To the Editor:
I write concerning the incident that happened on the Psi Upsilon fraternity lawn and porch two weekends past. Since the shouting of "WAH-HOO-WAHs," many students have written about their frustration. With every letter of condemnation for the individuals involved in the situation and Psi Upsilon's responsibility for its members' actions, Michael Holick has responded with a short apology and a reason why the entire Psi Upsilon organization should not be blamed for the incident.
But I wonder: Michael Holick has said in more than one letter to the public that the incident that occurred does not represent or reflect the views of his house as a whole. If the incident of lewd and discriminatory shouting is an isolated one and a minority view in his fraternity, why is he, the representative of his entire house, apologizing for the behavior of a few individuals? Until an apology is made by the individuals involved in the racist and sexist chanting, Michael Holick's apology is not good enough.
Michael Holick does make a good point when he stated in his most recent letter to the editor that "the greater travesty would be for us to fail to move forward in this discussion and fail to address the important issues raised by this event." While I was particularly frustrated by the incident because I am both a female and Native American, I believe something constructive can come out of it. This campus as a whole, especially the organizations involved or obviously affected by this situation need to join in dialogue. No more apologies and excuses via The Dartmouth.
I'm going to hold you to your word, Michael Holick. Let's move forward together. Organize a forum for women, Native Americans, and other community members to address this issue; let's meet at your house. Let's do something, anything; it's time to take action. The situation gives us the power to make change at Dartmouth.
