Students chant "white man, steal our land"

Outrage at UBC renewed as racist chant alleged

By David P. BallAs the University of B.C. is set to reveal its findings Wednesday about the use of an infamous rape chant, new allegations have surfaced that students also shouted a chant that mocked aboriginals during FROSH week activities.

Computer science graduate and orientation squad manager Benjamin Israel said he witnessed a chant of “white man, steal our land” as part of a Commerce Undergraduate Students team called “Pocahontas.”

"While they were doing the chant, they were sitting in a circle and banging on the ground rhythmically,” Israel said. “They were imitating a Native circle with drums ... My entire squad saw this.”

Israel said many people witnessed the chant, but no one intervened.

“The commerce FROSH this year was apparently Disney-themed, and so each group had its own name to go with the theme,” he said.

A third-year UBC student, who did not want her name used due to fears of reprisals, said she also witnessed the chant.

The allegations comes just as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission opens hearings Wednesday into abuse suffered by aboriginals at residential schools.

UBC spokeswoman Lucie McNeill said the unproven allegations emerged during the school's investigation into a commerce student chant proclaiming, “At UBC we like ‘em young, Y is for your sister, O is for oh so tight, U is for underage, N is for no consent, G is for go to jail.”

That controversy led to the resignation of the CUS president and three other leaders, and the cancellation of future FROSH events.Comment:  So the students called their group "Pocahontas," pretended to be Indians, and chanted "white man, steal our land." I don't know if this was supposed to be mean "the white man stole our land" or "white man, go ahead and steal our land." Either way, it trivializes and mocks what real Indians suffered.

And the students are the same ones who promoted rape against women. Well, at least they're consistent. They're prejudiced against women and they're prejudiced against Indians.

For more on college racism, see Debauched "Indians" on Caesarian Sunday and Students Apologize for University of Denver Party.