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Gettysburg College swim team releases statement after racial slur scratched onto student’s body

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Rocket River, Sep 27, 2024.

  1. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    https://www.abc27.com/local-news/ge...ter-racial-slur-scratched-onto-students-body/


    Gettysburg College swim team releases statement after racial slur scratched onto student’s body

    The Gettysburg College swim team spoke out this week after two members of the team were accused of carving a racial slur onto another teammate’s body.

    On Sept. 19, The Gettysburgian reported both students were suspended from the team after being accused of scratching a racial slur onto another student. Gettysburg College released a statement to PennLive saying the students were suspended after “using a plastic or ceramic tool” to carve the racial slur.

    becaus"Scratchet"Scratched

    On Tuesday, the college said only one of the suspended students is still enrolled. The other student is working with school officials and family members to determine the most productive way to move forward, a spokesperson said.

    The following statement from the swim team was released on their website Wednesday night:

    “Given the intense focus surrounding the recent events on campus, the Gettysburg College Swim Team feels compelled to address the incident directly.

    “We acknowledge the past few weeks have been extraordinarily difficult for many people within our campus community and beyond. Our hearts are with everyone who has been directly and indirectly affected by this. The pain and anguish caused by the heinous act that occurred, and the media coverage that has followed, have affected people far and wide. As a swim team, both collectively and as individuals, these days have been some of the hardest of our lives.

    The swim team stressed the discrimination did not stem from team encouragement or an “unhealthy athletic team culture,” as members of the team were responsible for reporting the incident to college officials.

    “The national spotlight has unfortunately led some to believe that our team, or the culture within our team, is complicit in the racist incident that took place. This couldn’t be further from the truth,” the statement said. “Racism has no home here—neither at Gettysburg College nor on our team. We stand united in condemning the actions that took place.”
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    "Scratched" -- such soft language
    because CARVED would make them seem like the demonic animals they are

    Rocket River
     
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  2. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    https://www.abc27.com/local-news/ge...ter-racial-slur-scratched-onto-students-body/

    GETTYSBURG, Pa. (WHTM)– The Gettysburg College men’s swim team released a statement regarding the incident where a member of the team allegedly scratched a racial slur onto another teammate’s body.

    Gettysburg College said the student involved is no longer enrolled at the school after two members of the swim team were barred from team activities.

    The College says they are working with the victim’s family to investigate the incident.

    The swim team’s full statement was released on their website on Wednesday night.

    Given the intense focus surrounding the recent events on campus, the Gettysburg College Swim Team feels compelled to address the incident directly.

    “We acknowledge the past few weeks have been extraordinarily difficult for many people within our campus community and beyond. Our hearts are with everyone who has been directly and indirectly affected by this. The pain and anguish caused by the heinous act that occurred, and the media coverage that has followed, have affected people far and wide. As a swim team, both collectively and as individuals, these days have been some of the hardest of our lives.

    “The national spotlight has unfortunately led some to believe that our team, or the culture within our team, is complicit in the racist incident that took place. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

    “Earlier this week, the College confirmed that fact: “The student conduct investigation affirmed that the incident is not a byproduct of an unhealthy athletic team culture or a reflection on the team itself; rather, we see in the captains the measure of what it means to be a Gettysburgian by their notification to their coaches.”

    “Racism has no home here—neither at Gettysburg College nor on our team. We stand united in condemning the actions that took place.

    “We know the character of this team. We believe in our team. To sit in silence while our reputation has been unjustly smeared has been agonizing. It has hurt deeply to see something we love so much be wrongfully associated with something so vile.

    “To be clear and as President Iuliano has confirmed: this incident was not tied to the swim team. It was not a team-sanctioned event. It was not hazing. It was not endorsed by our team. This incident does not reflect our values or who we are.

    “We are grateful to the Gettysburg Swim Team coaching staff and The Office of the President for their handling of this situation. In recognizing us in their statement, they commended the upperclassmen of the swim team for reporting the incident and affirmed that the act does not represent our team’s values. Thank you.

    “In a few weeks, we will return to the pool, as determined as ever. We will represent this College with pride, both in and out of the water. We will emerge from this a stronger, more united team, and, as many others have said, our campus has the potential to become a stronger institution because of it.”

    The Gettysburg College Swim Team
    The men’s swim team’s first competitive event is scheduled for October 19 in Gettysburg.

    A community meeting was held Thursday at the college and several students who attended spoke with abc27 News.


    ========

    Rocket River
     
  3. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    Reading other articles, I see the victim's family filing complaints with NAACP but not pressing criminal charges. I know sometimes victims don't want to go through the justice system, but I don't see what complaining to the NAACP does without formal charges to underpin it.
     
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  4. basso

    basso Member
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    AroundTheWorld likes this.
  5. deb4rockets

    deb4rockets Member
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    Disgusting.

    They should have gone to the police and filed a hate crime.

    "The reprehensible act was committed by a fellow student-athlete, someone he considered his friend, someone whom he trusted. This student used a box cutter to etch the N-word across his chest," the victim's family wrote in their statement.

    The victim’s family, who have called the attack a "hate crime," added that their son was the only person of color at the gathering.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...-scratched-racial-slur-another-stu-rcna172038
     
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  6. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    Im having a hard time processing this,

    They never say what the accused are saying.

    Does anyone here know?
     
    basso likes this.
  7. CrixusTheUndefeatedGaul

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    Great journalism. The story is so crystal clear.:D
     
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  8. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Member

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    Mickey Mouse PR response.
     
  9. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    As much as it's Mickey mouse I don't think the assault happened
     
  10. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    of course you don't

    Roket River
     
  11. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    Where are the details? A college team holds down a teammate and carves into him? What prompted it? No charges have been filed

    No I need details.

    Edit: the guy doesn't want to press charges
     
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  12. hooroo

    hooroo Member

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    nearly 70k for the tuition fees alone. unsurprised, such a place has tried to keep it quiet. offender's parents must not be paying up.
     
  13. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    They haven't tried to keep it quiet, the alleged victim apparently is.

    https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/24/us/gettysburg-college-swim-team-investigation/index.html


    Campus Safety advised that the victim was ‘encouraged’ (by the college) to contact law enforcement, the victim had chosen not to and to let the college disciplinary process handle this matter,” Glenny Jr. said.

    The family said in their Monday statement they are aware “they retain the right to pursue local, state and federal criminal charges in this matter.” Last week, the family said they had filed complaints with the local and state NAACP and the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations.

    CNN has reached out to the NAACP groups. The state commission told CNN it was aware of the incident but noted it does not publicly confirm or comment on any complaints.
     
  14. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Member

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    This is speculation on my part by I’m guessing the victim feels embarrassed and humiliated by this and they are holding off filing criminal charges because he wants to remain private.
     
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  15. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    Honestly, I can't put much stock by this story without a criminal complaint. It might be as bad as it sounds but he just wants to put it behind him. But, it might also be a more complicated story that involves the victim's own complicity and/or drugs and alcohol or something like that. Guess I'll never know, but I'm not going to invest in it with this dearth of reliable information.
     
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  16. cheke64

    cheke64 Member

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    the writer seems to soften the blow. A plastic utensil made a possible scratch.
     
  17. Nook

    Nook Member

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    Brings attention to what happened.

    It is also very possible that the family is not comfortable going to the authorities - that are likely ran by white people and are a traditionally white institution.

    It is easy for some to dismiss having a racial term carved into you as "just normal hazing", but it is an incredibly personal thing, and likely just verifies a lot of the worst fears and insecurities - and for it to happen at a university?

    It is a big deal and it is something that I can see being very traumatizing based on the history and reality of the world.
     
  18. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    This student is a swimmer, probably not some hood kid afraid to talk to police
     
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  19. FranchiseBlade

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    Kids from any neighborhood could be a swimmer. We don't know what this student has seen related to those around him regarding interactions with the police. There isn't enough information for us to know for sure.
     
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  20. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I didn't say they were a hood kid.

    They don't have to be a hood kid to not want to discuss what happened with the police department. It is very common for people to believe that police departments and similar institutions are compromised or at least influenced by racial issues. I can understand why someone that is a victim or a racial event would not feel comfortable going to their local police.
     

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