This article was updated on Nov. 5 at 11:30 a.m. with new information.
A Bloomsburg University student employee has been disciplined for using racist and hateful speech in a video that appeared on social media. An event is now being planned at the university by students to speak up against such acts.
When asked how he would describe the event, one of the student organizers, Karl Antonio, said, “I certainly would call this a protest, actions need to be taken!”
In the video, an apparently intoxicated student pretends to have an auction.
According to an article published by the Press Enterprise, the student in the video was confirmed to be Brett Rebuck by Bloomsburg University officials.
The language in the video is graphic in its depiction of a purported slave auction.
Rebuck is heard repeatedly saying “$10,000?” in the video.
“For what? What are you selling?” a person off-camera asks.
“We’re selling n—–s,” is Rebuck’s reply.
Social media reactions to the video have been swift and condemning.
“Brett Rebuck, I hope this video follows you everywhere you go,” says one social media posting.
Another post says, “This is a Bloomsburg University student who works for the football team! This video is so disgusting and another reason why POC don’t feel accepted or safe on this campus.”
A photo circulating across social media states, “If you’re a Bloomsburg student we need you on the quad this Wednesday at 12:00 p.m.. Re-share this post. We need to talk and speak up ‘I’m not getting called a n—-r anymore.”
Antonio says that they hope “to bring peace and unity to [the Bloomsburg] campus,” and that he “wants all students to treat each other like brothers and sisters no matter your skin color or where you are from.”
There is a meeting planned on Nov. 5 with the university president to discuss how the event will unfold.
Another post says, “Bloomsburg students: Let’s talk about how Dr. Hanna has been accused of sexual harassment and was forced to leave his other previous jobs. But still remains [our] president. Let’s talk about how two deans that are black got fired, but we still don’t know the reason why! Let’s talk about how Justin King, Curtis Melville, Nicholas Medveckus and Michael Somerville all passed away this semester. Let’s talk about how a young woman was sexually assaulted this weekend on upper campus. And now there’s a video that has surfaced of an athletic trainer ‘auctioning n—–s.’ All of this is disgusting, but needs to be discussed!”
According to an email from BU President Bashar Hanna, the student will be subject to discipline in accordance to the code of conduct.
“We take this matter very seriously and have taken immediate action,” says Tom McGuire, the Director of Media Relations and Content Strategy at Bloomsburg University.
“The student has been dismissed from employment within our athletics department, and he will be subject to potential disciplinary action pursuant to our student code of conduct. The comment expressed in the video does not represent the values of BU in any manner.”
The school has a range of actions it may impose, up to and including Rebuck’s dismissal from the university.
Rebuck has since deleted all of his social media accounts.
We don’t know, or won’t comment on why other media outlets chose to publish the very offensive video. We will not be sharing it. At BUnow, we believe including the video would only further spread the message of hatred and perpetuate racial tensions.
