When I read something like this, I want to reach for my belt.

[RandySF]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A University of Florida fraternity expelled three of its members Friday after allegations that they hurled insults and spat at a group of disabled military veterans at a Panama City resort.

Zeta Beta Tau Executive Director Laurence Bolotin said that the group made the expulsions after finding that its members had behaved inappropriately.

"I am deeply saddened that the actions of our members ruined this special event and failed to show the respect our military and their families so deserve," Bolotin said.

The incident occurred while the fraternity and veterans with the Warrior Beach Retreat were at the Laketown Wharf Resort last weekend. The veterans were there for an annual retreat meant to honor their service, and the fraternityhad a social function.

Linda Cope, founder of the warrior group, says the frat members were drunk and insulted the veterans and stole their flags.

........


One letter to Fuchs described students spitting on veterans, throwing beer bottles over a balcony and ripping flags off their cars.


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/florida-fraternity-members-expelled-insulting-disabled-veterans

[NBachers]

1. Absolutely inexcusable and disgraceful.

[47of74]

2. Get in line.

[lovemydog]

3. Whoa, wtf?

That is so wrong I truly think I'd want to kick their asses. Like for real.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. It's not your place to say so. They got expelled. Good enough.

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. Wrong. The university should expel them. In vino

veritas. Ever heard that expression?

Can't get much lower than that, and I'm not speaking from any kind of fascistic, exaggerated worship of the military. On the other hand, some of them may have been just easily led - the herd instinct against their better instincts. But a strange mixture of puerility and moral vacuum for university students or any even quasi adults.

[magical thyme]

11. expelled from the *fraternity.* Not from school.

But at least the school is investigating and hopefully they will be thrown out. They belong in jail.

from the article:

"Linda Cope, founder of the warrior group, says the frat members were drunk and insulted the veterans and stole their flags.

"They were urinating off of balconies, vomiting off of balconies. They could see the men and women below were there with the retreat. They had on hats and shirts with logos," Cope said.

University of Florida President Kent Fuchs called the behavior unacceptable and promised a full investigation.
"

[stevenleser]

14. What isn't his place to say? That it makes him mad? Why can't he say that?

Your response is difficult to understand.

[BigDemVoter]

5. Oops. Ugly Behavior!

This is the kind of thing people can get themselves into, especially when partying. . . . I bet a million bucks that when they sobered up, they were horrified. The shame by itself has probably been pretty awful. They sure showed their asses.

[TexasProgresive]

9. I was told something 45 years ago by my Dad

"Excusing your actions because you are drunk is no excuse because you knew what you were doing before you drank." Perhaps that doesn't make sense to most but it does to me. If you act in a way that impairs your good sense- then you should accept the consequences of that behavior.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. Your dad sounds like a very smart man.

I have one of those too. He paired that with,"Nothing good ever happens to anyone after 1 a.m." and I had words to live by.

[magical thyme]

12. drinking doesn't change underlying character or personality; it exposes it by lowering inhibitions

If they were horrified after sobering up, probably only because they knew they were now in trouble.

They wouldn't have behaved like hateful jerks if they weren't already hateful jerks controlling their hateful jerkiness.

[BigDemVoter]

13. Oh I agree with you there. . . .

I would bet that normally they can hide it when they're not drinking. If they weren't inherently racist, then that kind of talk wouldn't come of their mouths. . . .

I would bet they're ashamed only in that they got caught.

[Sancho]

7. These guys were drunk and now the frat is on "double secret probation", but..

I clearly remember insulting the military (and police) was common in the 60's and early 70's.

It was partially opposition to the Vietnam war, but also included the heavy-handed National Guard on college campuses. The police also were seen as representing racism (not like today???).

Uniforms were often targets for ridicule. Of course, a lot of the military were only in Vietnam because of the draft, so it was a bit unfair. It didn't matter; after Kent State the returning military were seen the same thing as National Guard, nothing but hired thugs.

It didn't help that incidents like My Lai, bombing North Vietnam and Cambodia, etc. were feeding the picture of a desperate and out-of-control military. Frankly, I'm surprised there isn't more protesting and opposition to our military now.

I don't think this occurrence fits into the idea of disrespecting the military, but the OP caused me to remember a typical scene from not so long ago on college campuses.

[kentuck]

8. I think everyone of them should be in jail.

For being drunk and despicable.

[olddots]

15. the only people these turd maggots should pick on

is themselves .

Education has no room for these gangs of parasites .