Greek system should not allow hazing
I am writing in response to the hazing suit. Although some may say it is all in good fun, hazing can obviously be taken to an extreme. It is ridiculous to think that Greeks (who haze pledges) cannot learn from prior incidents that hazing should be turned down to 1) not hurt anyone and 2) not get caught. How hard would that be?
It is amazing that it is OK to hurt the pledges that pay to be your friends. I guess the meaning for SOME Greek members is to pay money to join a club that later allows you to beat up on your peers. Sounds fun, where do I sign up?
All the “hazing Greeks” are doing is giving bad names for those students who take pride in their fraternity/sorority and don’t find it as an excuse to get drunk and throw some punches or pressure food and liquor down ones throat until they throw up.
From my understanding, the Greek environment is supposed to be your family that you pay for. I would never pay for a “family” to beat me up, but that’s just my opinion.
Jennifer Hatch
Junior — Mass Communication
A few bad Greeks hurt system’s image
I know everyone has an opinion on the Greek community. Some people see us as nothing more than a collegiate prep squad, paying lots of cash to have lots of friends. Others see us as nothing more than organized alcoholics, filling up our party cups and filling up the local Tigerland bars.
It makes me sad that the actions of a few destroy the reputations of many. Hazing is not a fair practice. Most people I know would not stand to stay in a chapter where they were made to drink toxic rubbing alcohol. I am not blaming the pledges, but you always have the option to say no and leave.
The Greek community is not a drunken, abusive brothel. We are as positive as any other campus organization. However the “scandalous” actions are the only ones brought to the forefront. When was the last time there was a front page story on a fraternity or sorority service project? No, the only thing public are the mistakes of the few that make for good news.
I know I am not part of an organization where I would have my head beat in. I am part of a positive bond of friendship that will last a lot longer than the hangover of the people that are giving my organization a bad name will have after getting hazed.
Kim Moreau
Freshman — Mass Communication
Earth Day organizers barred Republicans
On Monday, April 28, The Reveille reported that members of the College Republican Alliance (CRA) were asked to leave the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) Earth Day Celebration this past Saturday for “not advocating environmental issues.” As one of the individuals asked to leave, I wish to say that this assertion by the members of SEAC is patently false. We did advocate environmental issues with well researched fliers that presented pertinent information. However, we do admit to proposing solutions to environmental problems that are not in line with the environmentalist dogma advocated by SEAC.
We brought fliers that supported a free-market, trade-oriented approach to solving environmental problems. History shows us that as people get richer through trade, they begin to demand a cleaner environment — and can afford to pay for it. Environmentalists argue that trade will cause a “race to the bottom” as countries liberalize environmental standards to increase their competitive advantage. However, for all the vituperation about the “race to the bottom,” no countries are rushing to lower environmental standards, and since trade has been liberalized, environmental quality worldwide has actually been improving.
One flier we had described a tradable tax credit scheme designed to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions implemented by the first President Bush. The program created a vibrant market for the tax credits, dramatically reduced emissions beyond expectations and was done at an estimated savings of $1 billion a year. Yet another flier was designed to raise awareness of the Superfund, a Carter-era environmental cleanup program in which 50 cents of every dollar goes toward lawyers’ fees.
The members of SEAC who forced us to leave proved themselves not to be democrats but provincial ideologues who are not interested in true democracy. To them democracy is a code word for those who support only their views. The people who ran SEAC’s Earth Day could not or did not want to believe that people on the political right care about the environment and have cogent, practical and alternative views about solving today’s environmental problems. Their denial is the real reason we were asked to leave.
Andrew Whitley
Sophomore — Philosophy