Former SAE Fraternity Member Levi Pettit Apologizes For Racist Chant

Levi Pettit, former fraternity member of SAE at the University of Oklahoma who led a racist chant captured on video, spoke at a press event today to apologize for his part in the episode.

“All the apologies in the world won’t change what I have done, so I will spend the rest of my life trying to be the person who heals and brings people of all races together,” Levi Pettit said in a press conference in Oklahoma City.

In a prepared statement, Pettit expressed regret and asked for forgiveness.

“The people I met with have opened my eyes to things I wasn’t exposed to before this event. I think I knew they were wrong, but I never knew why or how they were wrong.”

Of interest though, Pettit would not discuss the chant, or say where he learned it or who taught it to him.

“I’m not here to talk about where I learned the chant or where it was taught. I’m here to apologize for what I did,” Pettit said.

My thought on that is: if Pettit wants to heal the world, why not start where he learned the hateful chant?

Watch the segment on MSNBC.

Social media expressed doubts about Pettit's sincerity.

#levipettit could not explain why it was a chant or where it came from? ...interesting....
— Shawna Jackson (@sjackson_2013) March 25, 2015

#LeviPettit "didn't know how wrong" that the racist #SAE chant was. Sure. I can see how "you can hang them from a tree" can be ambiguous.
— Steve Helling (@stevehelling) March 25, 2015

OU SAE Fraternity Members Issue Statements On Racist Video

The Dallas Morning News has shared an apology from one of the University of Oklahoma Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity brothers, Parker Rice, who was seen leading the racist chant now infamous via viral video.

“I am deeply sorry for what I did Saturday night. It was wrong and reckless. I made a horrible mistake by joining into the singing and encouraging others to do the same. On Monday, I withdrew from the university, and sadly, at this moment our family is not able to be in our home because of threatening calls as well as frightening talk on social media.

“I know everyone wants to know why or how this happened. I admit it likely was fueled by alcohol consumed at the house before the bus trip, but that’s not an excuse. Yes, the song was taught to us, but that too doesn’t work as an explanation. It’s more important to acknowledge what I did and what I didn’t do. I didn’t say no, and I clearly dismissed an important value I learned at my beloved high school, Dallas Jesuit. We were taught to be ‘Men for Others.’ I failed in that regard, and in those moments, I also completely ignored the core values and ethics I learned from my parents and others.

“At this point, all I can do is be thoughtful and prayerful about my next steps, but I am also concerned about the fraternity friends still on campus. Apparently, they are feeling unsafe and some have been harassed by others. Hopefully, the university will protect them.

“For me, this is a devastating lesson and I am seeking guidance on how I can learn from this and make sure it never happens again. My goal for the long-term is to be a man who has the heart and the courage to reject racism wherever I see or experience it in the future.

“Thank you for your consideration of my deepest apologies for what I did.”

I appreciate that he begins and ends with what seem like sincere apologies.

But I have to ask: why does the second sentence of the statement have to sound like "poor me - we're being threatened?" In the same breath that he takes responsibility for his hideous performance now captured forever on video?

He goes on to say his fraternity "friends" have been harassed. Poor them.

And - he mentions alcohol and that the song was "taught" to them. HOW do you hear that "song" and not go running from the f*cking room???

A third of this carefully written statement could have been deleted and he would have made more headway.

In addition, a second student who was identified - Levi Pettit - has had his parents post an apology for him.

How very grown-up.

As parents of Levi, we love him and care for him deeply. He made a horrible mistake, and will live with the consequences forever. However, we also know the depth of our son’s character. He is a good boy, but what we saw in those videos is disgusting. While it may be difficult for those who only know Levi from the video to understand, we know his heart, and he is not a racist. We raised him to be loving and inclusive and we all remain surrounded by a diverse, close-knit group of friends.

We were as shocked and saddened by this news as anyone. Of course, we are sad for our son – but more importantly, we apologize to the community he has hurt. We would also like to apologize to the – entire African American community, University of Oklahoma student body and administration. Our family has the responsibility to apologize, and also to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Our words will only go so far – as a family, we commit to following our words with deeds.

I'd be curious to know why Levi Pettit can't offer his own statement?