Frat Brothers Scrawled Slurs On Dying Pledge (Why Fraternities Should Be Banned)

Denver Post ^ | October 08, 2004 | Any Herdy and George Merritt

[Jimmy Valentine]

"Fraternities are simply gangs who drink and dress nice."

Well no actually. In my salad days, admittedly rather a while ago, we handled our own money, ran our own kitchen and dealt with A/R & A/P issues without input from the school.

If, as periodically happened a pledge or brother got out of hand the officers and the brothers squared the issue away internally.

The issue of "binge drinking" was not an issue when I was in school ('65-'69) although in a mens school in So-west Pa. drinking was the norm and some could really pack it away. No body ever died that way though.

To those who know....Perge!

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Well, if that's true, then I've found the first thing I have in common with Slick Willy.

[Stone Mountain]

His house? If TEK is involved in this kind of moronic behavior, then yes, I think it should be shut down.

Uh... that's TKE...

And there are thousands of fraternities across the country. I assume you know the rhetorical dangers of using one bad example to malign an entire group...

[jimbo123]

Bill Clinton touted to the NAACP about how he wouldn't join a social fraternity because they discriminate against blacks, so he joined a "social" fraternity instead. Bubba just hates those evil, racist social frats.

[radicalamericannationalist]

That is wrong and it is insulting. There is no drinking as any part of the Chi Psi initiation.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Nothing humrous or "fraternal" about scrawling obscenities on the body of a dying human being. Or any of the other moronic puerile masturbatory pranks and banalities, for that matter either.

"Put a sock on it, son."

[smobey]

>From my pledge class: 2 lawywers 1 MD 1 currently in med school 1 RN
1 Chemical Engineer 1 CPA 1 MBA
Naw...no success here.

So the Fraternity's training in pleasing other men should be handy for these professions. They'll go far sucking up and being abused.

Should we assume that rest of your class is flipping burgers?

I had several great groups of friends in College. We didn't charge for admission, didn't demand that they think like us, dress like us or submit to humiliation to be accepted, much less did we prefer the company of our own sex and denigrate the other. We looked out for each other and still do. Oddly most of us are very happy and successful. Not one of us has left his or her spouse after admitting his or her homosexuality like so many of the professional greeks I've know.

[jimbo123]

"service" fraternity for Billy Blisters, not "social" fraternity. He probably wasn't even asked to pledge.

[WestTexasWend]

I'm well aware of the history, mission, rules and traditions of Greeks. I heard it every time a pledge died and I'd be sent to the nearest university to get a local react on it. The offenders and university officials were always shocked...SHOCKED...that it happened and determined it wouldn't happen again. But it always did.

Greeks like you who are truely above reproach should raise holy hell to bring your brothers into line. Just like the TROP crowd, preaching your goodness is no longer enough...
you have to take out your trash.

[Cowboy Bob]

Other phrases included an offensive six-letter racial slur.

Whitey?

[ChocChipCookie]

Tell me again how horrible Abu Graib was...

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

TEK, TKE, CRAP, they're all the same to me. I've never been worried about painting with a broad brush.

[radicalamericannationalist]

Our chapter had the 3rd highest GPA until we got the mechanical engineers in our midst. C's were like A's to those guys.

That said, those of us who were not foolish enough to go into majors with right and wrong answers were benefited immensely by the experience. Odds were at least one or two others were in your class, so you always had someone who could study with you.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Tell me again how horrible Abu Graib was...

Well now, I see the real heavyweight has entered the ring.

[Senator Pardek]

Banning frats won't help.

The school I went to would not even allow frat/sororities on campus.

I awoke on morning at school tied to the springs of my bed (the mattress was missing) with stereo cables and with my ear pierced. That was a typical weekend.

[Stone Mountain]

I've never been worried about painting with a broad brush.

Yeah, that's because all you conservatives are racist bigots... [ironic sarcasm, in case you can't tell...]

[Rocky Mountain High]

Quite the fixation with gays you have.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Tell it to Gordie Bailey's family.

[Drango]

I assume you know the rhetorical dangers of using one bad example to malign an entire group...

Yes indeed. Guilt by association is alive and well on FR. That said, the young man's death was a shame. But the elks, Rugby clubs, the military, bowling league, garden club, bridge club and the local bar all drink too much. The drum beat to suggest the greek system is evil doesn't square with my experience.

[Freebird Forever]

Did you notice that most of the pictures posted from US colleges came from Wisconsin with 16

It's approaching 20 years since I graduated from there. And I never bothered to associate with the greeks so I can't speak directly to their prowess at overindulgence. But around that time Playboy did rank us as the nations' only professional party school.

I imagine that the undergrads of today are still doing their best to uphold that distinction.