Many students and professors at South Carolina's Clemson University were utterly stunned when they saw numerous photos posted on social media sites from a gang-inspired "Cripmas" party, hosted by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity on Saturday, December 7th.
The party obviously played on the notorious West Coast originated street gang the Crips, and brought out loads of frat bros and sorority sisters who all dressed in what can be viewed as stereotypical gang attire. Clemson University students who attended the party all dressed with bandannas, baggy clothes, fake "bling" and sported fake variations of "thug" related tattoos.
The pictures that surfaced online from the party offended loads of students and those who viewed them on social media outlets such as Twitter. Aside from the fact that this party was thrown at a time when the United States is struggling through racial turmoil between the police and everyday Americans, the fact that the partygoers in the photos were all White enraged the public even more.
Offended Clemson students lashed out in protest of the "Cripmas" party, and raised awareness of the issues at hand to the SAE National Headquarters, which suspended the fraternity chapter as a result of their actions. Clemson President Jim Clements met with a large group of student protesters and addressed the issues at hand. He released a statement explaining that the University did not sanction the party and that Clemson as a whole is better than the behavior that SAE displayed at their "Cripmas" party.
"At a time of year when our thoughts are turning to family," Clements' statement read, "Holidays and the start of a new year – all the things that unite us and bring us joy — it is discouraging that so many events and issues are causing division and hurt, and making many students feel unwanted at this great university. It hurts to read disrespectful and just plain mean comments in social media. Last night's 'Cripmas' party, which the university did not sanction, raised more concerns about the campus climate. Clemson is better than this."
Check out the pictures from the "Cripmas" party, and various reactions above.
Source: Gawker.com
