Well, it's happened again, racism and sexism in the Dartmouth Greek System. It's happening again: All the usual suspects are being lined up. It's a few individuals' fault, it's Psi U's fault, it's the Greek System's fault, it's society's fault, it's everyone's fault, it's no one's fault, they're just ignorant, it's the women and minorities' fault for not educating them.
Enough is enough. I've attended too many vigils on campus and hosted too many discussions designed to educate the people who always make it a point to miss each event and I've had enough. I've already watched three classes matriculate after mine into this cutthroat, racist world too many dare call a utopia and praise, and I've had enough. I've received too many death threats in writing that Safety and Security refuses to act upon and had to deal with too many racist slurs over email and in person that the Committee on Standards has deemed appropriate, and now I've simply had enough.
After the Ghetto Party, we decided it was no one's fault and the minorities' fault for sitting together at Food Court. I said, "it will happen again." Soon enough the Cuban Party happened and Dartmouth came to the same conclusions, and I said: "it will happen again." Then the summer of the Luau came and went with the same conclusions and I said: "it will happen again." The members of my fraternity, the only one to stand up against the Luau party and the only one that did not speak in defense of the Coed Fraternity Sorority system at the rallies of the winter of the Five Principles, began receiving death threats over email. Safety and Security told us they would do nothing so I said: "it will happen again." Then when my same fraternity was hosting an educational event the very next term we received email responses to our advertising calling us "Spics" and the Committee on Standards told us they would do nothing, this behavior is acceptable at Dartmouth. Again I said: "it will happen again."
Racist and sexist events have followed each other on this campus like demons on a conga line. Each time, the institution of Dartmouth College seems to speak up and condone this behavior, and still some call me a cynic when I predict it will all happen again as it has in the past. So here, it has happened again, and so far the verdict remains the same: it will happen again.
I've had enough and I hope everyone this article finds has had enough as well. So what next? I think I will take my turn now and challenge all of you to show your fellow students support. Let us not blame the victims or condone this action or say it cannot be solved. Let us rise above our troubled past and unify our voices against racism and sexism.
I would like to issue my greatest challenge to the Dartmouth administration. These are the same demands students have been making for over 15 years (I have only researched as far back as 1986):
1)Revise the honor principle to make hate crimes punishable by suspension of individuals and de-recognition of organizations.
2)Adopt a new official mascot. Until then, the Indian remains our unofficial mascot.
3)Form a Latino Greek Council and allow for the establishment of a Latina Sorority. Though our chapter of La Unidad Latina is older than Alpha Xi Delta, we have no space and no umbrella group to fall back on after we seceded from the CFSC, unlike the coed houses, sororities, and black Greek organizations.
I challenge the administration to finally make some real changes. No more points, initiatives, or recommendations to and from countless committees that serve no purpose but photo opportunities and protecting the status quo.
I challenge everyone to finally prove me wrong when I say it will happen again.
