A University of New Hampshire sorority is facing backlash after a member posted a social media video where the group is heard shouting the n-word in a song.
Members of the Alpha Phi Sorority were shown in the Snapchat footage Tuesday afternoon dancing and singing along to Kanye West’s 2005 rap hit ‘Gold Digger.’
Some believed the girls were being insensitive with their disregard for appropriate language, regardless of the song lyrics.
The video was shared to the Facebook page ‘All Eyes of UNH,’ which is operated by community members at the university who have an ‘intent to expose injustices’ at the school, according to the ‘about’ section of the page.
A University of New Hampshire sorority is facing backlash after a member posted a social media video where the group can be heard shouting the n-word in a song
Members of the Alpha Phi Sorority were shown in the Snapchat footage dancing and singing along to Kanye West’s 2005 rap hit ‘Gold Digger’
Some believed the girls were being insensitive with their disregard for appropriate language, regardless of the song lyrics.
The post read: ‘A member of Alpha Phi Sorority put up this video of girls singing along to Gold Digger by Kanye West on her Instagram story. The girls sing the n-word without thinking of the implications.
‘This is a showcase of ignorance and that the Panhellenic Council should do better in combating racism. The first step is addressing willful ignorance. #RacistUNH’
The post attracted attention from group members and the public alike, who criticized the club and some who also defended their right to free speech.
‘This isn’t about freedom of speech, it’s about making the 92% of white students at UNH more socially aware so that people of color feel more comfortable, welcome and safe at UNH,’ one user wrote in the comments section.
‘It is literally up to you, the students, to make sure UNH is more welcoming. It doesn’t matter how you feel about this song or these girls singing it if you’re white, it matters how POC view UNH based off the examples set by its students.’
The video was shared to the Facebook page ‘All Eyes of UNH,’ which is operated by community members at the university who have an ‘intent to expose injustices’ at the school
The post received mixed reactions from group members and the public
The post said ‘the girls sing the n-word without thinking of the implications’
‘This is a showcase of ignorance and that the Panhellenic Council should do better in combating racism. The first step is addressing willful ignorance,’ the post read
Another user backed up the girls: ‘So your telling me you have never sang along to a song in the car??? Is this really where we are heading? A gust of wind, and all of a sudden its a race issue! It is honestly pathetic that you are trying to make something out of this, stop reaching and focus on yourselves!’
While another added: ‘A pretty important part of this argument seems to be getting lost here: There is a large difference between ‘saying’ the word and ‘quoting’ the word.
‘When a non-black reads ‘Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn’ we have been taught, and I believe rightly so, not to skip over any of the offensive epithets because they are the words of the author and not your own,’ the comment read.
UNH Director of Media Relations, Erika Mantz, told NH1 the incident is being reviewed further
‘We believe strongly in the right to free speech as recognized by the First Amendment, and we also believe in the right of every member of our community to feel safe and respected,’ Mantz said
‘If anyone is to blame here it should be the artists of these songs, helping desensitize the term on a national scale as America’s most popular genre of music.’
The university held a forum this week to address the controversial matter, according to a local NH1 report.
Erika Mantz, UNH Director of Media Relations, told NH1 the girls have not yet been reprimanded, as the incident is being further reviewed.
‘We believe strongly in the right to free speech as recognized by the First Amendment, and we also believe in the right of every member of our community to feel safe and respected,’ Mantz said.
‘We continue to work to improve our campus culture through education, awareness and action.’