Tulane Law Students Harsh Our Hope Buzz With Mexican Stereotype Party
22 January 2009, 12:04 PM. By Cindy Casares
Hey look what landed in our inbox just as we were raking the last of the good will toward men and unicorn poop off our front lawn? It’s party pics of a bunch of white law students at Tulane University dressing up like Mexican caricatures. It seems last weekend the President of the Tulane Student Bar Association Melissa Swabacker attended (or threw?) a party whose theme was “The Border” according to a tipster who attends the same school. [Ed: Update--A source tells us Melissa Swabacker threw the party at her place for a friend's birthday. The friend being from Texas, but not of Hispanic descent, hence the border theme.] Also according to our tipster, these pictures were posted on Melissa’s Facebook profile under the title, “No we will not die like dogs! We will fight like lions!” Because Mexicans are a caricature from The Three Amigos. Fun, like a clown! What’s really interesting about Ms. Swabacker is that she seems to be universally loved at Tulane (well, by the white kids anyway), and she actually has a fanpage on Facebook with 45 members. (One of them looks hispanic.) She’s revered as some sort of humanitarian who both ended global warming in Louisiana and “doubled the amount of non-bar review social events.” We BET! According to our tipster, “The people who attended are real cream of the crop types. I.e., the administration likely won’t do anything or find anything wrong with it.” Well we’ll have to settle for this then.
[Ed: Update --We have been contacted by some of the students who attended the party. At their request, the names of those who attended the party have been removed and the pictures found in this article and linking from this article to the picture gallery have been modified to conceal their identity.]
Click on this image to see a gallery of Mexican Stereotype Party fun.
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The pic with the guy who had TWO popped collar shirts on was the most shameful of all. And when did mexican stereotypes invlove aviator sunglasses?
That triple popped collar was too much.
We should throw a stupid bitches party and dress up as them. I call dressing up as Melissa Swabacker .
Yeah let’s resort to casual misogyny instead
It is worth wondering why not a single student in the photos or who attended the party has posted to say anything about having re-thought the party.
There are threats of lawsuits for defamation on this site, but nothing about being mortified for the lapse of judgment.
Allegedly the people in the photos are going to be lawyers - officers of the court. I fail to understand why stereotypes and bias are a thing to be encouraged among soon-to-be-lawyers.
Surely that is not being taught in law school.
Swabacker’s a bitch. This is entirely in character for her. She’s that girl who’s only nice to you when she needs something from you. This endears her to the people who would throw this kind of party.
Most people at TLS aren’t, you know, racist bastards. There are a lot of hispanic students, black students, asian students.. in fact, there’s a hispanic law student association (Alianza), a black law student association, the asian-pacific law student association, and they’re all very inclusive (and throw great parties).
I’m sorry the gringo morons are fucking up tulane’s reputation.
BTW, I would add there arent enough hispanics (or blacks) at Tulane. Maybe because of stupid white people, but whatever. I know Melissa personally and she is not a racist nor does she discriminate.
Freedom of expression is freedom of expression, a party is a party thats it.
As soon as she racialized the theme of her party and promoted the use of stereotypes so that she and her friends could get some laughs, she became racist.
There’s a difference between freedom of expression and dehumanizing an entire group of people.
Why don’t you go read a book?
Why don’t you try reading a book that doesn’t have “Critical” “Race” “Oppression” or “Gender” in the title?
true, most people at Tulane are just 155 lsat morons.
She’s fat.
Lets throw a “white” themed party and basically go as the rest of the world’s stereotypical cultures!
Agh.
This whole thing leaves me speechless. Just when you thought racial stereotypes and people’s awful views were truly changing with Tuesday’s festivities. Tulane’s a great school- Great people, lots of support, and amazing professors to learn from. It IS beautifully diverse, also. Things like this make it look like the opposite is true.
Tsk, tsk.
Gotta say, I’m glad that now the first result that pops up when you google her name is this.
Bad move, Swabacker, starting off your legal career looking like a massive tool.
If the posts threatening lawsuits are worried about the reputational issue, couldn’t the person who threw the party maybe make a public announcement stating no intent to offend or hurt or come across as biased or something?
I take it you’re not a lawyer.
ALSO, wtf is with the border patrol recruitment ad that just came up on this page? ew.
I am so glad that I was able to wake up from my siesta on time to read this article. Luckily, I’m wearing my small sombrero so I can see the screen. I was so surprised to see those bolillos in the pictures without La Virgen and some “to go” platos. Those sin verguenzas better hope I don’t find them in an alley. Because I will pull a shank out of my beehive chola hairdo and cut a bitch.
I’m looking forward to the day when whites will embrace what is right and browns can stick around.
Check out the pic in the gallery with the pink plastic gloves. One of the party favors was a free anal cavity search. Woohoo!
Stop making a big deal out of this STUPID TRIVIAL BULLSHIT.
Its not racist. Basta ya coño, la mariconeria de quejarnos por todo.
I can tell by your coño that you are not Mexican.
No I am not. But I am latino though.
I cannot believe your last response. Maybe you should examine how you feel about being Latino and how you feel about other Latinos because it really sounds as if you have internalized self loathing going on. Or you’re a total a**hole, whichever.
No cariño. I said fuck mexico, not fuck mexicans. I have nothing but love for people.
Dont tell me I have self loathing for my “people” when I point out our hypocrisy in being pissed about some dumb shit. I hope this site gets shut down for defamation.
Jesuchristo. I guess all Tulane students are as dumb as Swabacker.
Generally, defamation is a cause of action for damages. The first amendment prevents equitable relief in a defamation case. You know, the amendment that protects freedom of speech and the press?
To say things about Mexicans being drunkards and wife beaters is out of line. You’re statement about leaving the coutnry is offensive and ugly. It’s awesome how you can say “Fuck Mexico” and then say you “love people”.
Take a long hard look at yourself and the things you say.
Fredo, you need to get a life homie. Like seriously. I made that statement to show how outrageous your suggestions are.
Not, not all Mexicans are drunkards and wife beaters. But do those pictures suggest that? They ARE dressed like Pancho Villa.
I dont give a rats ass about Mexico, this does not mean I dont care about Mexicans.
If you dont like freedom of expression leave this country, in ‘our’ countries you get killed for that. Here you are just going on a witch hunt against people who are expressing themselves without hurting anyone: wearing fucking sombreros and mustaches.
Should I be offended when someone dressed up as fucking Che Guevara? or Fidel Castro? They have hurt a lot of more people than sombreros and mustaches ever did, yet people dress up like it. Do I get offended? No. I just write it off as whatever. Thats what whomever is upset about this should do.
FFS lighten up for Christ’s sakes. I’m sure you do the same thing but just haven’t been caught. This is America and you can what you damn well please. If you get offended, tough shit.
It is racist. It’s not something to lighten up about- it’s disgusting. Why? Because these people are in a top tier graduate school and they’ll be leaders some day- be it of our Congress, of our courtrooms, of our freakin’ neighborhood associations. And when I speak, or when I accomplish something–they might see me for who I am, but not really. They’ll see a sombrero and a pinata. That’s not leadership, nor should it be tolerated. It’s just disgusting.
Well…….My mom always said people make fun of you because they’re jealous. Sorry, Tulane-ers, if you have to dress up as racial stereotypes to have fun.
Lame.
“Because these people are in a top tier graduate school and they’ll be leaders some day- be it of our Congress, of our courtrooms, of our freakin’ neighborhood associations”
You know this happened at Tulane, right?
This is the most ridiculous overreaction ever. People throw “Border,” “south of the border,” etc themed parties all the time and it’s totally acceptable. “On the Border” restaurant chain hangs sombreros on their wall. Where is the outcry about that? Taco Bell has a chihuahua with a silly mock-Mexican accent on its commercials. Where is the outrage about that?
People throw “Arabian Nights” parties with genie costumes, turbans, and shisha pipes. If that’s not a stereotype, I don’t know what is. You all need to calm down and get over yourselves.
Not to mention that this can’t be “racist, as “Mexican” is not a race.
Poor form to out Swabacker and potentially ruin her career based on an anonymous tip. Why not out the tipster, and at least let this proceed in a public forum?
I’d rather work/spend time/be friends with someone that doesn’t always think things through than with anonymous snitches.
The irony of my own anonymity is not lost on me…
I’d say this is playing out in a public forum. The person(s) who submitted the tip is/are not of any importance since they weren’t the ones who threw the party or attended the party. In fact, protecting their anonymity is of the utmost importance if the public is to receive information that informants might otherwise be too intimidated to reveal. Leaving their names out of the story does nothing to diminish the information that is conveyed by the party photos, which I think pretty much speak for themselves. Though, I’d love to have Ms. Swabacker’s comment on them. If you know her, please send her that message.
Poor form posting these on the internet so the blog world could find them….Let this be a little lesson to all.
Lesson 1: You’re having a costume party and it’s not Halloween. Very cute. Keep the themes away from stereotypes.
Lesson 2: If you must, absolutely must dress up like a caricature…..Consider context. You’re dying to wear that moustache? Groucho Marx. Ghandi. Ron Jeremy. There are other ways to showpiece facial hair.
Lesson 3: This is a big one. DON’t PUT YOUR DOUCHE BAG STUFF ON THE INTERNET. Tipster or not, student leader or not, these folks put the pictures out for the world to see. On a public forum. Even named the album something douche-y. So the world saw. And life will go on.
Gandhi. The H comes after the D.
And I want to throw a Groucho Marx party.
i’m offended by the other half of “the border” party that wasn’t pictured — those dressed in cowboy hats, cowboy boots, or other “stereotypical” American garb. how dare they!
Actually, there was at least one cowboy at the party you can see him in the background of one of the pics in the gallery.
so you mean the party’s aim wasn’t to make fun of the mexican community? you mean to tell me that the american population was “represented” by a cowboy hat! wow. that’s just…normal?
Melissa knows she’ll get away with this because Daddy will make sure of it; his friends will hire her anyway after law school. The only minorities she knows are the maids & gardners her parents “employ”. She probably doesn’t even understand why she is so wrong for having this party. Yet, she ’s the one who gets into law school. No wonder our country is so screwed.
That may have been true before Missy decided to stay in Louisiana.
Daddy can’t help you in civil law, honey.
This girl got into a top tier law school by getting good grades in college, getting a good score on the LSAT and taking the time and patients to apply. To determine that the only minorities she knows are her parents employees is ridiculous and trite.
There were people dressed as cowboys dressed up at the party, but that apparently was not ‘racy’ enough to make the article. And its not that unusual to dress up and have themes parties of all sorts- including ones where people dress up as Germans and drink beer or wear all green and celebrate all things Irish. Get over yourselves.
“This girl got into a top tier law school by getting good grades in college, getting a good score on the LSAT and taking the time and patients to apply.”
1. lol @ “top tier law school”
2. “patients” is what they have in med school, not law school
What, the typo police are going to start the “overrated” chant? This is a good school, in fact, a Tier 1 school. Don’t take jabs at the rest of us who pay our taxes and go to sensitivity training.
The fact that you’re desperately clinging on to the fact that Tulane scraped it’s way into the top 50 says it all. TTT
All,
Relax. Since racism is over now that Obama is President, this is perfectly fine.
KARMA for the fat girl in green. She has a massive stick up her ass. Self-centered, power hungry, uptight, dramatic & a whiner only begin to define her character. That smile on her face is an empty gesture that cannot hide her idiocy. She is a horrible person & the perfect candidate to represent the worst in the legal industry.
lol, you bitch about karma while you say anonymous horrible shit behind people’s backs online?
“And when I speak, or when I accomplish something–they might see me for who I am, but not really. They’ll see a sombrero and a pinata. That’s not leadership, nor should it be tolerated. It’s just disgusting.”
Your victim mentality–hyper anxious, constantly looking for a slight–is pathetic. St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, toga parties . . . get your head screwed on straight and worry about an actual problem for once.
GIMME A BREAK!
And for the record, the only person I have heard use the N-word at TLS was a black person
There’s at least one white girl who lets it slip out when she’s drunk.
We need names!
btw, the black person says it while sober and drunk. Nobody ever says anything either
People know who she is.
White girl, from the country. Went to a big college. She never seems to have any friends- sometimes people give her a chance for a few months. When the crazy racist slips out they back the hell off.
I know who BOTH of you are talking about. Both of em 2Ls
Who is this? The guy is obvious, and he’s actually pretty cool. He definitely doesn’t mean any harm. I just can’t figure out who the girl is.
nigga mess
I think this is racist.This is a free country where you can do what you want, but if you are stupid enough to do this and post it on the internet then you are also free to suffer the consequences. ESPECIALLY if you are a law student b/c we are told time and time again by career services NOT to post STUPID stuff online b/c employers will see it. I feel no pity for her.
- Latina 3L at another school
i’m sorry, i read and laugh at this site all the time, but this is character assassination. almost all law firms, and every elite law firm, is extremely racially sensitive and exhaustively googles summer associates and first years. i think the party’s in terrible taste, but it doesn’t even seem like you’re sure she was there or if she “threw?” it or not. this is going to demolish her professional prospects.
Let me be clear, this is article was not written to hurt Ms. Swabacker or anyone else. The article was written because we thought it important to highlight the fact that this type of party is going on in our learning institutions.
Cindy lets be serious and not bullshit each other. This was character assassination. Have you ever posted about toga parties? Parties where people got dressed up in green and got wasted off of guinness and had mock “fights”? A fucking white-trash-bash? No you haven’t.
“Well we’ll have to settle for this then.” What happened to settling for “humiliating them.”
Changing the content of your story, Cindy? That’s integrity.
If that were true, then you would have done what AbovetheLaw does and NOT POSTED THEIR FUCKING NAMES. Stop backpedaling. You made a decision to act like an asshole, so stand by it.
oh she edited her story. she took the part that made her look bad (we’ll just have to settle for humiliating them) out of the story and replaced it with something much more generic.
Why would you do a thing like that, Cindy? Because maybe you’re original motive, “humiliating them[,]” doesn’t correspond with your feigned motives of drawing attention to the influx of caricature parties plaguing our nation’s law schools? Sorry to be unprofessional, but you’re just a bitch, and every minority I have shown your handiwork to, and myself included, thinks this is a disservice to stopping true racism (you know, stuff like people denying you jobs and stuff because of your skin color). Keep up the good work.
OMG
Am I back in college?! It’s so easy and such a cheap shot to take this picture and deem it racist. They are ignorant yes but to be desperate enough to post about THIS. ugh, BORINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
I bet a gazillion dollars if you waste more of your time on Facebook that you will find even MORE pictures like this one. WOW -what a shocker, Get back to reporting on some good stuff Guanabee not on this porqueria- who the fuck cares about these gringos. Bunch of babies- grow up everyone.
Nothing Racist about these Pics.
Political correctness is destroying America. No one seems to take issue with the fact a commenter used the word “gringo”. Can you say double standard and race bating thats what this post and blog is about. I plan on publicly humiliating CIndy Casares to show the absurdity of this post.
As an Irishman, I’m going to assume that all the foregoing gives me the right to kneecap anyone I see who puts on green or drinks a Guinness on St. Patty’s.
true fuckin story. this is such a load of shit.
Who here hasn’t gone out to a bar on cinco de mayo and been given a sombrero? Who hasn’t gone to an oktoberfest party and seen people dressed in suspenders? I once went to a guido party where everyone had popped collars and blowouts - does that mean that everyone there who wasn’t italian was a racist?
COME ON YALL!
Melissa is a great girl and this party was nice. In a million years, this was not meant to be an insensitive “un-PC” Birthday party. She does not deserve this at all. Everyone at that party loves Texas and Mexico, that’s why it is a fun theme party! Costumes are part of it. I’m Irish and if someone came a Mr. Lucky Charms, I would laugh!
This is B.S.! Get over it!
Melissa, I think you are Awesome!
Lane McNulty
As someone who attended the party, I can tell you with with the utmost sincerity that this is being misrepresented and inflated to get a reaction out of people.
It really is hilarious… the only lesson to be learned here is that your privacy settings on Facebook should be set to the “Insanely Secure” setting. Seeing how this is a “law” forum (and I use this that term very loosely… this is nothing more than libelous tosh), why don’t we talk about freedom of speech? Note to the tipster: If you are offended, why not talk to Melissa about it? Oh wait, you’re right, it is better to be passive agressive, air your grievances about a person without their ability to defend themselves, and possibly ruin their career over something idiotic. I hope that someday you throw an innocent (and this was innocent) party and have your good name dragged through the mud by a virtual horde of pseudo-activists.
Freedom of speech includes the right to comment on other’s freedoms of speech.
No one is saying Melissa Swabacker can’t throw a racist party. But the flip side to freedom of speech is that others can call her out when she chooses to throw a racist party. She can promote her public affectations in rebuttal, if she wants- highlighting, perhaps, how the press provides the ultimate adversarial system.
You guys at this website are harsh. At least follow abovethelaw.com’s lead (and probably legally smart/required gesture) and black out the faces of those poor law students you have pictured above and in the album.
This so ridiculous. I know Melissa and she works so hard for her fellow students. She’s one of the most liberal people I know. She is being vilified for no good reason. I don’t have an Irish bone in my body. If I dress up in green and dye my hair red and carry around a potato am I being racist? Please take this down. It is despicable.
WHAT?! This is over the top! Melissa is such an outstanding human being! I can’t believe that someone would do this! Fuck you whoever posted this malicious nonsense! Melissa lives right next door to me, and has been nothing but helpful and nice to as many people as possible! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!
This really is an unfair characterization. New Orleans has its own special black humor and pension for parody. This is extremely tame, even lame, for what really goes on in Nola. These pictures were not intentionally put out there for the public. Somebody violated a friend’s trust and, in the process, dragged everybody I know at Tulane through the mud.
I imagine you could expose far worse, maybe actual bigotry, if you trolled through facebook pages of other law students at other schools.
Really, do the right thing. Cover your ass and take this article down. If your point was to humiliate, done. Don’t try to derail the careers of all of these young people. It is really crossing the line into something else.
Editors, don’t go to law school, go to Wikipedia. Then take this nonsense down.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation
As minority students at Tulane Law School, the point is not whether or not Melissa is a “nice” person, the point is that she represents the students of Tulane Law School as the president of SBA. Upon deciding to run for this position (and asking minority groups for their endorsement) she placed herself to a higher standard. I would be shocked and appalled at anyone would throw such a party, but I am disappointed that a student leader of Tulane would find humor in the perpetuation of racial stereotypes. But as they say, “Only at Tulane”.
I agree with your point almost entirely but the grammar in your first sentence is atrocious
how dare someone stereotype an “american” by wearing a cowboy hat!
Those who know Melissa know that she unfortunately is not a genuine or a kind person - unless she needs something from you. However, that is not the point. As noted above, Melissa put herself into the Tulane Law student government, and with that choice comes the responsibility to act in a professional manner. It is truly unfortunate that the majority of us who attend Tulane Law have to watch our school’s reputation be tarnished because our own student leaders do not know how to handle themselves with decency.
Well said.
Everyone crying character assassination is missing a point- all the testimonials of her character are true. She’s being outed as self-involved and thoughtless. Is it unfortunate? From an employer’s point of view, maybe it’s better they learn what she’s like now, as opposed to later when she might make a mistake that impacts a firm’s reputation, standing with clients, or bottom line.
self-involved? thoughtless? the girl was throwing her friend a birthday party. it wasn’t meant to bash a person, a group of people, or a country. it was meant to celebrate someone’s birth. someone from texas.. granted, it wasn’t a wine and cheese party where people congregated to discuss the finer points of post-modern art, NAFTA, or Sarbanes-Oxley regulation. no, they threw a party to celebrate the birth of a friend from Texas. and Texas has a border (you can look this up — lots of countries have borders and there is nothing inherently racist about them). the border has two sides, too (which is completely unlike the one-sided story that ms. caseras decided to portray). anyway, one side belongs to Mexico and the other belongs to the United States (or Texas, depending on who you talk to, but that’s not really the point). so the people in attendance decided to dress in support of one side or the other — and together, get this, they celebrated BOTH. is a sombrero “racist?” is a cowboy hat “racist?” can you “dress” or “represent” one side or the other without wearing, say, a native chapeau (oh no, i wrote in french! does that mean i’m racist?) or the national colors of a country? if someone did, would this not be deemed “racist” by this columnist as well? is a “culture” only allowed to be celebrated by those originally from said culture? surely this is not what anyone would desire. this is just an incredibly one-sided interpretation of an event that truly meant no harm or foul.
Because saying catty shit behind people’s backs online is REALLY GENUINE. Fuck yourself.
It’s really unfortunate that you feel the need to prove that you are incredibly class-less. The point is not to character assassinate - the point is if you are going to be in “politics”, even at the school level, then with that choice, you have brought upon yourself the duty to act in a respectable manner. Clearly this individual on Tulane Law’s government hasn’t. No sweat off my back though - it’s her future and not mine, so I really could care less.
and anonymous talking shit behind someone’s back when you wouldn’t say it to their face is “classy”?
Have Vanessa Hudgens and Adrienne Bailon taught us nothing? Do what you want behind closed doors but don’t publicize it! Looks like she should have called her Facebook album “The Pics that Made us In-Famous!”
Just registered the website CindyCasaresSucks.com should have it up and running by the end of the weekend. Generally these sites make it into googles top ten because they contain the search terms in the url. Two can play this internet character assassination game. You and this blog are pathetic.
I casually know these kids. They’re good people, definitely not racists, and I am sure they never intended it to be taken the way it’s being taken now. In fact, I am sure it would have never showed up on anyone’s radar but for the silly high school cliques that overpower graduate studies at TLS.
I’m not a friend of anyone involved here (though I do know people on both sides), but I go to Tulane and have two opinions:
1. The SBA President in question made a bad decision. The party was in bad taste, she should have known this kind of thing could happen and she damn well should have been aware that one would be wise to tread lightly before taking the bar. Her fault. Period.
2. Stop the comments. Whoever runs the site should have that much decency. They are hurtful and no self respecting person would air that kind of dirty laundry in public. That party might have been in bad taste, but these comments go far beyond any sin she or her cohorts may or may not have committed. Whether she’s a “bitch” or not, this has to hurt her and I don’t think there is any need to inflict further pain to settle whatever score anyone has with her. She’s screwed, you won, go celebrate a hollow victory.
My mother once told me that you display class when you treat those whom you don’t have to (or don’t want to) treat well with the same respect and compassion as those you’re closest to. I don’t pretend to tell others how to live, but there is no way any of you can in good conscience justify what you’re doing. We’re all supposed to be professionals and/or adults, please start acting like it.
Well said. Thank you.
Just drafted a letter demanding the post be taken down. It’s so egregious it violates your own privacy policies. O and I CCed the Manhattan and Kings county DA’s and the NYS attorney general for malicious defamation and libel. Anyone else upset write:
Exacto Media LLC.
17 King Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY, 10014
If nothing else — I hope this two bit operation of a blog has the resources to pay major legal fees. Defamation cases may generally go no where but they still cost money.
e-lawyer in the house! attorney at LOL is drafting a letter!
hopefully before she draft, she’ll do some cursory research and realize that one of the requirements of defamation, libel or false light invasion of privacy is a /false/ claim, and therefore a successful assertion that claims are true provide an absolute defense.
Its not true, the way its presented makes it come close enough to defamation to go to court and be heard which costs money. Also, before you make fun of something you don’t understand try using correct tenses verbs and conjugations it gives you more legitimacy. Thanks for regurgitating the tired “truth is an absolute defense to libel” bs your 1l professor told you. The real truth is much more complicated. Also, you dont need to win to cause a big pain for this blog, it’s host sponsors etc.
“Close enough” - you mean colorable enough to defeat a 12(b)(6)? Yeah, GLWT.
“The way it was presented” - you mean, a statement of facts (Melissa threw a party, people were dressed as stereotypes, she posted the pictures on facebook, here they are?) along with an opinion (This party was in poor taste and demonstrates racist stereotypes?) Yeah, sounds defamatory to me!
Tired 1L phrases? Like, you need to prove an essential element of a claim in order to succeed in court?
Yeah…
Defamation is a civil cause of action; no DAs would be involved
And 12b6 wouldnt apply in a state court action
Don’t you think a statement like this would risk censure from a Bar Association? Vexatious litigation could get an attorney sanctioned and unauthorized practice of law will keep you out of the bar. Besides, wouldn’t a 1st Amendment non-profit come to the defense of this website if the suit has the color of “privileged” white kids attacking a website dedicated to minority cultural expression.
I disagree with the way the website went about this. However, there is an opportunity for us to examine why some people really are offended. I am not, but I am a gringo. The point of the article was to “humiliate.” I think this was a big mistake as well, but seriously doubt anything will come of it (not a legal opinion, one based on common sense and experience).
Lots of turmoil over this post. To all the people defending the people and the girl who threw this party, Im sorry your friends got caught have a party themed after stereotypes. Im sorry that they were stupid enough to get caught. Im sorry you think that people shoudldnt be offended. Judging by some the comments Im also sorry you think yourselves better or thinking yourselves correct because you go to a certain school or have certain lsat scores.
Next time keep your racist parties to yourselves.
It’s really amazing how people can sit in such denial. No one is lying here. The pictures are right there for everyone to see. Nothing in the story is made up. Yet all these wannabe lawyers are trying to threaten the people who are standing up for what’s right instead of looking at the ugliness of the party. Sure, these students may have done this in ignorance, but guess what? Racism is ignorant. Besides, if the pictures are so CLEARLY not racist, then what do these kids have to worry about when prospective employers google their names? They’ll see the pictures and it’ll be obvious that Guanabee is being “egregious,” right? All they have to do is get really famous for doing good stuff and bury this story. Also, the more you guys come on here to defend these kids, the further you push the story to the top of the search engine results.
while no one may be “lying” — i.e., yes the pictures are “real” — only half of the party is being portrayed…the half that you want to talk about that makes for good “copy.”
that’s why the title of the photo album was a quote from The Three Amigos, right? Cuz they’re interested in making fun of the American side of the border. wow. denial is not just a river in egypt. hurts to find out you’re an asshole, doesn’t it?
i never saw the film; in fact, I have been fighting for the last twenty-two years to get that piece of racist propaganda removed from the face of the earth. one love.
LOL
who was “making fun” of anyone?
I hope you get the pants sued off of you.
I hope you get sued, too. People need to learn how to chill.
And watch family guy: http://www.hulu.com/watch/25106/family-guy-mexican-superfriends
Many have voiced concern for the potential impact upon Melissa’s future career prospects and even concern for her feelings, yet there is no discussion or even raising the possibility that Melissa’s “careless actions” perpetuate a climate of oppression at Tulane that most likely impacts fellow peers who lack her degree of social capital. The only crumbs consideration towards those who Melissa & Company might have offended or hurt have been along the lines of “tough shit” and “give me a break.” What a beauty of a double standard. Here you guys are, asking for clemency on Melissa’s behalf at the expense of the people who shoulder the effects of her actions.
Also, I am a bit shocked by the lack of inquisitiveness exhibited by Melissa’s friends and supporters. Given that you have access to the writer of this article why not have a substantive conversation about race, instead of being dismissive, hostile, and condescending?
S. Daves
why didn’t the author of this article contact melissa or any of her friends and have a substantive conversation about race (or the facts) before writing a caustic, one-sided story that doesn’t tell the whole truth?
journalistic integrity (and the law) demands such.
And where does the law demand it?
As long as the author publishes /facts/ without knowing they are false (or with reckless disregard for the truth), she has fulfilled journalistic standards for reporting on private parties in New York State.
it’s not a reckless disregard of the truth to publish what a “tipster” sent via email without bothering to check the “facts?”
No. It’s only reckless disregard if the publisher actually did, should have had, reason to believe the facts being reported were false.
Considering all the facts in dispute are true, there’s no violation of any legal standard for journalism.
This sounds like nigga mess to me too. I didn’t hear the niggas hollering out when Jay-Z said, “Mudafucka my president is black”. Get this ho ass shit offline and do some real journalism. I’m not even in law school and can see what this is. Niggas always have something to say about nothing, because that’s how they are. How bout this for a rap for your nigga ears,” I got 99 problems and nigga you every single one”.
By the way, all niggas ain’t black and if you find yourself offended in any way, you is a nigga. A Big Ole No Job having I don’t like to buy my lawschool book wide nostril NIGGA.
The notion that this website host could be sued is interesting. In the complaint, I suppose the complaining party might say “I did exactly what I was portrayed as doing but I hate how the reveal of my actions impacted my life.”
How would that lawsuit resolve?
Seriously: Daddy, I don’t like it when they call me a racist. Make them stop.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t at least some colorable claim about using someone else’s pictures or likeness for commercial purposes without consent. A clever lawyer could probably come up with something that wouldn’t get immediatley thrown out of court.
The blog would probably win at the end of the day, but a determined law student could at least make things expensive. The law might not be on their side, but the equities probably are.
Good grief.
The Communications Decency Act provides safe harbor protections to a web host for user generated content. Any claim against the owner would be laughed out of court.
You could try and sue the blog post author and each commenter individually, but I would personally call the EFF, write them a check for a thousand dollars, and ask them to get their best pro bono litigator involved.
Listen everyone- if the facts are not in dispute, and the part of the article you don’t like is opinion- there’s no defamatory cause of action. Do ten minutes of searching on lexis.
The ISP that hosts the site is protected, but the blog that creates and publishes the story might not be.
In any event, suing is probably the dumbest thing anyone can do in this situation. Better to let it blow over.
You’re a fucking 0L moron. Familiarize yourself with the Autoadmit lawsuit. That case has gone on for two and a half years, revolving around the fact that the D’s posted facebook pictures of one of the Does.
I don’t go to Tulane or know any of these people, but I think publically branding them as racists goes too far. Intent matters a lot. I don’t think these kids meant to offend, denegrate or discriminate against anyone. I think they were trying to throw a tex-mex themed party where people drink coronas and wear funny hats (floppy sombreros and cowboy hats).
Now, I’m not saying that the party wasn’t offensive. Clearly a lot of people are offended by it. What I’m saying is that I just don’t see any malice here. This wasn’t a cross burning or minute man rally. It wasn’t meant to humiliate anyone or to imply that mexicans are somehow unequal. It was meant to be kitschy and campy. Unfortunatly, they went too far.
I think the students showed ignorance and poor judgement, but I think that’s a lot different from malicious racism. There are so many real racists out there, that it just seems like a shame to ruin this girl’s legal career over some drunken party pictures where she’s wearing a plastic mustache. The punishment seems really dsproportionate to the crime.
Oh, well when you put it THAT way… No, you see insidious bigotry–like the idea that it’s okay to say an entire culture is “funny”, “kitschy” or “campy”–is exactly the definition of humiliating others. And insidious bigotry is more damaging to us as a country than the overt cross burners. Cross burners you can easily marginalize. The people who think like these “border” revelers are the ones who grow up to run our country with their educations and privilege that has obviously done nothing to teach them class or sensitivity to others who are not like them.
You think that college students wearing sombreros at a tex-mex party is more damaging than suit-wearing anti-immigration crusadors? You think kids in fake plastic mustaches are more damaging then the sweatshop owners, human trafficers and aggresive policemen that actually do real harm to mexicans and latinos on a daily basis? I disagree.
Keep in mind that I’m not saying the party was ok or that it wasn’t offensive. I’m just saying that it wasn’t an offense worth ruining an otherwise decent person’s career over.
Then again, I really don’t have a problem with “kitschy” or “campy” cultural depictions. I don’t think it’s racist to go to a tiki bar where they hand out flower necklaces made of plastic. I don’t think it’s big deal that Outback steakhouse decorates it’s restaurants with kitchy Australian junk or that bars hand out plastic green hats on St. Patricks day. And I don’t care that half the mexican restaurant’s I’ve been to are decorated with sombreros and maracas. The campy stuff is ok to me. I’d be a LOT more offended if these kids were dressed like day laborers and dishwashers.
Uh…some of them were dressed like cholos and border patrol agents. What do you have to say to that? Last time I checked, Outback Steakhouse employees weren’t dressing like convicts shipped from England. Also, I don’t think this is worse than those things you listed. You obviously have a reading comprehension problem. What I said was that kids like this grow up to be business people like the ones you mentioned. They grow up to be consumers who don’t care about the exploitation of immigrant workers and are the first to say, “If they don’t like it, go home.” That’s why this kind of thinking needs to be nipped in the bud.
since when is a camouflage jacket a “border patrol” agent costume?
Never mind that part of the “border agent” costume is that he’s dressed like a redneck and drinking Natural Light out of a can. It’s a dig at the anti-immigration crowd, not at latinos.
Toga Parties are really offensive. As a decsendant of inhabitants of the area formerly covered by the Roman Empire, I am offended by this racist practice which depicts our entire culture as an orgy and ignores our major contributions to culture, science and fashion.
If you EVER wear green on St. Patricks day you are a RACIST
This is the equivalent to putting on blackface. You know that wouldn’t be cool so you don’t do it because it’s offensive. You could put on blackface and say , oh we weren’t being mailicious or trying to be offensive it was all in good fun, but that wouldn’t fly. Same deal here. Rationalize it all you want but that is what it is.
The equivalent of blackface? Offensive stereotypes? You are kidding, right? A Mexican hat, Mexican flag colors, mustaches. Hhmmm. Seems like every Mexican hotel I’ve ever stayed at had these at all their events. Can Mexicans be racist against Mexicans? Oh, i forgot, “Mexican” isn’t a race. Happy to know that whining idiots like this will undermine any chance Obama had of bringing about a post-racial society.
You’re absolutely right about a post-racial society. With the casual dismissive attitude you and others have shown towards things like this, then yea we won’t be moving forward anytime soon.
Oh and everyone calm down. Doing things like this is okay because Mexican isn’t a race. It’s cool! This is acceptable! Fun!
The funny thing about this is that again this is BULLSHIT and if anyone has anything bad to say about it is fucked up. Do you all know how many niggas and messcuns was at this party? It was enough niggas to make a Tarzan movie and enough Messcuns to record Zorro again. Fuck all of y’all with a sick dick! Im glad that I dont have to deal with this shit up north.
Awww. Those little wannabe lawyers and the one person making the Cindy website are too cute. And how about the supporters asking to take down the post and file a lawsuit? I just laugh and laugh while reading their silly little comments.
It really doesn’t matter if they meant to be racist or not because you will never ever be able to control perception. Some will perceive their freedom of speech as racist - others will see nothing wrong with it. She has the total freedom to have a party and express herself in any way and I have the total freedom to perceive it any way I choose.
I hope they see that this is reality. Your actions cause a reaction - sometimes good and sometimes bad. Those college kids need to wake up and realize this is real life. Not a life filled with paid employees that agree with you and kiss your ass. Not a life where mommy and daddy bail you out. Not a life where a harshly worded comment will allow you to get your way. This is reality and it’s a hard lesson to learn.
Uh oh.,… word on the street is that Melissa’s offer got revoked.
That is definitely NOT true about her offer getting revoked, fyi.
Most employers will have concerns about new associates that are showing bias or stereotypes.
Good learning experience for all of us. Humiliation at best. Job loss at worst.
Ugh. I don’t agree with the drunk-wifebeater rant, but he does make one good point. “Mexican” is not a race any more than “Canadian” is. (And I think we can all agree that Canadians are funny…) When you conflate Mexican with Mestizo you’re just being ignorant in a different way. Everyone’s a little bit racist sometimes. Lighten up.
I go to Tulane Law School and know Melissa and some of the other people. I know that if you are just sitting here looking at the pics you will get the impression that the whole thing was intended to be viciously racist. But in reality I think their mindset was more like, let’s do a Mexican restaurant theme so we can drink margaritas.
Melissa is not a racist and she has done a lot of good for a lot of people, and so have the others. I happen to know that one of the people named in the post has spent a lot of time working for civil rights and another is a member of the gay law journal. It’s fun to pile on but the people pictured are really not the right ones to go after.
Ms. Caseras’ article is most unfortunate. She makes note that the name of the party was “The Border” — a line drawn between the United States and Mexico. Sadly, Ms. Caseras seems to believe that “the border” — this line — is in place to separate our countries and to keep our cultures apart. It seems to me that these Tulane Law students have freed themselves of such nearsightedness. Instead of seeing a border as a line that keeps our countries APART, they view the border as a line that brings our countries TOGETHER — the border, then, is a meeting place. It’s where the United States says “hola” to its southern neighbor, and Mexico returns with a friendly “hello.” Isn’t this cause for celebration? I think so. That Ms. Caseras fails to see this shows how truly blind she is. That she has to resort to personal slights to “humiliate” the revelers (oh wait, she changed her story after she decided to explain that “this is article was not written to hurt Ms. Swabacker or anyone else”) is just as upsetting.
“The Border”
What a lovely notion about the party really being about making friends across the border.
“The Border.” I’m going to get a puppy and name her “the Border.”
that’s the spirit!
This crap has been bugging me- I go to Tulane Law, I’m Hispanic, I’m proud of it, sometimes I perpetuate stereotypes, sometimes I don’t.
It was a theme party: I saw these pictures on facebook a while back, because these people are friends of mine. They are all good people!
They (the pictures) hurt a little bit- I mean, it sucks because as a member of the ‘group’ the party’s theme featured, I had a feeling of “you” and “me”. In other words, I suddenly saw that no matter how far we come, we’re still very different. Alas, I got over it quickly, since culture is a beautiful thing- especially when margaritas and salsa is involved.
AND, most importantly, I know you didn’t mean to hurt anyone. You get invited to a border-themed party and you don’t dress as Salma Hayek or Gael Garcia Bernal- you need a sombrero. Personally, I tend to grab whichever one I was not taking a nap under.
No one was malicious and the party didn’t mean to offend, I’m sure. It sucks that the pictures (and people’s opinions about Tulane) are out there on the internet now. But these comments (about anyone involved in the “fiesta”, about race and Mexicans) are AWFUL.
The reaction to a caricature of ME is to “get over it” or it’s race-baiting, and the reaction to something in poor taste that happened, i.e., the party happened, is supportive. It was in poor taste, because it (planned to and then) collectively poked fun of a certain group of people. That’s all.
We can all love one another, folks. Tulane is a great school- everyone there is lovely, peaceful and NOT racist. So please, if you go to school with me and you’re posting cruel things- remember that you’re posting about my race, group, culture, whatever the fuck you want to call it. And that hurts.
xoxox,
Chita Rivera
P.S. A gentle piece of advice, I think that every one one of my friends should now change their names on facebook (or any other social networking site, for that matter).
Peaceful = Party planned to poke fun at a group
?????
Nah. I don’t see it.
Sheesh. As one of the few real Hispanics at TLS I tried to defend my friends- figured they need it. Obviously that was a bad idea…….I’m sleeping with one eye open because I’m afraid that this will create some crazy backlash against Hispanic people.
I’m also going to class on Monday dressed as Walter Mercado, but that’s a whole other issue.
What is a real Hispanic as opposed to, say, a fake one? TIA.
Also, maybe a party at which people want to drink margaritas and wear sombreros should be called a “Margarita and Sombrero Party.” Just thinking outside the box, here.
fake = moustache + hat + aviators
real = “The term is now used to convey the culture and peoples of countries formerly ruled by Spain and still have a large Spanish or Spanish descendant presence and usually but not always, speak the Spanish language.” (thats from wikipedia…but it sounds about right).
wearing a sombrero is making fun of someone?
The big problem with outing this girl is that as far as employers are concerned, being accused of being racist is the functional equivalent of actually being a racist. It makes you untouchable, regardless of whether or not it’s true. It’s like the Salem witch trials: all that needs to happen is for someone to point at you and yell “Racist!” and the next thing you know you’re being tied to the stake. Even if 90% of people would not consider what you did to be racist (it seems to be about 50/50 in the comments), it doesn’t matter - hiring partners will simply move on to the next highly-qualified applicant. Why take a chance on someone who could earn the firm bad PR?
The takeaway is that if you’re going to brand someone with the scarlet “R,” you’d better make sure you’re right, because the consequences for the person being branded are severe. And in this case, as the comments show, it’s very much open to debate whether this was genuine racism or just a bunch of kids looking for an excuse to dress up in silly costumes and drink margaritas. (My personal take is that it was in bad taste and shows poor judgment, but I doubt there was any genuine malice behind it.) Ever heard the old platitude about how it’s better to let ten guilty people go free than to convict one innocent person? The consequences of getting branded with the scarlet “R” are so severe that I think that applies here.
I’m pretty sure I’ll get some pushback on this point, but in the end, I think blog posts like this are bad for race relations. (Not that their little party wasn’t, of course, but I think that’s pretty well settled.) I suspect that incidents like this encourage xenophobia and make white people reticent to assimilate with minorities for fear of saying or doing something stupid that, while not intended to be malicious, somehow comes out wrong and gets interpreted as racist. (And let’s face it: we all do and say stupid things every now and again.) Then minorities start wondering why they’re not getting invited to white people’s parties and such. It’s a powerful thing to be able to publicly brand someone as a racist, and if this power is not used judiciously, people won’t want to be around you any more than they’d want to be around someone who has a loaded gun and doesn’t fully understand what will happen if he pulls the trigger. I recognize that this party was hurtful to some and I won’t disrespect them by saying “get over it,” but I would suggest that a touch of forbearance and a willingness to handle issues privately on a one-to-one level are the WD-40 that makes living in a multicultural society possible.
Finally, although I don’t have a dog in this particular fight, I’d encourage you to remove the girl’s name from this post. I’m not sure if that would help by now (doesn’t Google cache these sites?), but considering the disconnect between the punishment and the crime, it would be magnanimous of you to say the least. And given some of the unfortunate stereotyping in the comments (the assumptions about her allegedly rich parents and how the only Mexicans she knows are her family’s domestic servants; “gringo;” etc.), I think that whole thing about letting he who is without sin cast the first stone probably applies.
This kind of well thought out and intelligent reply has no business here. Shame on you.
Sorry to break it to you, but i think you just told us to get over it in about 1000 times the words.
Sorry to break it to you, but reading comprehension is not your strong suit.
wait…didn’t these people out themselves? werent the pictures on facebook? an employer could see her facebook page, couldnt they? or maybe a friend could have uploaded them to flickr or something….i mean, if they don’t think its tasteless and caricatures are stereotypes that oppress, then why would an employer? they didn’t do anything wrong, right?
fiesta like the fool you are, pendejos and don’t post your pictures on the internet.
Everyone who is defending this party and its partygoers, check out this story and see how similar your arguments are:
http://guanabee.com/2009/01/drunken-negro-face-cookies
The guy in it says, “I’m not prejudice… It’s not unflattering…It’s an expression of freedom….For me it’s just a fun thing. That’s all it was and anybody who says anything else, basically should be ashamed of themselves.”
Lots to say:
I don’t think these people “outed themselves.” The pictures from Facebook probably weren’t fully public, but instead were publicized only to the select list of people chosen by the user: probably “friends of friends” or some other limited group. Holding the party was (in my opinion) insensitive, and a typical “white kids from the suburbs who don’t BLEEPIN’ GET THE CONCEPT.” Putting the pictures “out there” was perhaps foolish, because they could get forwarded from someone to someone and on to someone and on and on; but they weren’t FULLY publicized. Complaining about the party (or even, in fact, forwarding the pictures of it) is way over the top: it was a private event and not related to any public function performed by the people involved. Just the same as Ken Starr asking about President Clinton’s sex life when he should have been investigating his financial investments. The lurid distracted from the legitimate.
I agree with the person who posted the long statement above, about the concept that the act of simply ACCUSING someone of being a racist, is sufficient to cause extreme social damage. Therefore, I agree with him again, that the association of the girl’s name to these accusations is unfair and should be removed. (I haven’t taken a law class on the subject, but I’d bet that it could be proven to be slanderous and therefore illegal!) She had a PRIVATE PARTY to which YOU WERE NOT INVITED and you succeed in disapproving of her behavior, in a public manner that damages her reputation? What about who she slept with. What if she dressed up as a “dyke biker” type, and you posted that you thought she was a closet-lesbian who deserved to be “outed”? What if she were dating a woman and didn’t want the world to know?
I’m disappointed in this story. I follow the legal community’s blogs and what I see, is less interest in the profession and professionalism, and more interest in sneakily making someone look bad, often in the absence of legitimate reason to do so.
Frankly, the party was stupid. Don’t have a “South of the Border” party, duh. Don’t have a “Black Pimps ‘n’ Ho’s” or a “Asian Tourists with Cameras” party either, duh.
These posts about the “invidious” nature of this type of racism and how much worse it is than REAL racism (of the kinds that doesn’t matter because it can be marginalized) are bullshit. I know these people, they are idiots, but not racists in the least. As yet another “real” hispanic student at TLS, I also didn’t find any of these pictures or the fact that these kids had a border party for a girl’s birthday party offensive when I saw them over a week ago on FB. The party was thrown in honor of a girl who is from a border town and whose favorite restaurant is called “The Border” or something similar. All of the waitstaff there wear sombreros, and many of them wear fake mustaches like the ones in the pictures as well. As some of you apparently will be surprised to learn, ths “racist” establishment serves all the stereotypical Mexican goodies–enchiladas, margaritas, burritos, even tortillas.
That restaurant is not racist although it does what these kids do in a much more public forum and for profit? Why? Is it because that restaurant is owned by a wealthy caucasian family, yet all the workers are lower-income Mexicans and Mexican-Americans? Maybe it’s because the people who profit off of more serious exploitation are really rich and powerful white people, unlike the people depicted here. You would know that if pictures of the guest of honor were published on here–she obviously colors her hair herself, which, ironically, is something I prefer to have done for me by white people.
I’ll keep comments about the rest of the people featured in these photos to myself, but let it suffice to say these are hardly the “cream of the crop” of law school. They are not powerful, particularly weathly, or impervious to the administration taking action against them. In fact, they will probably suffer some fairly serious consequences. No one has lost an offer–in fact support and pity for what has been done to these kids is pretty universal at TLS and in New Orleans.
Surely some moron will follow with a post that the consequences that befall Ms. S and others are nothing compared to the terrible racism this party inflicted on the same Hispanic people who are apparently not exploited by their employers at Border & Co. Restaurant. I can’t wait to read that and the other ones that will follow, all written by people with a lot of niche “knowledge” about racism but no earthly idea how to spell basic words or correctly form a sentence.
As for the tipster, snitches get stiches.
Your post should get a prize for so many reasons.
First, your phrase “As for the tipster, snitches get stiches,” is compelling. Next time, spell “stitches” with a second “t.” Thank you and God bless.
Second, if most of TLS feels sorry for the students who threw a party based on an ethnic stereotype, that might just verify some of the unkind words on this website. That is to say: Future lawyers should know enough not to throw parties based on bias and stereotypes.
Third, you have a white woman who colors your hair. Thanks for sharing. Is that relevant to anything else?
To the person who thinks I deserve a prize:
You should try to lose your virginity soon. And, as far as that awe-inspiring “logic” you used on me (because I am not offended by this party I am racist too), I would like you to know I also would not be offended by the RAGIN ESKIMO party/ice cream social (come as a frigid b****, get it?!) I am hosting next weekend at 9pm Far West time. I hope to see you there in your assless chaps.
Overt racism is taboo. I’m not equating these people with the KKK or anything. The problem is that there is a large segment of people that think it is OK to have a party like this or one stereotyping any racial or ethnic group.
It’s telling that these types of parties are becoming more prevalent (or more widely exposed). My personal belief is that parties like this are deemed by the people throwing them as a safe outlet to practice exclusion where increasing inclusion is taking place at the institutional level.
More and more minorities are enrolling at colleges, law schools and other institutions. On some level it’s threatening to these people’s perceived notions of merit or rightful place in society. They’re wrong - plain and simple.
That’s just how I see it.
god that girl is nastyyyyyyyyyy looking.
I dont know what is. Fuck Mexico though. Since when is ‘mexican’ is a race? Is it derrogatory to Latinos? I dont give a shit. It might be derrogatory to some mexicans, but they arent a race, they are a nationality.
If you dont like the freedoms we enjoy, leave fucking america. We are free to do whatever we want without dragging people under the bus like this for trying to have fun.
Also, the last time I checked they dressed up like Pancho Villa. Who is not a caricature, well maybe he is. He was a DRUNKARD and he beat his wife. Dont all mexicans do this?
or who threw up at it.
the colors of the mexican flag are racist?
I got your back Cindy.
“Fuck Mexico though….Also, the last time I checked they dressed up like Pancho Villa. Who is not a caricature, well maybe he is. He was a DRUNKARD and he beat his wife. Dont all mexicans do this?”
Melissa Swabacker’s friend, everybody. But these people respect Mexicans. Not prejudice at all.