Posted on Dec 10, 2015
The Citadel stunned after photos of its Cadets in "KKK dress" emerges... What do you think? Were they innocent, ignorant or both?
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Okay... I'm not one to quickly judge as the skit was about "the ghosts of Christmas past"... but with the number of them present, I find it hard that, at least one of them, didn't ask, "Really? Really???". SO... What do you think about the actions of our Citadel Cadets? Are they the acts of innocence, ignorance or both? Giving them the benefit of doubt with their military association, I tend to lean towards both, as this is the Citadel, after all... But what do you think?
"Ghosts of Christmas past? More like specters from the South's racist past.
More than a dozen cadets at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, were in hot water Thursday after photos were posted online of them looking like Ku Klux Klansmen.
"Preliminary reports are cadets were singing Christmas carols as part of a 'Ghosts of Christmas Past' skit," the school's president, retired Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, said in a statement. "These images are not consistent with our core values of honor, duty and respect.""
The students involved were not immediately identified.
Calling it "offensive and disturbing," Rosa said they immediately suspended "those cadets known to be involved" and were going after the others who were photographed dressed all in white — and with white pillowcases covering their heads that looked like KKK hoods.
On the Citadel Alumni Association's Facebook page, there was both anger and embarrassment over the photos.
"The stupid and utterly unacceptable and deeply offensive actions of a few, should not sully a whole college," one member posted on the site. "Shame on those who did this and thankyou (sic) to the college leadership in acting so quickly."
But that sentiment was not unanimous.
"The Citadel is buckling like cowards," another posted.
On the Citadel Minority-Alumni page, the consensus was clearer.
"Why would anyone think that this is ok?" one post read. "Will the administration at The Citadel let this go? This picture is a disgrace and a slap in the face. Who are the cadets in this picture and who is their cadet leadership? We're watching to see how this all plays out..."
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/citadel-stunned-after-photos-cadets-looking-kkk-emerge-n477856
"Ghosts of Christmas past? More like specters from the South's racist past.
More than a dozen cadets at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, were in hot water Thursday after photos were posted online of them looking like Ku Klux Klansmen.
"Preliminary reports are cadets were singing Christmas carols as part of a 'Ghosts of Christmas Past' skit," the school's president, retired Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, said in a statement. "These images are not consistent with our core values of honor, duty and respect.""
The students involved were not immediately identified.
Calling it "offensive and disturbing," Rosa said they immediately suspended "those cadets known to be involved" and were going after the others who were photographed dressed all in white — and with white pillowcases covering their heads that looked like KKK hoods.
On the Citadel Alumni Association's Facebook page, there was both anger and embarrassment over the photos.
"The stupid and utterly unacceptable and deeply offensive actions of a few, should not sully a whole college," one member posted on the site. "Shame on those who did this and thankyou (sic) to the college leadership in acting so quickly."
But that sentiment was not unanimous.
"The Citadel is buckling like cowards," another posted.
On the Citadel Minority-Alumni page, the consensus was clearer.
"Why would anyone think that this is ok?" one post read. "Will the administration at The Citadel let this go? This picture is a disgrace and a slap in the face. Who are the cadets in this picture and who is their cadet leadership? We're watching to see how this all plays out..."
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/citadel-stunned-after-photos-cadets-looking-kkk-emerge-n477856
The Citadel
Racism
Cadet
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 25
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I couldn't see the pictures to make a more informed judgment, but off face value if the president of the Citadel thinks suspension was warranted, the alumni need to support him. If they cannot or will not, there are other colleges and universities out there to educate their kids.
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Capt Seid Waddell
SSG Warren Swan, for one thing, the Citadel t-shirts lack the target spot on the chest...
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SSG Warren Swan
Capt Seid Waddell - Sir I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, rather than jump on what could be obvious. Just like SSG Audwin Scott, I could say a lot based off the pic, and could be wrong. The dude on the right is questionable, but I'm going to think the Cadet Corps there are better than this, and have a better leadership structure that would prevent something like this.
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Capt Seid Waddell
SSG Warren Swan, SSG Audwin Scott, that is a wise position to take; there are many possibilities regarding this story from the actions of foolish young people, to hyper-sensitivities of foolish older people that should know better, to actual inexcusable racism. There is no way to tell from the information given in the story.
But if they WERE racists they didn't know much about the Klan or their robes - they could have done a better job with just bed sheets and string.
But if they WERE racists they didn't know much about the Klan or their robes - they could have done a better job with just bed sheets and string.
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COL Jon Thompson
Prestigious Military Academy Suspends Cadets For Wearing Pillowcases Resembling KKK Hoods
"These images are not consistent with our core values of honor, duty and respect," the school president said.
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Its part of the history and culture of the Citadel. I served in Charleston for three years...the School is a military camp for the children of the local elite, with a few outsiders sprinkled in. No matter how hard some of the very sincere, noteworthy leaders of the institution try....they cannot erase a history and culture the career staff seem to tacitly encourage. Yeah, they knew what they were doing, and they were either incredibly arrogant or stunningly stupid if they thought they wouldn't get caught. Whichever it was, we don't need leaders of either type in uniform.
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