The divide between greeks and independents is evident in nearly every aspect of student life here at the University of Alabama—especially in recent days.

However, Michael Patrick’s column on Thursday titled “Intolerance a problem in greek system” paints a completely inaccurate picture of our community.

With a little research and common sense, Patrick could see that our greek system isn’t composed of only white, wealthy, die-hard Republican members. We have four governing councils that each cater to the unique make-up of greek organizations within that respective council.

There are many fraternities and sororities on campus that are multiracial or accepting of individuals with differences of lifestyle and opinion.

As president of my fraternity, I am offended that the actions of one student have been used to construct a generalized opinion of fraternity and sorority members that suggests we are hostile, intolerant and offer nothing of worth to the student community.

I do not condone racism in any form including the use of racial slurs to refer to another student. I daresay that an overwhelming majority of members within the greek system would agree with me.

I blame The Crimson White as a major contributor to this untrue stereotype. The age-old rivalry between this newspaper and the greek system is no secret. I am appalled that our student newspaper, which should seek inclusivity and fairness with all student groups on campus, continues to publish such libelous articles about our greek system as whole.

I’m not saying that there aren’t ways that we could improve. Greeks eat separately, hang out separately, live separately and even sit separately at football games from independent students. It’s easy to see how we can give off a vibe of arrogance and intolerance, but it seems that with every new school year here at the Capstone, independents are becoming more and more hostile towards greeks.

So now I pose the question, why all the hate?

At their core, most greek organizations are centered on the basis of being men and women of character who, through our greek experience, will become well-rounded members of society.

We do great things for this university and play a large role in contributing to its success year after year.

The prestige of our greek system draws in thousands of freshmen to our campus every August. Those are thousands of future leaders, scholars, doctors, lawyers and engineers that are just waiting to find their spot in our community.

Greek life promotes the idea of fellowship with like-minded peers. The bond between a pledge class and fellow brothers and sisters and the unique, family-like atmosphere of a fraternity or sorority are ideal for students who are looking for their place in a completely new environment.

Our emphasis on academic achievement should also be noted. We, as greeks, are held to a grade standard to remain a part of our organization. Required study halls and a mandatory GPA set us apart from the rest of the student body and, in turn, offer a sense of peer accountability that cannot be found elsewhere on campus.

Greek life is also a great way for us to gain valuable “real world” leadership experience, and the lessons that we learn can be applied to many situations throughout life. Whether it is inter-fraternity or sorority leadership, honor societies, clubs or other student organizations, we are leaders in nearly every part of our campus.

Fraternities and sororities also regularly contribute to the community by having or participating in philanthropic events in which we are actively making a difference in the lives of others, and raising thousands of dollars for organizations that help those in need. Our service record is impeccable, and we easily outweigh other organizations on campus in terms of our contribution to our community.

With our social events, academic record, involvement and service to the community, I feel that we set an example for others on how to be students that make an impact on the UA community.

I plead with the student body to not let the actions of one student within our community dictate how you view us as a whole. We are all students at a premier institution of higher learning, and it’s time we start acting like it.

Austin Gaddis is a sophomore majoring in public relations and communication studies. His column runs biweekly on Fridays.