People looking to be offended
I checked my email this afternoon and found this lovely little gem in there.
Mr. Johnson-
I have mailed the below letter of complaint to the student university
newspaper as well as the Women's Center.
I intend to continue with an attempt to meet with President Dennison
and continue to gain access to someone who will expose this Rugby
behavior and CHANGE it by RULES.
I believe it must break many sportsmanship rules as well as civility
rules and bylaws for ASUM.
I would appreciate an immediate phone call, apology and
acknowledgement of the wrong doing.
Sarah Bayle
425-830-0137
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarah Bayle
Date: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Subject: concern for decency at the University/letter to the editor
To: umt.wrc@gmail.com
Cc: opinion@montanakaimin.com
Hello-
I have a daughter who has been at UMT for four years. She is graduating in May.
I am visiting her at University Villages Family Housing and had my car
parked on Cinnebar Drive adjacent to University property rugby fields
at 12:55PM on April 17th, 2010. There were many rugby players warming
up for a game. The team is called University Jesters. .
As I was sitting under a tree on this university field I saw them come
into a pre-game huddle and begin a very loud chant.
The coach and several officials were nearby, if not in the huddle.
The words chanted by that team horrified me. They were deeply
offensive, frightening, inappropriate and misogynistic. I was
appalled that these words were being chanted by 1. university team on
2. university property 3. next to staff, coaches, and referees as
well as innocent bystanders including myself, others walking their
dogs, and children.
I would like to report this team for their inappropriate and
aggressive attack on civility and feel that the university community,
women's community, and sports community should make it clear to them
that this type of language as a pre-game chant used to psych up some
competitive young men for a good game is completely unacceptable. I
am incensed by this occurrence and had to hold my tongue to not
complain immediately to the coach of the team. I felt it was
inappropriate at the time and quite frankly- I didn't feel entirely
safe.
I took the details of names, time, date, etc etc but am unsure of how
to proceed. I am from Seattle and will be here visiting for the week.
I know for a fact that sexual assault is alive and well on university
campuses around the country. The statistics are shocking to think
about the percentages of women who are assaulted on campus. I
honestly believe that as a community of people who find the statistics
unacceptable-- we need to make it clear to the university community
that sexual verbal affronts against women are considered serious and
must be stopped. This is especially true when it comes from an
organized, university sponsored sports team.
Please help me to be heard by the rugby coach, rugby association, and
any other university affiliation that rents the space or otherwise
permits these men to use this space on Cinnebar Drive.
Stopping violence against women on university campuses begins here,
now, and with everyone of us.
thanks-
Sarah Bayle
phone: 425-830-0137
--
Sarah Bayle
--
Sarah Bayle
Now, I know that myself and those I associate with have been known to use coarse language and I readily accept the fact that many people can be put off by it. And I further accept that people might not choose to associate with us for that reason. But to actively try and submarine a sports team because you find their language offensive? Get real. I particularly enjoy the fact that she gleaned most of the information about our team by forcing her young scaredy-ass son to walk up and ask me about who was playing. At the time I was curious why he seemed to nervous and in hindsight I realize it was because he knew he was doing it on behalf of his PC brigade mom. I have not emailed her back and don't intend to indulge her raging self-righteousness boner unless the school starts breathing down our necks.
Mr. Johnson-
I have mailed the below letter of complaint to the student university
newspaper as well as the Women's Center.
I intend to continue with an attempt to meet with President Dennison
and continue to gain access to someone who will expose this Rugby
behavior and CHANGE it by RULES.
I believe it must break many sportsmanship rules as well as civility
rules and bylaws for ASUM.
I would appreciate an immediate phone call, apology and
acknowledgement of the wrong doing.
Sarah Bayle
425-830-0137
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarah Bayle
Date: Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Subject: concern for decency at the University/letter to the editor
To: umt.wrc@gmail.com
Cc: opinion@montanakaimin.com
Hello-
I have a daughter who has been at UMT for four years. She is graduating in May.
I am visiting her at University Villages Family Housing and had my car
parked on Cinnebar Drive adjacent to University property rugby fields
at 12:55PM on April 17th, 2010. There were many rugby players warming
up for a game. The team is called University Jesters. .
As I was sitting under a tree on this university field I saw them come
into a pre-game huddle and begin a very loud chant.
The coach and several officials were nearby, if not in the huddle.
The words chanted by that team horrified me. They were deeply
offensive, frightening, inappropriate and misogynistic. I was
appalled that these words were being chanted by 1. university team on
2. university property 3. next to staff, coaches, and referees as
well as innocent bystanders including myself, others walking their
dogs, and children.
I would like to report this team for their inappropriate and
aggressive attack on civility and feel that the university community,
women's community, and sports community should make it clear to them
that this type of language as a pre-game chant used to psych up some
competitive young men for a good game is completely unacceptable. I
am incensed by this occurrence and had to hold my tongue to not
complain immediately to the coach of the team. I felt it was
inappropriate at the time and quite frankly- I didn't feel entirely
safe.
I took the details of names, time, date, etc etc but am unsure of how
to proceed. I am from Seattle and will be here visiting for the week.
I know for a fact that sexual assault is alive and well on university
campuses around the country. The statistics are shocking to think
about the percentages of women who are assaulted on campus. I
honestly believe that as a community of people who find the statistics
unacceptable-- we need to make it clear to the university community
that sexual verbal affronts against women are considered serious and
must be stopped. This is especially true when it comes from an
organized, university sponsored sports team.
Please help me to be heard by the rugby coach, rugby association, and
any other university affiliation that rents the space or otherwise
permits these men to use this space on Cinnebar Drive.
Stopping violence against women on university campuses begins here,
now, and with everyone of us.
thanks-
Sarah Bayle
phone: 425-830-0137
--
Sarah Bayle
--
Sarah Bayle
Now, I know that myself and those I associate with have been known to use coarse language and I readily accept the fact that many people can be put off by it. And I further accept that people might not choose to associate with us for that reason. But to actively try and submarine a sports team because you find their language offensive? Get real. I particularly enjoy the fact that she gleaned most of the information about our team by forcing her young scaredy-ass son to walk up and ask me about who was playing. At the time I was curious why he seemed to nervous and in hindsight I realize it was because he knew he was doing it on behalf of his PC brigade mom. I have not emailed her back and don't intend to indulge her raging self-righteousness boner unless the school starts breathing down our necks.