Themed Parties, Racist?

As if Penn State didn’t have enough problems already. A sorority there recently hosted a Mexican themed party where they took stereotypes to a whole new level.

Girls were photographed with signs that said “Will mow lawn for weed and beer” or “I don’t cut grass, I smoke it.”

Now, while the outlandish sombreros, zarapes, and mustaches annoy me just as much as I’m sure coconut bras, grass skirts and tiki candles annoy Hawaiians when they see Luau themed parties, it was the signs that really got me.

Themed parties are fun but when you make racist remarks, like those on the signs, then I have a problem with it.

Sure the sorority apologized, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that they initially thought this was OK. Racism is still very obvious in this country, from both sides of the spectrum.

I’ve been trolling through the over 200 comments this photo has on Facebook, after NBC Latino published an article on it, and the remarks from the Hispanic commentators are just as bad.

Some are upset that they mocked some of our traditional clothes (in case you haven’t caught on, I’m of Mexican decent) while others are upset with the signs. The clothes don’t bother me, if it were a French themed party would the French get upset if everyone wore horizontal striped shirts with matching berets and mustaches?

What I’m getting at is that racist remarks are not OK from either side. Those girls should not have made those signs generalizing Mexicans as criminals and people commentating should not assume that all sororities are just as ignorant as this one or that all their members are Caucasian or that all Caucasians are ignorant. Like Ghandi once said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.” So come on mi gente and let’s be the bigger person in this situation.

About Claudia Tristán

News Director    —    Journalism and Marketing double major, Class of 2013
Claudia works to cover current events and political issues that effect the Tech campus. She plans to return overseas as a foreign correspondent.