As the events progress around the pictures involving a party held by Brian Bataglia and members of the College Republicans ("Web site owner makes apology," Dec. 9), I find it extremely unnerving that many don't understand the extent at which these pictures upset and infuriate minority students. I find it even more troublesome the way that Black Caucus leaders have been asked to explain why the presence of blackface and the Ku Klux Klan costume in these pictures upsets students.

A very simple history should explain it. The KKK is well known for its actions in the Deep South of murdering, mutilating and lynching many black men and women. However, my family can tell of stories of incidents near Philadelphia of blacks being dragged from hospitals by Klansmen and burned while being lynched. This wasn't very long ago, not very far away and not a joke to me or my family members who lived through these events.

Would Jews have been asked this same questions if the College Republicans had worn the outfit of a German SS soldier or simply dressed up as Hitler himself?

Students must understand that this is not a game, this is not for the purpose of a political agenda. The bottom line is that the university community cannot afford to have leaders sit in the Undergraduate Student Government, University Park Allocation Committee or any authoritative organization who think this type of behavior is acceptable. The party was in October. These students had over a month to resign from the College Republicans and disassociate from these racists. It should not have taken the prodding of the university community for them to leave the College Republicans.

Finally, I ask the question: Where is the College Republican National Committee and the local Republican Party on this issue? What are they doing? Silence is acceptance and an insincere apology no longer fits the bill.