I, like the majority of the campus, read the article “The Final Barrier” in The Crimson White and initially responded as most of my peers did: with frustration and outrage.

It infuriates me that such blatant racism exists. “The Final Barrier” only confirmed that these discriminatory feelings are still very real and it’s sad, but I’m not completely surprised that they exist. Moreover, having this come up right on the heels of the voter fraud debacle only hurt my willingness to give the greeks the benefit of the doubt. I was surprised, however, to hear how many people within the greek community were so adamantly against it. It is unfortunate to see how much power your alumni have over the active membership. Reading about the general outrage by the students in the system was a breath of fresh air. I was relieved to find out that most of the current students at the University believe that the things that are being done within the greek system are wrong.

I am not a member of the greek community. I cannot speak on how things are run. I am an observer. All I can do is speak out on how you are being perceived, and I feel that now, more than ever, the campus as a whole needs to have an open dialogue.

I am a member of the Mallet Assembly, an organization of fiercely independent individuals, that has made many impressions, both positive and negative, on the students of the campus. The best way I can describe Mallet is probably the same way many brothers and sisters describe their fraternities and sororities: a family. Ever since our conception during the civil rights era, we have prided ourselves in being an open, intelligent and diverse community. In many ways, we’re succeeding. But I feel that we have failed to meet that standard by allowing a rift to form between ourselves and the greek system. Diversity doesn’t mean “everyone but the greeks.” It doesn’t mean “liberals, women and minorities.” It includes everyone.

The Mallet Assembly is prepared to discuss the current situation with the rest of the campus. Come visit us at Palmer Hall, right across from Paty. Right now, it is more critical for us to set aside our differences for the sake of the University as a whole. We would love to see you here. Just visit the building. Walk into the living room in the middle of the day. Talk to us on the stoop. Plan events with us. Please don’t let this opportunity to bring campus together go to waste. Work with us, because racial segregation is not the only kind of segregation on campus.

Greg Pace is a junior majoring in biology.