Thursday’s headline, “Greeks look to increase inclusivity,” filled me with some hope. But it only took reading the first sentence to understand what this article was really about — just more posturing from the greek system.
It’s ridiculous that, in a college town, we are putting on “walks” to encourage togetherness.
You are not going to solve racism or prejudice in any form with a walk or a candlelight vigil. Symbolism and organizations with cute names don’t have a place in serious discussions of race and what it really means to be integrated and equal.
Integration isn’t just coming out of the comfort of your house to shake hands with your neighbor once a month and then retreating back home. You won’t get to understand an individual and the culture and values that he or she embodies by doing anything short of constantly accepting and even cherishing people that may be different from yourself — not just when it’s convenient and politically prudent.
The article went on to quote a student saying that the greek system is seen as the “forefront of the University.” I thought that might have been the SGA and the some 20,000 students on campus that are not a part of the greek system. If it really is the forefront of the University, then what hope do we have that a student can maintain their individual status and still be given a voice and a place in the campus community?
Please, do not take this as an indictment of every individual in a sorority or fraternity; I have close friends in many. I’m certain that the vast bulk of folks in the greek system are nice, accepting people, but they need to realize that the system they are a part of is self-insulating. The problem is not the people, but the unchanging institutions to which they belong.
People want change, certainly, but vapid symbolism isn’t the way to do it.
You begin by accepting people into your fraternities and sororities who don’t necessarily conform to the apparent “standards” that have been set in place decades ago and scarcely questioned since.
When it comes down to it, the Greeks for T.I.D.E., much like President Witt’s faux outrage at the start of this whole incident, is nothing but an empty gesture with no hope of unifying or affecting any real change on campus whatsoever.
Turney Foshee is a senior majoring in journalism.
