Theta Delta Chi fraternity is considering its response to the January issue of the liberal, campus publication Bug following a satirical letter to the editor which Bug printed under the fraternity's name.
The letter mocked the pledge activities of Theta Delt.
"Our pledges get totally drunk out of their minds and puke their guts out," the letter stated. "We also humiliate them so far into submission that they are willing to endure ridiculous haircuts, to sit out in the freezing cold in nothing but tee shirts, and to put up with all sorts of degrading treatment."
Theta Delt President Peter Zern '95 said his fraternity objected to the contents of the letter.
"The entire letter was attributed to us, yet it was never spoken or written by any member of Theta Delt, nor were we informed it would be written," Zern said.
But David Cohen '94, a Bug staff member, said the publication had no malicious intent in writing the letter. "The staff of Bug wrote the letter as a satirical poke at the frats," he said.
On Friday a student who is a friend of several Bug staff members, said he overheard a Theta Delt brother in a local restaurant saying the fraternity was planning to sue the publication.
"I heard a brother of Theta Delt talking to a friend of his telling him ... about how his house was going to sue for libel," said the student, who only spoke on the condition of anonymity.
But Zern said Theta Delt has not yet decided what course of action it will take.
"The Bug has the right to free speech, and we will not do anything to get in the way of that," Zern said. "They do not have the right to print lies, however, and that is exactly what they have done."
When they heard the rumor that Theta Delt was planning to sue, Cohen and Bart Bingenheimer '94, another Bug staff member, hung posters attacking Theta Delt for trying to suppress free speech.
They put the posters up in Collis Center, The Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts and Thayer Dining Hall.
"Hot off the press: Theta Delt to sue bug ... Wussy fratboys can't take a joke. Turns out bald, thick-necked fratboys get their feelings hurt really easy," one poster stated.
Zern said the posters only hurt efforts to reform the fraternity system.
"The Bug keeps criticizing the stereotyping that they feel goes on within the Greek system, yet here they are stereotyping us," Zern said. "What does that do to promote healthy debate?"
Cohen said the comments in the satirical letter were not unjustified.
"To the best of my knowledge [the hazing] all happened in some form or another," Cohen said.
Bingenheimer said after the issue was published, Dean of Residential Life Mary Turco asked to meet with Bug representatives to organize a discussion between them and members of Greek houses.
"Mary Turco called us into her office to meet," Bingenheimer said. "She wanted us to have a public forum, a discussion with people from [Greek] houses."
Bingenheimer said the meeting took place about two weeks ago but they have not since heard from Turco.
Turco could not be reached for comment.
