Fraternity removes members following ‘controversial’ YouTube videos
Two UC Davis students are seeking legal counsel after being removed from their fraternity chapter following “discriminatory” comments made on their personal YouTube channel.
Kent Cassidy and Sammy Mendoza, who are majoring in computer engineering and economics, respectively, started a YouTube channel called “2020 Vision” in early September.
“We’ve just found it really necessary for us to express ourselves openly and freely, without the censorship of anything,” Mendoza said. “We wanted a platform where we can say whatever we want and essentially educate our viewers on our beliefs.”
However, three weeks ago, the pair posted the first episode in the series “California Here We Go,” and they immediately received a negative response from their former fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. The video now has over 1,000 views.
In that first episode, Cassidy and Mendoza discuss international students, meditation, abortion and politics, among other topics.
In a story published on Sept. 20, the Davis Vanguard described Cassidy’s statement that abortions are “to prevent Black ladies from having kids,” and that “there’s a lot of sketchiness (and) money involved” as “racist statements about the Black community.”
The Vanguard also reported that Cassidy said the N-word in the video, but it’s unclear whether that is the case. In that portion of the video, the two are pretending to speak a different language.
“We truly don’t believe that any of our comments were degrading or hurtful in any way,” Mendoza said. “We posted everything online. We have nothing to hide.”
In their first video, Mendoza associated himself with Phi Delta Theta, but recanted that statement in the pair’s second YouTube video, “Gratitude,” clarifying that they are not associated with any organization.
On the grounds that Mendoza and Cassidy had affiliated the fraternity chapter politically, a membership review was conducted and the two were removed.
Mendoza was removed from Phi Delta Theta in a 24-2 vote and Cassidy was removed in a 22-4 vote.
Mendoza and Cassidy’s membership review has also been the subject of controversy. The pair posted an audio recording of the proceeding to YouTube, but took it down after receiving a ceaseand-desist letter from their former fraternity.
“It has come to our attention that you recently posted a video on YouTube in which you illegally recorded a private organizational meeting of our client without the consent of the participants in the meeting,” Micah Kamrass, an attorney representing Phi Delta Theta, stated.
The letter, which incorrectly names Cassidy as “Kurt,” states that because California is a two-party consent state, all parties must consent to the recording of a conversation.
Mendoza said he asked for permission multiple times but was not acknowledged by the fraternity.
UC Davis News & Media Relations Specialist Julia Ann Easley responded to request for university comment by saying “staff from Sorority and Fraternity Life will reach out to the chapter president advisor to learn more and offer resources
and support.”
The university’s Phi Delta Theta chapter also issued a statement on Instagram regarding the situation. They declined requests for comment beyond the statement.
“It has come to our attention that two of our now former members have made controversial statements on the internet,” the fraternity stated. “While we respect the right of every person’s First Amendment, we also reserve the right to disassociate ourselves with members that do not align with our standards. We will not condone discrimination of any kind, especially from one of our members.”
And it’s precisely First
Amendment rights that the former members are taking issue with.
“They said that us wearing a MAGA hat on set essentially politically affiliated the fraternity and we believe that is 100% censorship,” Mendoza said. “That is 100% silencing our rights to express ourselves and our political opinions.”
Mendoza argues that this is hypocritical, as the fraternity allegedly wanted to use chapter funds to donate to the Black Lives Matter movement. According to Mendoza, the chapter didn’t follow through on the donation because of the political affiliation argument.
The fraternity did however issue a June statement via Instagram regarding the movement, stating that the chapter’s brothers “stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter” and “(condemn) police brutality and racism.”
Now, Mendoza and Cassidy are looking for a constitutional lawyer. Though they’ve yet to find to find one, they’ve expressed their concerns to the chairman of the national Phi Delta Theta organization and Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, in the form of letters.
In their letter to the chairman, Mendoza does not ask for reinstatement, but rather to “highlight injustice.” He also expresses hope that the chairman may be able to reinvent a “toxic culture” within Davis’s fraternity chapter.
The letter also states that Mendoza has witnessed a “vast amount of atrocities that have been swept under the rug repeatedly,” but does not specify what those are, stating he does not wish to “ruin any of the members individually.”
Mendoza does mention abuse of alcohol, noting that it seems to be used as a coping mechanism for the stress of university and the pandemic.