One thing came to mind when we were told that we were to discuss the most recent pro-rape Sauder FROSH chant incident:
“Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.”
Having many friends in UBC’s Sauder School of Business, I happen to be a victim of constant bragging and gloating. And although I really take no offense, it can still become quite a nuisance when I see typical Sauder students walk around campus with their heads filled with hot air. It seems as though the UBC faculty hierarchy has placed Commerce at the top of the pyramid, and Arts, if not at the bottom, close to it. And of course, tension is definitely in the air. Sauder apparently gives off the notion that they are the kings and queens of campus, while the rest of the faculties are just mere peasants. Of course, they are not serious. We all belong to the same school. But my friends tend to pull that joke on me all too often.
Anyways, I had heard about this incident the moment it became news, and immediately I laughed at and teased my friends for all the times they jokingly stated how their faculty was far superior to mine. Justice has been served.
Aside from the ridicule, this incident has caused quite an uproar on campus. Two UBC students were forced to resign from their executive positions in the Commerce Undergraduate Society (CUS). The CUS has also pledged $250k towards new support positions, have their leaders undergo sensitivity training, and do community service.
My point of view? I’m your typical, average student–and firstly, your typical, average guy. There will always be times when I do stupid, offensive things and all for the sake of a chuckle or two. I’m not saying I support rape, but it really is just a joke. And of course I’m also not implying that we should take rape lightly, but I feel the consequences might have been a little harsh. We’re young, we do stupid things.
But on another note, it seems impossible for two exec students to completely control ALL of the rowdy, first-year students of the infamous Sauder School of Business. You can’t pin the blame on the execs. There will be things that are completely out of their control. We’re all human, we make mistakes.
But how does the saying go? “You reap what you sow”? The second-year FROSH leaders MUST have had some idea of the consequences on the off-chance that the chant would found out (too late for that now).
Furthermore, I thought it was TOTALLY unnecessary for people to vandalize the Sauder building with spray-paint. That is just plain rude. You’re damaging your own goddamn school, idiots…
All in all, this was a very interesting incident, and –maybe this is a bad thing, but– I’m happy it occurred while I was a first-year student here at UBC to experience it.
Personally, I found the chant entertaining when my friend first recited it to me. I thought it was harmless. But then again, I’m only one average student. Who am I to say whats right and wrong?
#realtalk