Mr. Reardon, I must agree with you (“BU should not start funding Greek life,” April 3, pg. 11). Not only are you ignorant, but you are a very angry and bitter person. In light of this fact, I have taken it upon myself to educate your obviously uneducated self.
Boston University recognizes all the fraternities and sororities on campus. Each has a national organization that sets down rules and regulations for their respective chapters. All Greek organizations have strict rules that forbid hazing. As a member of a Greek organization, I can honestly and truthfully tell you that I have never been hazed as a pledge or as a brother. Honestly, Mr. Reardon, I’m sorry our apparent “weird” rituals intimidate you. Our “weird” rituals distinguish us from other organizations, as well as other fraternities and sororities. What you don’t understand is that our rituals are not haphazardly made up, nor are they intentionally made “weird” to make people like you feel inferior.
Our rituals are created and based in response to historic and significant events within each organization. Ritual is our historic tie to those that came before us, and this tie can go back to the early 1800s. For you to say that the Greek system should not get more funding because of something that does not happen is ludicrous and ridiculous. Perhaps BU should stop funding for certain cultural clubs because people find those cultures “weird.” Maybe the United States should disband the Special Forces within our armed forces because their training can be considered “hazing.” Come on, Mr. Reardon, get real.
Within a school that greatly lacks school spirit and unity, I think fraternities and sororities give incoming freshmen a sense of identity and pride. I don’t understand how you can possibly compare the social interaction between fraternities and sororities to that of a floor of a dorm or a brownstone. The Greek system is perhaps the most diverse combination of organizations on campus. Within my fraternity, we have members from almost every race and continent. We regularly have social events with other sororities, and our organizations constantly work together to improve the world through community service. Just recently, Alpha Delta Pi, with the help of all the fraternities on campus, had a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald Foundation. Sigma Delta Pi and Delta Gamma regularly have fundraisers for Prevent Child Abuse, America and The Ruth Billow Memorial Fund, respectively. This weekend, all the seniors within my fraternity are donating our time to multiple charitable organizations within the Boston area. I don’t see the problem in having a strong Greek community in a school that has no school spirit, nor do I see the division that occurs within a system that promotes mutual interests among its members.
I hope you study and memorize the information just presented to you because you will be tested on this later. I am glad I pledged to my fraternity and sorry that you disdain the Greek system. Also, you might want to differentiate what you are against: the Inter Fraternity Sorority Council, the Greek System in general or specific fraternities or sororities. I’m spent.
