. I think the reverse is true: Kris Gregorian and friends are racists, and they use an outburst, similar to outbursts I've heard time and again by white girls with extroverted personalities and a sense of fun, to justify their contempt. Apparently the Koala folks consider white women to be more acceptable because they are perceived as passive aggressive like Gregorian and friends, rather than direct and to the point.

Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity denies responsibility the "Compton Party", but we'll see if it aids and abets the planners and participants by keeping some of them as members.



UCSD race tensions rise after ‘Compton Cookout,’ use of n-word
By Staff, City News Service
February 21, 2010

...According to the BSU, the broadcast called critics of the party ungrateful and used the n-word. Students searching for a tape of the broadcast found a scrap of cardboard in the TV station with the words “Compton lynching” written on it, further fueling tensions...






New UCSD racial incident sparks rage, confrontation
By Eleanor Yang Su,
SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
February 20, 2010

...In the latest incident, members of an irreverent student organization aired a live segment on closed-circuit television Thursday night supporting the party...

About 200 students, mostly black, met yesterday with administrators to discuss four pages of demands, mostly aimed at improving the campus’ racial climate.

Brewing tensions were made worse yesterday morning, when students searching for a copy of the videotape found a piece of cardboard in the student-run television studio with the words “Compton lynching” written on it — an apparent reference to the party, which was billed as the “Compton Cookout.”

...The show that sparked fresh outrage is called Koala TV and featured the editor of the Koala publication [Kris Gregorian] supporting the ghetto-themed party organized by fraternity members.

An invitation to the party urged participants to dress and act like “ghetto chicks” by speaking loudly, starting fights and wearing cheap clothes. The party drew condemnations from lawmakers in Sacramento and angered many students and faculty...

“I don’t feel accepted, and I don’t feel welcomed here at all,” Robinson said. “The whole lynching situation pretty much upset me. It is a possible threat. It was found in the Koala studio, where they called us niggers, and called us ungrateful, and ghetto and dumb. This is an unsafe environment.”




PI KAPPA ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY DNIES RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARTY

...The Fraternity regrets the display of ignorance and error-of-judgment made by any individual members who may have attended or were associated via social-media with the racially-offensive party. These actions are in direct violation of PIKE's code of conduct and appropriate disciplinary actions have been taken against members affiliated with the event.

While the Kappa Phi Chapter accepts no direct involvement in the planning of this party, the Fraternity encourages all in attendance to reach out to the African American community, as well as the UCSD community at large, with a sincere and effective reconciliation program...

Garron Engstrom
President
The Kappa Phi Chapter
The Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity




Racial Tensions Boil at UCSD
By MICHELLE WAYLAND
NBC San Diego
Feb 20, 2010

The UCSD’s Student Run Television (SRTV) shut down Friday after a student used the N-word to describe students who complained about the recent “Compton Cookout” controversy, according to a source at the university.

Last week, a group of UCSD students held a party dubbed the Compton Cookout, which featured a motif full of racial stereotypes. African Americans have staged protests in the days since. On Thursday night, students on SRTV, the campus TV station, allegedly called the protesters "ungrateful n-----s."



Dear racists, here’s what a REAL “Compton Cookout” looks like
Feb. 18, 2010
By John Rabe
KPCC 89.3