(JTA) – Syracuse University has suspended a campus fraternity after a video surfaced of members using racist, antisemitic, homophobic and ableist slurs.
In the video, discovered by the Daily Orange, Syracuse’s student newspaper, a member of Theta Tau gets on his knees and repeats an oath with slurs against blacks, Hispanics and Jews, among others. The school’s administration suspended the fraternity, whose members attend the engineering school, after confirming the video’s authenticity on Wednesday, April 18.
“I solemnly swear to always have hatred in my heart for n*****s, sp*cs and most importantly the f***in’ k*kes,” a member repeats, phrase by phrase, using slurs for black, Hispanic and Jewish people, respectively. Soon after he yells, “You f***in’ k*kes, get in the f***in’ showers,” a reference to gas chambers during the Holocaust, as other members laugh and applaud. The video also shows members mocking gay people.
In an email to students, Syracuse Chancellor Kent Syverud wrote that the school is committed to “fostering a community where all our students feel welcome and are treated with dignity and respect.”