# How can a racist frat-boy rehabilitate himself? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2015, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820 "2015-03-12T12:05:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/61 "2015-03-14T00:17:51Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > So just uttering a stupid, grade-school level bad taste rhyme means you get branded with the label ‘racist’. It’s almost as if we judge people by their actions. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/62 "2015-03-14T00:54:07Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m not over estimating anything. You postulate that: > [@monstro](#): > > SAE alums are going to quietly rally around them. I counter with this: [SAE national office closes down Oklahoma chapter](http://www.koco.com/blob/view/-/31689928/data/1/-/9d6f77z/-/SAE-closed-down.pdf) Now we can start quibbling about how although this is public _really_ wink wink they mean something different and _behind the scenes_ they’re really getting all sorts of hugs and kisses. But to me, even some sort of behind the scenes love fest is going on, I don’t think it is indicative of massive white privilege and exceptional treatment in modern society. IF the boys in this frat had some sort of special power and privilege, there would be no real action being taken. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/63 "2015-03-14T00:54:41Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Using the word nigger like this is the quintessential example of free speech. It is also the quintessential example of speech that can fairly get the user labeled “racist.” ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/64 "2015-03-14T00:55:55Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > So just uttering a stupid, grade-school level bad taste rhyme means you get branded with the label ‘racist’. I can’t imagine why not. Say ( chant in this case ) something racist, get branded a racist. Seems pretty logical from where I sit. > [@](#): > > And absolutely none of those dumb kids are anywhere in the ballpark (or city, or planet) of lynching anyone just because it contained the line ‘hang a nigger from a tree’. Agreed. Doesn’t make them non-racists. > [@](#): > > And the label racist has been so hyper-sensitized that now it totally dilutes the real criminal actions of real, actual racists. Yeah, you know racism really doesn’t have to pass a criminality threshhold to qualify for the definition. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/65 "2015-03-14T00:58:28Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I’ve never heard of anyone’s life being ruined after being exposed as a racist. > > Have you? Jimmy the Greek ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/66 "2015-03-14T01:02:26Z")
The racist frat boy could get a crowd all riled up over a non-existent racial issue until someone shoots up a store and burns it down killing a bunch of folks. Then wait 20 years and walk next to a US President on a bridge honoring those who stood up to racially motivated killings. It’s worked before. Might even get a TV gig. Or to save time and lives he could just cry alligator tears and profess his love of humanity and leave the rioting bit to professionals. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/67 "2015-03-14T01:09:02Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > You postulate that: > I counter with this: > > [SAE national office closes down Oklahoma chapter](http://www.koco.com/blob/view/-/31689928/data/1/-/9d6f77z/-/SAE-closed-down.pdf) > > Now we can start quibbling about how although this is public _really_ wink wink they mean something different and _behind the scenes_ they’re really getting all sorts of hugs and kisses. > > But to me, even some sort of behind the scenes love fest is going on, I don’t think it is indicative of massive white privilege and exceptional treatment in modern society. IF the boys in this frat had some sort of special power and privilege, there would be no real action being taken. You’re the one who has said anything about “exceptional treatment”. I don’t think they’re going to get “exceptional” anything. They are going to get normal treatment. They’ll have red faces for a couple of days, a few challenging months ahead of them as they try to explain themselves, and then it will be summary vacation and everything will go pretty much back to normal. The good ole boys will see to that. Find me evidence that anyone who has done anything like this has had their life permanently destroyed, and I’ll be inclined to agree with you that I’m just imagining things. But I won’t be holding my breath. And as far as your counter goes, I offer this: [The local SAE may sue the university](http://www.ibtimes.com/saes-oklahoma-chapter-may-sue-university-ou-president-hires-high-profile-lawyer-1845800) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/68 "2015-03-14T01:19:03Z")
At the end of the process, do we hand him a form where in the back, in large type different font, centered in all caps, underlined and quotated, is the question: “KID… HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?” I suspect there is a not-insignificant number of people who at some point or another got a disciplinary expulsion from school for any number of reasons who have proceded to have reasonably normal productive lives. It’s up to _ **them** _ if they want to show by deeds that they learned from it and decided to overcome their issue. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/69 "2015-03-14T01:23:35Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > You’re the one who has said anything about “exceptional treatment”. I don’t think they’re going to get “exceptional” anything. They are going to get normal treatment. They’ll have red faces for a couple of days, a few challenging months ahead of them as they try to explain themselves, and then it will be summary vacation and everything will go pretty much back to normal. The good ole boys will see to that. > > Find me evidence that anyone who has done anything like this has had their life permanently destroyed, and I’ll be inclined to agree with you that I’m just imagining things. But I won’t be holding my breath. > > And as far as your counter goes, I offer this: > > [The local SAE may sue the university](http://www.ibtimes.com/saes-oklahoma-chapter-may-sue-university-ou-president-hires-high-profile-lawyer-1845800) Pretty good counter point. I think the news articles are fairly vague, and at first glance contradictory to the actions taken by the national office. There seems to be a LOT of inference in these news articles(the one you linked and also the original article which was linked to the one you linked); there are no direct quotes as far as I can tell. When I evaluate a situation with contradictory evidence I evaluate the quality of the evidence; I think in this case an official statement trumps uncited and vague news. However, you could be on to something. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/70 "2015-03-14T01:30:33Z")
Chances are he’ll end up getting a $100,000 plus job somewhere and remain an ignorant bigot; just one better at hiding it. I think we have advanced somewhat are still are but I would swear sometimes that we really aren’t that much further along than we were in 1965 ----- we just make it look prettier. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/71 "2015-03-14T02:06:36Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > … and then it will be summary vacation and everything will go pretty much back to normal. Serendipitous autocorrect failure, or really excellent pun? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/72 "2015-03-14T02:17:08Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > Jimmy the Greek After decades of being paid handsomely for doing jobs that no one would have missed had they not been granted such a privilege, old provoked men well past a reasonable age of retirement like Jimmy the Greek, Al Campanis, and Howard Cosell let slip their U examined bigotry and were made to retire in luxury perhaps a couple of years shy of when they might otherwise have chosen to retire. All our lives should be so ruined. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/73 "2015-03-14T02:40:27Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > This whole controversy is the biggest bunch of first-world problem bullshit I’ve ever seen. Just look at the title of this thread: > > \*How can a \*\*racist \*\*frat-boy \*\*rehabilitate \*_himself?_ > > So just uttering a stupid, grade-school level bad taste rhyme means you get branded with the label ‘racist’. This is nonsense. It’s impolite and in bad taste, but nothing more. And absolutely none of those dumb kids are anywhere in the ballpark (or city, or planet) of lynching anyone just because it contained the line ‘hang a nigger from a tree’. And the label racist has been so hyper-sensitized that now it totally dilutes the real criminal actions of real, actual racists. > > But even worse, _rehabilitate_?!?! Yes, they must be sent to a reeducation camp for processing. If this isn’t proof that political correctness is a form of fascism I don’t know what is. > > Using the word nigger like this is the quintessential example of free speech. You have to accept the good with the bad. And until black people stop using it in every other sentence I’m not going to be expected to give it any reverence. And yes, black people’s use of it is 98% exactly the same as when whites do. Wow, I’ve seen people lower the bar to “he didn’t say ‘nigger,’” but this is first time I’ve seen it go as lower as “he didn’t _murder_ anyone.” Yeah, Nellie, the history of racism in America has only to do with murder. Short of that, you’re in the clear. I’m interested to see what the bar is going to fall to if you do actually get around to murdering someone on the basis of racial prejudice—“I gave him a quick and painless death. Don’t dilute the seriousness of the word _racist_ by saying I’m a racist.” ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/74 "2015-03-14T02:42:27Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > And until black people stop using it in every other sentence I’m not going to be expected to give it any reverence. And yes, black people’s use of it is 98% exactly the same as when whites do. I’m going to assume there’s no point in asking you for a cite for that. It’s fine; I’m pretty sure I’ve already properly assessed the value of the statistic. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/75 "2015-03-14T02:50:34Z")
Here’s a cite: we don’t. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/76 "2015-03-14T02:53:10Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Wow, I’ve seen people lower the bar to “he didn’t say ‘nigger,’” but this is first time I’ve seen it go as lower as “he didn’t _murder_ anyone.” Sadly, I’ve seen it before. I think it was trotted out for Paula Deen, for example, but I know I’ve seen it on this board. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/77 "2015-03-14T03:11:10Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Sure about that? IIRC, the Peace Corps is pretty welcoming to [retired farmers and construction workers](http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/howvol/lookingfor/) Most Peace Corps positions require at least an undergraduate degree. There are a handful of positions available to people with master-craftsman level experience in very specific, targeted trades. But someone who isn’t already at the peak of their career is going to need a solid education. Peace Corps is also moderately selective, and in most cases isn’t going to extend offers to people with unresolved issues or other red flags. People who are running away from something don’t tend to make good volunteers, for obvious reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/78 "2015-03-14T03:13:20Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > After decades of being paid handsomely for doing jobs that no one would have missed had they not been granted such a privilege, old provoked men well past a reasonable age of retirement like Jimmy the Greek, Al Campanis, and Howard Cosell let slip their U examined bigotry and were made to retire in luxury perhaps a couple of years shy of when they might otherwise have chosen to retire. All our lives should be so ruined. Jimmy the Greek did not retire in luxury as far as I know. This isn’t a point I want to dwell on though because I agree with your general premise. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/79 "2015-03-14T03:15:43Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Most Peace Corps positions require at least an undergraduate degree. There are a handful of positions available to people with master-craftsman level experience in very specific, targeted trades. But someone who isn’t already at the peak of their career is going to need a solid education. > > Peace Corps is also moderately selective, and in most cases isn’t going to extend offers to people with unresolved issues or other red flags. People who are running away from something don’t tend to make good volunteers, for obvious reasons. Shouldn’t there be some organization that is less selective when it comes to helping people in third world countries? I mean, if someone genuinely wants to help the less fortunate there shouldn’t really be a whole lot of barriers. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820/80 "2015-03-14T03:33:10Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Wow, I’ve seen people lower the bar to “he didn’t say ‘nigger,’” but this is first time I’ve seen it go as lower as “he didn’t _murder_ anyone.” Yeah, Nellie, the history of racism in America has only to do with murder. Short of that, you’re in the clear. Short of that? As recent history has shown, there are plenty of idiots out there who will defend murder. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-racist-frat-boy-rehabilitate-himself/714820.md?page=5)