Atthe end of summer term, Beta Theta Pi Fraternity found itself in the middle of yet another controversy, coming right off the heels of their "Good Samaritan" policy and their hazing problems. What was the problem that Beta brothers insisted was an "isolated incident"? A poem. How could that be a problem?
Well, apparently, the poem in question, which contained derogatory remarks about Native Americans, women, and particular women at Dartmouth, was written by a Beta brother and handed out at meetings. At the time, there was a call to release a copy of the poem, but, according to an unidentified source in The Dartmouth, Beta did not want this event to reflect badly on their fraternity or the Greek system as a whole. This of course, might explain why Beta's statements to The Dartmouth contained the phrase "isolated incident" four times, and the word "apologize" only twice.
Several weeks later, the men of Beta have not yet released the poem. In fact, for a while, they refused to even admit that it existed, insisting instead that some inappropriate remarks were made. Although the summer president of the fraternity told The Dartmouth that, "Beta, in conjunction with [a hand-picked] group of women, is going to hold discussions and write articles in various campus publications to discuss and improve the way men and women interact in the Greek system and on the campus as a whole," the whole issue seems to have been forgotten, probably much to the glee of Beta.
On campus now, we have the Sex in the Cinema film series. Before going to frat parties last Friday night, well over 800 Dartmouth students filed into Spaulding Auditorium to see "Kids," a new movie about a bunch of sexually active kids. On the surface, this does not seem to have much to do with Beta's sexist and racist poem. But an examination of the student reaction to the film helps to reveal a connection.
If you have not seen "Kids" yet, let me warn you that it is disturbing in many ways. Some people I know are unhappy that the Film Society showed the movie, yet I cannot help but think that it is good when people are exposed to the disturbances of reality sometimes, even by way of the excessive manner of "Kids." Unfortunately, I was sold out of the Dartmouth screening of "Kids," and I had to rely on discussion with several people afterward to learn about the audience reaction to the difficult issues that the film raises. What I heard stunned me. A good number of students laughed their way through the movie, culminating with yells of "Look at her legs!" and such during the final scene, a rape scene.
As a friend pointed out to me, anxiety and insecurity may be the reasons for such a response by students. Even so, this indicates a very real problem, also attested to by the poem at Beta's summer meeting. Dartmouth's hidden world of drunken hook-ups, sexual assault and sexist epithets is being brought to the surface by both the Dartmouth Film Society and Beta Theta Pi fraternity. The difference is that while the former is promoting honest and open discussion by way of direct confrontation with sexual issues, the latter is urgently concealing all it can in order protect its interests.
What should Beta do? Release the poem, apologize again, hold a meeting open to everyone, write a column, just be honest and accept responsibility. The insecurities and anxieties of students in relation to sexual issues cause problems, like the poem, and must be confronted, as they are in "Kids," even if it leads to a few moments of scorn towards a culpable fraternity. Beta should just face the music.
