The William Paterson University student at the center of one of two viral college videos has released a written statement. Jasmine shared an open letter with the campus newspaper, The Beacon, on Monday, April 23, 2018, after her video sparked widespread backlash.
In the video, Jasmine asked her followers whether it is appropriate to say a racial slur when singing along to song lyrics. A friend in the clip was reciting lyrics to “Freaky Friday” by Lil Dicky featuring Chris Brown. The video and a second, unrelated video from a woman identified online as a student at Pennsylvania State University drew criticism across social media.
Jasmine had already posted an apology on Snapchat. In a separate video she suggested people who were offended should not watch.
In her letter, Jasmine said she is not a racist and believes in equality and respect for all people. She said the videos were misconstrued in the media and admitted that the place and context of her question were poorly chosen.
She wrote that she posed the question because she was upset that a friend had been harassed for singing along to the song. She said she never attacked a specific person or group. She also pointed to comments from radio host Charlamagne Tha God about who can use the word, and referenced a TV show he has discussed on the topic.
She closed by saying she hopes the letter gives insight into what type of person she is. She also said she hopes the conversation helps different racial groups become more sensitive to one another and better understand free speech.
The university has said it is looking into the matter, and the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority said she is no longer a member.
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