Some interesting new developments in the hate incident directed towards Korean American students that occurred a couple of weeks ago at Tufts University...
Daniel Foster, the drunk idiot student who previously denied any wrongdoing has now admitted to "making racial slurs toward, threatening to kill and spitting at a group of Korean students" on April 9.
Freshman admits to racial incident with KSA members.
Foster admitted and apologized as part of an agreement he reached with the 13 members of the Korean Students Association whom he accosted. The agreement was made over the past week outside of university channels, although the Dean of Student Affairs largely accepted the terms of the deal.
Here's the Foster's letter of apology:
My name is Daniel Foster. I am the one who made racial and ethnic slurs to the students in the Korean Students Organization in the early morning hours of April 9, 2009. I am writing to apologize for the deep hurt that I have caused to these students and to this community. I am also writing to correct the record. I am not going to hide the severity of my words by calling them "obscenities." I was bothering the dancers and refused to leave the common area where they were practicing, I spat at the KSA members, made racial and ethnic slurs against them [calling them "chinks," told them to "go back to China," told them that I would "get them," and "I am going to kill you all," and probably other words that I do not remember.]
My guilt and shame have been eating me away inside. I am genuinely sorry for the pain I have caused not only to the people directly involved in the incident, but for every one else who was affected by the words I sad that night. I know that I should have left the area when asked. I know that there is no excuse for what I said. I know that I should have apologized the next day after I sobered up. That night has haunted my thoughts ever moment of ever day since it happened. The words I used out of anger do not represent who I am. With input from the people that I hurt so deeply, I am taking actions to address the issues that brought those hateful and derogatory words to my mouth.
If I could go back in time I would take back the pain that I have caused to the people I was talking to and the community. I know that there is no reason that the Korea students or anyone else should believe me when I say that I have deep remorse. Why didn't I come forward earlier to correct the distortions in the press that made it sound like I was blaming the other students? If has been like a horrible nightmare that I hoped I would wake up from and see that it never happened. I have no excuse for burying my head in the sand and not taking responsibility and not correcting the facts that were reported and made me look like a victim.
That night has left me hurt as well as confused and unsure. I am left with my integrity; unfortunately this situation has put that on the line as well. This incident painfully reminds me that words reflect values. I, like all students at Tufts, am accountable for my actions. I take responsibility for the events of that night, and I accept the consequences and disciplinary actions resulting from my conduct. My name is Daniel Foster.
Daniel Foster
As part of the agreement, Foster said he would request that the university suspend him for next semester and he would write a signed apology that he would "cause to be published" in The Tufts Daily, not join a fraternity as an undergraduate at Tufts, attend Alcoholics Anonymous sessions and "anti-bias/anti-hate" courses, and enter into and receive treatment from a therapist or mental health counselor.
According to Tom Moon, one of the 13 KSA members who signed the agreement, it was actually Foster who first met and admitted to the Korean American students last week. At first, they were doubtful, but it seemed that Foster was truly sincere about apologizing and regretful about what happened.
I've got to say, this is a shocking turn of events. Not because we've found out that it all did indeed go down as the Korean American students initially reported -- we knew that. I'm stunned by the completely voluntary, thorough and unconditional admission of guilt on the part of Daniel Foster. Just based on the letter, it really does seem like the incident has been eating at him.
Wow. So this is what it looks like for someone to say sorry, what I did was racist and wrong, and I take full responsibility. I've covered years and years of racist incidents on college campuses, and most perpetrators will deny any kind of wrongdoing until the day they die. This is kind of a refreshing change.
No thanks to the Tufts administration for their inability and refusal to take appropriate action through all of this.