Around the country and at RMU, many universities have started their recruitment season for Greek life. Deciding whether or not Greek life is for you, is a big decision. In fact, it is a life changing one. For most people that go Greek, their lives will be forever changed-- how their lives will be changed however, depends on how they spend their time in a fraternity or sorority.
I am going to address the issue you are probably thinking of right now if you are considering joining a social fraternity/sorority-- you probably think that Greek life is all negative and contributes nothing to anything. I am going to take the stance of someone who knows nothing but stereotypes for a second to convey this argument easier. Questions that may be asked by someone new to the idea of a social Greek organization: Aren’t I going to be brutally hazed? Isn’t it like 1,000 dollars to join? Isn’t partying all you guys do? What if I’m not pretty enough to join a sorority? I can’t do a keg stand, so I can’t join? You always see these questions, but you never see: What kind of service projects do you guys do? What is your philanthropy? How involved with campus life are you? Do you have good relations with the community? What’s your chapter's average GPA? What does it take to be a good fraternity man? How hard is it to be a strong sorority woman?
It's human nature to find the negative in a situation as a better conversation piece because it presents a threat to that person. Yes, Greek life is not perfect; yes, some chapters and groups have screwed up in the worst ways possible; yes, some damage cannot be undone. But I have said it before and I will repeat myself, you can not condemn a whole Greek life for one part's screw up.
Putting everything into perspective, say for example there is a group of 200 hundred people who are all friends with each other. This group has committed themselves to helping the community around them in a variety of different ways. This includes service projects, basically anything they can get their hands on. They are also determined to grow as people and become better men and women. One day, a small group separates from them, about 10 of them. These 10 drop their values and everything they have been working toward and decide it's easier to live without obligations. Those 10 would eventually do some things that were very detrimental to society. They used their fame of being part of the original 200 to endorse themselves, acting like they never separated from the group. They would be viewed as toxic and of no use to anyone anymore. The other members stayed on the road they were on and continued to the best of their ability to help make the world a better place. Eventually, people had enough. The 10 were persecuted and convicted for what they did. The question is: would you persecute the other 190 as well? Despite their continued efforts to make society better, should they be convicted for the possibility of them doing wrong like that small group did? Might as well just lock them all up too, right?
That’s what the view on Greek life is. There are that 10 that screwed up, so the rest need to be torn down and thrown away. Whether you realize or not, you are condemning a lot of good men and women to something they are not. The generalization that 10 people represents a whole 200 and their history is absurd. Absurd is not even a good enough word to describe how ridiculous of a notion it is.
Another issue is a lot of media is only making the debate worse, and it is most of the time supporting the negative side. (Are you noticing the negativity trend yet?) I literally just listened to a news report maybe a month ago where the newscaster used the term “frat." THAT is why this is such an issue. The fact that the reporter had no respect and used that slang/stigma instead of just saying fraternity like she should have is ridiculous. THAT is why it is so hard for Greek life to change in people's eyes. They hear that garbage all the time and eat that up like it’s a full dinner. People are sheep and will listen to whatever is thrown at them, especially if they see it on the news. Tell me the last time a news station reported on a chapter’s community impact? Let me take a wild guess and say the last thing you saw was that a “frat” threw a wild party and everyone got underages, or that there was a hazing incident that got reported. Maybe if some people would just open their eyes and mind, the stigma would be close to non-existent at this point. The news profits on negativity, that’s the bottom line. People never talk about how much Greek life has been victimized by the news and media.
I have been part of a brotherhood since my first semester at RMU. I have learned more from my brothers so far than I did in any other organization I have ever been in in my entire life. Some of my brothers have been more family to me than some of my actual extended blood family ever were. Through my fraternity, I truly believe that I met someone that was the brother I never had, and who knows? Maybe if I didn’t join, we wouldn’t be as close as we are today. I owe some of my brothers my life. One of my brothers once saved me from doing something I would forever regret. So, tell me, why is that not on the news? Why is the idiot that hazed on there, instead of the brother who saved a life?
It will never be easy to be a good fraternity man, with seemingly all the cards stacked against me. I go out in public with letters on and count the dirty looks I get-- my record is 18. I wear those letters with pride, and I will be damned if anyone ever takes that away from me. I will never not wear them without remembering all the sacrifices that were made just so I could be able to wear them. My fraternity's founding fathers took the risk and founded the fraternity I call my home 100 years ago. No one will ever take that away from me. No one will ever be able to convince me that I am wasting my time, money, and potential (all things I have heard.) I will forever be a brother, no matter what happens. Despite every stereotype, assumption, and stigma, I am a man of democracy, service, and brotherhood. So, go ahead and still group me with what you think Greek life is; all you sheep are good at is herding anyways.
“I hold these beliefs as my profound conviction, and I pledge my fellow men to live up to them to the best of my ability." -Founders Creed, PMD
-Joshua Bednar, a proud founding father of Phi Mu Delta, Mu Upsilon
