While most of the world is condemning Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter — the schools most recognizable coach is crying foul.
I’m not sure if Barry Switzer is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon — but he’s definitely not for everyone being punished because of the mistakes of a few others.
The former Oklahoma football coach says that while he doesn’t condone the chant in the video, the entire chapter shouldn’t be punished for the actions of those caught chanting racial slurs on video.
“I understood that supposedly they were called bigots that lived in this house, none of them could live on this campus. I haven’t seen the interview, but if that happened and occurred, that’s no different from what those kids did on that bus,” Switzer told KOCO in Oklahoma City. “Throw a blanket over these kids that are here and say that they’re bigots? That’s unacceptable.”
School president David Boren booted the fraternity from its on-campus house. The Oklahoma branch of SAE is also being closed.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Switzer actually is an honorary member of SAE.
“It hurts me because I have a vested interest in this. I am an SAE and I know the kids in this house,” Switzer said. “I spend some time over here and I know what they’re like. Hey, I wouldn’t put up with that crap either and they don’t either and they don’t believe in it.”
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It also should be noted that 79-year-old SAE house mother Beauton Gilbow, a longtime friend of Switzer, claims she was in shock over the video — yet a Vine of her using the same slur used in the original video surfaced on TheLostOgle.com shortly after the interview aired Monday night. [Warning: explicit language.]