I Must Admit My Bias

Okay, I will admit that I am biased.  The news out of Norman, Oklahoma last week reminded me of my disdain for fraternities, sororities and the entire Greek system.  This time it is the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at the University of Oklahoma.  It even hits close to home because the two young men at the center of the controversy both are from Dallas.  One of them even graduated from prestigious Jesuit College Prep, the same institution that calls golfer Jordan Speith an alum.

Now I do need to provide a disclaimer.  Our oldest son, Peter, was a member of a fraternity during his time at Texas Christian University.  Beta Upsilon Chi is a Christian fraternity that is sanctioned by the university but not part of the Greek system.  The organization is open to any young man who is a follower of Jesus Christ and who is willing to commit to participating in all activities.  BYX also does not all alcohol at their events.  In spite of that their parties are some of the best attended.

In my mind the big difference in Greek fraternities and Sororities is that they get to hand pick their members.  During rush, those who want to be part of the Greek system try to impress the leaders of the various fraternities and sororities that they are worthy candidates.  The leadership get to decide who is their type and deserves membership. Since the  Equal Right Amendment there has been pressure on Greek organizations to admit People of Color, as well as those from other cultures. The current news story might be proof that admitting people does not mean you need to like them.

Still, the Greek system is part of the culture on most major university campuses.  Many high school graduates head off to college with the intent of pledging to a fraternity or sorority.  That leads us who stand on the sidelines, and that includes parents and grandparents, to underscore our values and ethics. It call for reminding them there are certain things that we will not compromise on.  Racism is certainly a part of that.  It is probably a conversations that two sets of parents in the Dallas area wish they had had.