A New Jersey woman says she has been expelled from the University of Alabama and kicked out of her sorority, Alpha Phi, after she posted videos on social media of herself using the n-word several times in Martin Luther King Jr. Day rants that have gone viral.
Harley Barber, 19, said in a video posted to Instagram, “I don’t care if it’s Martin Luther King Day, n*gger, n*gger, n*gger, n*gger. I’m in the south now b*tch, so everyone can f*ck off.”
In an another video, posted from a bar bathroom, Barber talked about shutting off water to save poor people. “We do not waste water because of the people in Syria,” she said in the video, before later saying she saved the “f*cking n*ggers” by shutting the water off.
Barber told the New York Post she was on her way back home to New Jersey after being kicked out of school over the viral videos.
“I did something really, really bad,” Barber told The Post. “I don’t know what to do and I feel horrible. I’m wrong and there’s just no excuse for what I did.”
She said she had been getting threatening phone calls over the videos, which she told the newspaper “came out of nowhere.”
Barber added, “I feel horrible. I feel so, so bad and I am so sorry.” She told The Post she ignored a friend’s advice to not post the videos. “No, I’m an idiot. There’s no excuse. I did something really bad.”
The videos were posted Monday night to Barber’s “finsta,” a fake Instagram page that does not display the user’s real name or face and is only shared with friends. She used the handle @spookyslut_ as her finsta, but has since deleted it along with her real social media accounts. But the videos were traced to Barber on Tuesday and went viral after being posted on Twitter by @TabiIsBack and later on YouTube.
Barber said in one of the videos that she had wanted to be in the Alpha Phi sorority since she was in high school. The sorority said she is no longer a member after the videos went viral.
Here’s what you need to know about Harley Barber:
Warning: The videos below contain explicit and racially offensive language.
1. The First Video Was Posted From a Bar’s Bathroom, Where She Says “I Love How I Act Like I Love Black People Because I F*cking Hate N*ggers’
https://twitter.com/TabisBack/status/953335592871452673
The first video, which you can watch above, appears to be recorded in the bathroom of a bar or restaurant. Harley Barber is alone in the room recording herself using the mirror while standing over the sink.
“With the poor people going on, we do not waste water,” Barber can be heard saying, as she waves her finger in front of the sink. “We don’t waste water because of people in Syria. I love how I act like I love black people, because I f*cking hate n*ggers. So, that’s really interesting. I f*cking hate n*ggers.”
Barber goes on to say, “But I just saved the f*cking n*ggers by shutting that water off. So, jump on it, jump on this.” Barber dances in the mirror as she repeats “jump on this” and then says, “Nah psych, I’m gonna probably jump on your man. With my f*cking woo…”
Rounders Bar, a popular destination for Alabama students, told The Crimson White that Barber has been banned from the establishment for life after they learned the video was filmed there.
2. In a Second Video, Barber Says ‘I’m From New Jersey So I Can Say N*gger as Much as I Want’ & Says Her Sorority ‘Means F*cking Everything to Me’
Harley Barber posted a second Instagram video, which you can watch above, after she was called out for saying the n-word in the original video. Instead of apologizing, Barber, who was in a car with other women, doubled down and repeatedly used the slur again.
“I’ve wanted to be an Alpha Phi since I was f*cking in high school and nobody f*cking understands how much I love Alpha Phi and now someone wants to snake my finsta because I said n*gga,” Barber says in the video, apparently upset because someone exposed her real identity on her fake Instagram account. “You know what? N*gger, n*gger, n*gger. I don’t care if it’s Martin Luther King Day, n*gger, n*gger, n*gger. I’m in the south now b*tch, so everyone can f*ck off.”
Barber adds, “I’m from New Jersey, so I can say n*gger as much as I want. N*gger, n*gger, n*gger.”
Harley Barber.
In the video, Barber says, “if anyone wants to f*cking snake me, on my f*cking finsta for saying n*gger, f*ck you.” She then holds up to her middle finger to the camera.
“I’m in a fur vest. I want you to buy my f*cking fur vest. Cuz f*ck you. Go to Neiman Marcus and buy my f*cking fur vest. Because f*ck you if you snake my to my f*cking sorority that means f*cking everything to me,” Barber says. “F*ck you. F*ck you. F*ck you.”
3. Barber, Who Has Been at Alabama Since the Fall & Is Originally From Marlton, New Jersey, Told Her Sorority Sisters She ‘Didn’t Understand the Impact’ of the Word
Harley Barber.
Harley Barber has been a student at the University of Alabama since the fall, according to her now-deleted Twitter profile (a cached version can be seen here).
Barber is originally from Marlton, New Jersey, and attended Camden Catholic High School, but the school said she did not graduate from there. A classmate from the school tweeted, “Videos of #HarleyBarber are absolutely atrocious and shameful, I’m now genuinely upset I would have associated with her at CC. It’s horrifying to see her hateful true colors.”
Barber’s mother, Jill Barbera told the Daily Mail she forced her daughter to move out last year because she is disrespectful. A family friend told Heavy that Barbera and her daughter haven’t had a relationship since then.
“Even though I made her move out in mid December 2016 due to her lack of respect for everyone and everything and refusal to get treatment for same, I did attempt to reach out to her today but there was no answer,” Barbera told the Daily Mail. “I am saddened, shocked, mortified and devastated by her horrific display of racism and hatred on social media. I respect that an apology will never fix the damage she has done, however as her mother I am truly sorry for everyone negatively affected by her actions. She was not raised to act this way nor was this type of behavior or disrespect condoned in the home she was raised in for 18 years.”
On Twitter, Barber often tweeted about her support for Donald Trump and being a Republican, and exchanged messages with other Trump supporters. Her Twitter page has since been deleted. She also deleted her Instagram page and her Facebook profile, on which she identified herself as an Alabama student and Alpha Phi member.
“I am so sorry for the things I said. I was ignorant and did not understand the impact that this word has on people. I am so sorry that I did this and deeply regret it,” she wrote in a chat group with other sorority members. “Going forward I promise to be more conscientious of my language and actions. I am so sorry to anyone I offended. I am not a good representation of this chapter.”
4. Alpha Phi Condemned the ‘Language’ Used by Barber & Said the Videos Are ‘Offensive & Hateful to Both Our Own Members & to Other Members of the Community’
Harley Barber.
In a statement, Alpha Phi condemned Harley Barber’s behavior and said she is no longer a member of the sorority.
“Alpha Phi is a diverse, values-based organization and condemns the language and opinions in these videos. They are offensive and hateful to both our own members and to other members of the Greek and campus community,” Linda Kahangi, executive director of Alpha Phi said in a statement. “The Beta Mu chapter leadership and supporting alumnae moved quickly to address the offense, and Ms. Barber is no longer a member of Alpha Phi.”
“As a Alabama Alpha Phi member i am mortified and disgusted with Harley Barber and her ignorant remarks. Please know that she is not a representation of our sorority and we do not consider her a sister at all!” Raya Turner wrote.
Turner also replied to another Twitter user who said that the sorority should be suspended, and saying that Turner was shedding “fake tears” because her sorority sister was caught.
“Fake tears? I’m black and i need to be suspended or expelled and kicked off campus because some girl who was in our sorority of 450 plus girls who none of us knew who she was says something ignorant and stupid but i get punished? Lol yeah that works,” she wrote.
Alex Feathers wrote on Twitter, “As an Alabama Alpha Phi I would like to publicly say I am ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED by Harley Barber.”
The Alabama Alpha Phi chapter was criticized in 2015 after its recruitment video, which you can watch above, went viral. Al.com op-ed writer A.L. Bailey wrote at the time:
Remember all those bikini-clad, sashaying, glitter-blowing, and spontaneous piggyback-riding days of college? Me either. But according to a new video, it’s a whirlwind of glitter and girl-on-girl piggyback rides at the University of Alabama’s Alpha Phi house.
No, it’s not a slick Playboy Playmate or Girls Gone Wild video. … It’s a parade of white girls and blonde hair dye, coordinated clothing, bikinis and daisy dukes, glitter and kisses, bouncing bodies, euphoric hand-holding and hugging, gratuitous booty shots, and matching aviator sunglasses. It’s all so racially and aesthetically homogeneous and forced, so hyper-feminine, so reductive and objectifying, so Stepford Wives: College Edition. It’s all so … unempowering.”
The University of Alabama said in a statement about the video, “This video is not reflective of UA’s expectations for student organizations to be responsible digital citizens. It is important for student organizations to remember what is posted on social media makes a difference, today and tomorrow, on how they are viewed and perceived.”
Griffin Meyer, the student filmmaker who made the video, told USA Today, it was “not very organized and there was a lot of improvisation that led to shots with similar looking girls. This video isn’t for politically sensitive adults who immediately associate a popsicle with sex. There is no drinking, no drugs, no nudity. It’s kind of sad girls can’t play fake football or be in a bikini without the judgement of the entire Internet.”
5. The University of Alabama Called Barber’s Remarks ‘Ignorant & Disturbing’ & Said the Behavior Has Been Reported to the Office of Student Conduct
Harley Barber.
The University of Alabama has said it is investigating the videos.
“These remarks are ignorant and disturbing and in no way reflect the values of The University of Alabama,” the university said in a statement. “This unfortunate behavior has been reported to the Office of Student Conduct as it does not align with the community expectations of students at the Capstone.”
The university has not announced any disciplinary action against Barber, despite her saying that she has been expelled. Universities are typically limited about what they can say about individual students due to privacy laws.
President Stuart Bell issued a statement about the videos:
In light of the racist and disturbing videos posted by one of our students on social media, I want to express my personal disgust and disappointment.
Like many of you, I find the videos highly offensive and deeply hurtful, not only to our students and our entire University community, but to everyone who viewed them. The actions of this student do not represent the larger student body or the values of our University, and she is no longer enrolled here.
We hold our students to much higher standards, and we apologize to everyone who has seen the videos and been hurt by this hateful, ignorant and offensive behavior. This is not who we are; it is unacceptable and unwelcome here at UA. These types of incidents affect community members differently. If you have been impacted and would like additional support, please access resources here that are available to you on our campus.
Over the last year, I have had conversations with many of you who shared your UA experiences with me. You have voiced your pride in the progress we have made, but we still have much work to do. I want to thank all of the students, faculty and staff who met today to have conversations about this event and the steps we can take, individually and collectively, to create a more welcoming and inclusive campus. You have my commitment and the commitment of our leadership team to sustain progress and address directly any issues that arise.
I know you join me in taking a stand against this and all reprehensible behavior. As members of this community, we are a family and this is our home. Everyone has a right to feel safe and welcome here.
The videos have led to outrage at the University of Alabama and on social media. Running back Damien Harris, who helped lead Alabama to a national football championship earlier this month, tweeted, “This girl goes to the same university as me but they say, ‘racism is dead.’ Unfortunately, this thread says the opposite.”
This girl goes to the same university as me but they say, “racism is dead.” Unfortunately, this thread says the opposite. t.co/OaYeCVEGUQ
His teammate, center Chris Owens, tweeted, “But this Harley Barber chick will be the same one going to our games screaming ‘Roll Tide’ whenever we score.”
Kerryon Johnson, a running back at Alabama’s rival, Auburn University, replied, “Idk what’s worse….her saying those things or her thinking she can come to the south which would make it okay to say???””
Student leaders led a march to the university’s administration office on Wednesday to address issues regarding the videos:
Other Alabama students and alums posted about the video.
“Harley Barber is AΦ and thinks that she can throw around the N word and not be held accountable for her actions. @UofAlabama let’s prove her wrong. Racism and Bigotry will not and can not be tolerated. Period,” Brittney K. wrote on Twitter.
Andrew Dobry wrote, “Racist people do not belong at my university. So sick of seeing people yell and scream Roll Tide whenever a black player makes a good catch or tackle, but then use racial slurs and make disparaging remarks afterwards towards black students and classmates.”
Another student, Reese, wrote, “The University never goes far enough when things like this happen. This is why it continues to happen. It’s systemic and to change things that are systemic, measures that may seem drastic should take place.”
A Twitter user identifying himself as a “proud black alumni,” wrote, “Highly disappointed in UA. We are worth more than championships and diversity qualifications. Her outburst was just a representation of what’s said behind closed doors. But we will not be silent.”
@AlphaPhiIntl take note…
Landon Collins, a former Alabama football player who is now a safety for the New York Giants, wrote on Twitter, “Alpha Phi, ‘be weary of the company you keep for they are a reflection of who you are or who you want to be.’ Harley Barber didn’t wake up this morning and decide to spew racist rhetoric for the first time in her life. Therefore, I believe I speak on behalf of all my brothers and myself, when I say, the Bama football team does not need the support, cheers or high fives of anyone who condones this type of intolerant, hateful behavior.”
Alabama basketball coach Avery Johnson responded to the video after his team’s Wednesday night game.
“There was an unfortunate video, are you guys familiar with the vile, abhorrent that was released on yesterday or the day before, whatever. Obviously, I stand with the university. We don’t condone that kind of behavior. It’s very unfortunate. I know the university is going to deal with it,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of people in our organization, in our basketball operation and our team that are from a lot of different backgrounds. Everybody doesn’t look like me, but we accept everybody. Wherever they’re from. Whatever their skin color is. We accept everybody.”