You may remember that earlier, I wondered if the University of Oklahoma had wandered into a First Amendment minefield by expelling the two ringleaders behind that disgusting video showing members of its Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter declaring that there would never be a "n***r" among them. The only way I can think of that this would have been an expellable offense would have been if it had been posted online before Unheard, the organization that first reported it, learned about the video. Had that happened, it would have been like hanging a noose in front of someone's dorm or in the middle of campus.
Well, that question may have become moot. This evening, the two perps issued separate statements apologizing for their despicable actions.
Hours after his former high school principal identified him as one of the people behind the video, Parker Rice admitted his role and apologized.
“I am deeply sorry for what I did Saturday night. It was wrong and reckless. I made a horrible mistake by joining into the singing and encouraging others to do the same. On Monday, I withdrew from the university, and sadly, at this moment our family is not able to be in our home because of threatening calls as well as frightening talk on social media.
Rice admitted that the incident was fueled by alcohol, and said that the song had been taught at the house. However, he said, "that's not an excuse." He apologized for having failed to live up the motto of his high school, Dallas Jesuit--"Men for others."
Earlier, the parents of the other perp, Levi Petit, issued a statement on Levi's behalf apologizing for his actions.
As parents of Levi, we love him and care for him deeply. He made a horrible mistake, and will live with the consequences forever. However, we also know the depth of our son’s character. He is a good boy, but what we saw in those videos is disgusting. While it may be difficult for those who only know Levi from the video to understand, we know his heart, and he is not a racist. We raised him to be loving and inclusive and we all remain surrounded by a diverse, close-knit group of friends.
Parker and Levi are going to have to pay very dearly for this "mistake" for a very long time. For starters, how are they going to explain this to any perspective employer? Or any of their friends. This may very well add up to one of the longest nine seconds in recent history.