On Tuesday, 90.7 The Capstone put together a panel to discuss the issue of race on campus. This panel included six professors, State Rep. Chris England and myself – but what’s more interesting is who wasn’t present.
Rich Robinson, the event’s organizer, said every single sorority and fraternity on campus was invited to send a representative to the panel. Not one did.
It would be nice to believe this was a fluke, but sadly, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Something very similar happened during the protest at the Rose Administration Building two weeks ago. There, hundreds of greeks were expected to arrive and support integration efforts – and only a handful did. Even these few did not come as official representatives of their organizations.
Non-participation in campus discussion isn’t the only example of greek silence.
We haven’t heard any kind of public statement from greek leaders on the topic of segregation. We haven’t heard any official condemnation or even acknowledgement of segregation from greek spokespeople. We haven’t seen any official measures taken against the alumnae who allegedly perpetuate segregation. And we haven’t seen greeks participating in discussions about race on campus, even when they’re repeatedly asked to.
Right now, this silence isn’t acceptable. Our campus has taken admirable strides toward equality, but the acceptance of a few minorities among thousands of white girls doesn’t mean that we’ve fixed our problems. We thought we’d fixed segregation in 2003 when Carla Ferguson was accepted into a white sorority, but obviously, this progress was fleeting. And today, without a sincere and unanimous push for equality, we could once again find our progress undone.
The responsibility that falls on all of us – greeks and non-greeks alike – is therefore tremendous. At this moment I’m forced to wonder if greek leaders really support equality at all.
I want to believe that individually, greeks do not support segregation. I want to believe claims that, if it weren’t for meddlesome alumnae, the greek system would be integrated. But right now, the facts don’t support what I want to believe. If greeks are genuinely interested in fighting discrimination, they need to show it by participating in dialogue with the rest of the campus.
What’s crucial for greeks to understand is that integration can only be delayed, not prevented. Even today, the rest of the country is repulsed that we’ve condoned segregation for so long. We’re being judged by an entire nation, and sooner or later that pressure will build to the point where integration is the only option.
There won’t be any place in Alabama’s history for the fraternities and sororities that stubbornly clung to discrimination. But there will be for those organizations that stand up and say, “Enough.”
In the long run, our greeks will not be able to choose discrimination. They can only choose to make history or be crushed by it.
Nathan James is a junior majoring in public relations. His column runs weekly on Thursdays.
