So apparently I missed the memo about September being "Bash Duke Fraternities" month. It seems as if not a day goes by without yet another article or column ripping fraternities. The hypocrisy of the treatment of fraternities by the rest of campus is staggering.
The most notable of all the anti-fraternity sentiment on campus of late stems from Sigma Chi's ill-advised "Viva Mexico" party. Granted, some of the decorations and advertisements for the party were insensitive and disrespectful to Duke's Hispanic community. However, Sigma Chi has been unduly criticized and punished for what were really minor infractions.
The fraternity admitted that it was wrong and accepted responsibility for its actions, but that proved insufficient for some people on campus. Insensitive, stereotypical portrayals of racial and ethnic groups occur daily, but because this particular incident involved a fraternity, the backlash has been remarkably worse.
When an independent or group of independents makes a racially or ethnically insensitive comment, it is treated as unfortunate stupidity and reprimanded, but usually dies with an apology. When fraternities make the same mistakes, the PC Police on campus jump on the opportunity to cite it as yet another of example of their own stereotypes of fraternity members: rich, insensitive, legacy, white kids. Many members of the campus community view all fraternities through the lens of that common stereotype.
In reality, each fraternity has a fundamentally different identity. Anyone who has spent any real amount of time around different Greek organizations knows that no two are the same--a KA is not a Sigma Nu is not a SigEp--and so on. If we are going to cry out against stereotyping, it should be against all stereotypes, not just those of groups that are traditionally considered oppressed.
Because of the double standard that allows stereotyping of fraternities to be perpetuated by the very people who recoil at the voicing of any other stereotypes, fraternities are rapidly becoming the most marginalized social group on campus. On the whole, fraternities are held to higher standards and expectations than any other group on campus, but receive no tangible rewards for bearing those responsibilities. They have been forced off of Main Quad. They are subject to extreme scrutiny in their actions, statements and policies. All the while, they continue on with hardly a complaint.
Some independents constantly rip fraternity parties as events that are not fun and are too centered on alcohol. Oddly enough, if you look at the make-up of the crowd at any fraternity party, it's made up almost exclusively of independents. The same people who whine and moan about fraternity parties have no qualms about attending them and benefiting from the tremendous investment of time and money needed to throw each open party. For those people who partake in this hypocrisy, I encourage you to consider your alternatives--such as parties thrown by independents. Oh wait, that's right, independents don't throw parties.
The party scene is a microcosm of the importance of fraternities on campus. Members of Greek organizations have higher average GPAs, occupy more leadership positions throughout campus, engage in more service and are more involved on campus on the whole than non-Greeks. If Greek organizations were to be abolished, as some have proposed, there would be an incredible vacuum in social life and leadership on campus.
People outside of the Greek community often choose to see only the stereotypes and the parties, assuming that's all fraternities have to offer. Nevermind the cultural and educational programming they provide regularly. Ignore philanthropy events like SigEp's Dorm Wars, Delta Sig's Reggae Jam and Sigma Chi's Derby Days that bring in thousands of dollars per year for charity. Forget that the planning and execution of quad programming and parties falls almost exclusively to the fraternities on that quad.
Certainly, the Greek community is not without its flaws. Alcoholic hazing is a tremendous liability and presents a high level of danger of personal injury to pledges. Pledging is not intrinsically a social problem on campus, but the high level of alcoholic hazing that occurs in some groups is a major issue. Additionally, some members of these organizations do fit the stereotype they collectively receive. Some Greeks do have alcohol, drug abuse, and most disturbingly, sexual assault issues. However, the number of Greeks on campus who fit this stereotype is minute. Nevertheless, fraternities should step up on these issues and stop looking away when they see a brother engaging in these acts.
What is often overlooked on these issues is that they are problems that are not limited to fraternities. The independent community has its fair share of rich, legacy white kids. It also has its share of people who have substance abuse problems and have engaged in all the other unhealthy behaviors normally ascribed to fraternities.
An increase in dialogue between fraternities and the independent community would go a long way in bridging the schism between them. Sitting across from each other in an open, honest discussion, both groups would realize that they are not so different from one another. Problems like substance abuse, sexual assault and racism are not Greek or independent issues, they are Duke issues; and the only chance we have of making real progress in solving them is through cooperation between all members of the campus community.
Brian Vetter is a Trinity sophomore. His column appears every third Tuesday.
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