The Sigma Nu, Epsilon Delta chapter house at the University of Wyoming, Laramie Wyo.
By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter, Writer
If you were fortunate enough to be in college in the 60s, you just had to be in a fraternity or sorority to be a real player.
If you are in a fraternity today, you’re likely to be asked why.
From ASU, UA to many prestigious universities, frat brats have cast a shadow over the Greek system with gratuitous drinking, hazing, sex crimes and racist acts. The system is not what it was when I was a member of a fraternity. Its decline has led rather to being a proud “GDI” (expletive, expletive, independent),
My fraternity had its problems with the administration of the university, although minor compared to recent situations resulting in certain fraternities being evicted from campus, some even for hazing that caused deaths.
Mine went bankrupt during the decline in fraternity popularity, but has worked its way back to recolonization. And I have donated money to that effort.
Given the current climate in the Greek system, why would I do that?
- It provided me a family away from home.
- It taught me discipline and respect beyond what my parents could teach.
- It supported my academic efforts.
- It brought me together with people from all locations and walks of life.
- It judged me as a leader or follower.
- It spawned what are now lifetime friendships.
- A fraternity is a reflection of society. It has its leaders and it has its bad actors.
- We learned to support the good things our society has to offer and reject that which runs counter to acceptable speech, behavior and morals.
Some would throw the baby out with the bathwater, but there are those born today who in 18 years could benefit from membership in a stable Greek system.
