Greek Life attacked by banana peel in tree

No, this is not the Onion, although I try my hand at satire here quite often. Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

An article in CampusReform.org titled "Greek Life retreat cancelled after banana peel found in tree" discusses how the retreat at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) was cancelled this week due to the discovery of a banana peel in a tree, kind of like the title alluded to.

"To be clear, many members of our community were hurt, frightened, and upset by what occurred at IMPACT," Interim Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Alexa Lee Arndt said in an email between Greek leaders.

"Because of the underlying reality many students of color endure on a daily basis, the conversation manifested into a larger conversation about race relations today at the University of Mississippi," she added.

Ryan Swanson, a student at Ole Miss, admitted to throwing the banana peel onto a limb of a tree because he said he couldn't find a garbage can and his parents always taught him not to throw garbage on the ground. "Find a tree and toss your garbage onto a branch where it will not interfere with the peripatetic who might find it repugnant to see it lying on the ground," Swanson's father used to say.

The banana peel was discovered by Alpha Kappa Alpha President Makala McNeil, a leader of one of the campuses historically black ('no whites allowed') sororities.

"The overall tone was heavy. I mean, we were talking about race in Mississippi and in the Greek community so there's a lot involved," the fragile snowflake recalled. She recalled how she and her friend were "all just sort of paranoid for a second," after spotting a banana peel in a tree.

Think of the symbolism: banana + tree = fruit tree. That's racist.

After word of the banana spread throughout the retreat, leaders decided it was too dangerous to continue. Arndt said she "felt it was imperative [yes, she said 'imperative'] to provide space immediately to students affected by this incident," and perhaps some psychological counseling for anyone who would somehow be able to twist a banana peel in a tree into a racist symbol against blacks, rather than, say, monkeys or other creatures that eat bananas in trees, but only monkeys come to mind.

According to the Daily Mississippian, some students left the retreat in tears, with McNeil noting that they "didn't feel welcome" and "didn't feel safe."

Swanson apologized for throwing his banana peel onto a tree limb and wrote in a statement that he wishes to "sincerely apologize for the events that took place this past weekend."

"Although unintentional, there is no excuse for the pain that was caused to members of our community," he wrote. "I have much to learn and look forward to doing such and encourage all members of our community to do the same."

Yes, always remember, boys and girls, that no matter what you do, if people want to be offended by your actions, they will find a way to do so, and you will be sorry for being a person of "white privilege."

Swanson copped out to the accusations of 'hurt feelings' just as his fellow fragile deer in the headlights wanted him to. 

Meanwhile, at Clemson University, an email exchange between top school officials suggests the administration welcomed the chance to use the now infamous "banana banner" incident to push a progressive agenda and, hopefully, stifle free speech.

On April 11th, a bunch of bananas was found hanging from a banner on campus honoring African Americans at Clemson. Protests naturally followed and a sit-in that lead to the arrest of five students who probably didn't study for an upcoming exam.

But a FOIA request obtained by Campus Reform showed emails by Clemson officials that apparently regarded the incident as a way to drown out conservative sentiments from the administration. In fact, one email suggested the administration believed the banana hanging incident was not racially motivated.

Students looking for something to protest, didn't believe otherwise.

So while Clemson administrators knew more than they disclosed about the nature of the "banana banner," they did nothing to disabuse those who believed it a form of hate speech by banana.

Apparently truth is no longer a fact-based commodity; it all depends on how you feel.


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