A USC student who was offended by decorations at Alpha Epsilon Pi's Jan. 27 Mexico-themed party filed an official complaint Feb. 1 with the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards, prompting an apology from the fraternity.
Jesus Cuellar, a sophomore majoring in Spanish, said he went to The Row the night of AEPi's "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" party and saw a chain-link fence, barbed wire, a "Danger Keep Out" sign, flashing red lights and a cardboard poster reading "Welcome to Mexico" outside of the fraternity house.
Cuellar said a Mexican-themed party would not have bothered him, but the image of the U.S.-Mexican border did.
"I got offended by it, because I am from Mexico, and my parents had to come across the border ... they went through the danger and almost died," Cuellar said.
"(The display) was saying that Mexicans are dangerous and should be kept behind barbed wire," he said.
AEPi President Brian Fischer sent an e-mail apology on Feb. 3 to Cuellar, several university Mexican-American organizations and members of Alpha Epsilon Pi and the Interfraternity Council.
"Please accept our deepest apologies and understand that we truly did not mean to cause any harm," it read.
The judicial board's decision is pending.
Apology after frat party - Daily Trojan - News
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