Having begun school at the Capstone in 2008 as an undergraduate and looking forward to graduating with a master’s degree in 2014, I am forced to reflect on my six years as a member of The University of Alabama’s student body as well as its staff. I have made friends from other countries, different states, different social and political backgrounds, and with skin tones not my own. I am not a greek and have never had any affiliation with the greek system except as a bystander.
When Kendra Key ran for SGA president my freshman year, several members of UA greek organizations patrolled the hallways of the dorms and accosted people in the Rec Center, intimidating people to vote for their Machine-backed candidate whose name I do not care to mention here. I went on record in The Crimson White then, and I stand by my testimony today.
The next two years saw increased tensions between greeks and GDIs. Rumors of gross misuse of SGA money came home from Pasadena where several members of the SGA (all greek) used University money to pay for their trips to and from the BCS National Championship Game. This was followed by a literal turf war between greeks and the Honors College over the right to sit behind the end zone. Begrudgingly, independents were offered seating; however, their presence was met each week by drunken threats, new-boy vomit and derogatory name-calling. As if this was not enough, the next year, a young black student was verbally assaulted with racial slurs from a fraternity house while he was walking home.
Last year, after several allegations of violent hazing, pledgeship was suspended. This was just one of the few cases of abuse reported among the thousands, which are still kept behind closed basement doors. And it has not stopped. I overheard two students just last week describe hitting a pledge in the head so hard “there is no way he did not have a concussion,” which was followed by drunken laughter and high-fives.
By not addressing these clear issues of institutionalized racism, violence and classism, the University is actively contributing to and is directly responsible for everything. I am glad to see so many young ladies coming forward both publicly and privately to challenge the embarrassingly archaic status quo in the greek system. However, I encourage everyone to boycott the greek system and discontinue all activities and financial support thereof. Simply standing up in a private meeting and asking questions is not enough to enact change.
Many of us are Alabama natives and are proud of our history, heritage and roots; yet we are also ashamed of the continued reliance on antiquated rituals and traditions rife with racism, sexism and violence. Many of us will stay in Alabama. We owe it to ourselves and our posterity to leave this university a better place than when we got here. I have failed, but I see great things each day. The new generation of students wants to integrate and become the champions we profess to be. Please, do not give up.
Ross Owens is a graduate student in anthropology.
