The University of Florida (UF) is in headlines as they investigate reported incidents of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity members and wounded war veterans in Panama City Beach over Spring Break.
As the investigations continues, the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity has been suspended.UF was not the only university to be blamed. Emory University’s fraternity members were also suspected to be involved as well. They issued the following statement:
No evidence has been found to implicate Emory students in these reported incidents.
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What the students are being accused of doing to wounded veterans is disturbing. Wounded vet Nicholas Connole said:
Linda Cope was the organizer of the Warrior Beach Retreat and she spoke out as well:They actually spit on me and my service dog as well, and that’s just so disrespectful and it hurts. I come and I feel honored and I feel safe and that I belong, but now I feel like I’m defending myself.
People were urinating off the balconies, throwing up in the elevators, making suggestive and sexual comments about veterans with their service dogs and derogatory and suggestive comments about their wives.
Cope also commented:
We had an American flag flying outside and there was urination coming down from the balconies going onto the flag. One of the drunk kids pulled a veteran American flag out of the ground and [we] made the boy put it back. This all happened Friday afternoon, through the night, into the late morning.
Both the University of Florida and the international office of Zeta Beta Tau are investigating the accusations and have since apologized to the group. The international office has also suspended activities for the fraternity chapters in UF and at Emory.
Laurence Bolotin, the fraternity’s executive director released a statement that said three fraternity members for the UF has been expelled from the group:White the details of their actions are still under investigation, there is no doubt that some of our members engaged in ugly and unacceptable behaivor. On behalf of our entire organization, I want to apologize to veterans, both those who were in Panama City Beach, and those who have felt the pain from afar, as well as to their families and all who support the Warrior Beach Retreat and had worked to make it a positive and meaningful occasion for attendees.
Dave Kratzer, University of Florida Student Affairs Vice President said:
I am personally offended and disappointed by the behaivor that has been described to me.
It was said the veterans and their families did not retaliate and the co-founder of D-Day World War II Veterans, Bryan Walker said he understands kids get drunk over spring break and do stupid things so he is not going to condemn all young kids, he would just like to see those who caused the harassment to be held accountable.