To the Editor:
When the news of Zeta Psi fraternity's Sigma report, a weekly newsletter that detailed the sexual exploits of the brothers, first broke in The Dartmouth, right there in the headline was the word that most folks in the Greek system fear: derecognition. From the very beginning, their newsletter was seen as something so heinous that
the frat simply ought not be allowed to exist any more. But let's step back for a moment and take a calm, unemotional look at the whole thing. Does Zeta Psi deserve derecognition? Certainly not.
Simply put, the punishment would not fit the crime.
The "Sex Papers," as The D calls them, were a lot of things. They were inappropriate, they were disgusting, they were immature, they were politically incorrect and they were impolite. But they didn't threaten, and they didn't detail any illegal acts. While their text, literally taken, might advocate actions that the Dartmouth community considers improper, we must remember that they were a joke. They were making fun of the activities described. All of them, including the little tagline about which so much has been made, "Next week: Brother X's patented date rape techniques," were made in jest. While lots of folks surely consider it horribly inappropriate to joke about rape, we can all agree (I hope) that joking about it is not as bad as doing it -- does not in fact even come close. To derecognize a house for a joke, especially one intended only for brothers, would be a far greater punishment than is appropriate.
Think about yourself. You know a couple of dirty jokes that you probably wouldn't want to tell to the campus at large, or President of the College James Wright, or Dean of the College Dean Larimore. But somehow your jokes got out. You were overheard by someone who became offended, and now you've been reported. Are you expelled? Of course not. Likely no action would be taken, besides perhaps a remark of disapproval from the administrators concerned. People might say things about you, you might lose a few friends, but you'd still be here. And you'd have learned a lesson: don't tell dirty jokes.
Such is an appropriate punishment for Zeta Psi. They committed a social error on a grand scale, and for that, they should suffer social disgrace. The appropriate punishment has come of its own. The administration is outraged. Zeta Psi's been condemned by every Greek and non Greek house on campus. Students are outraged and even on this politically apathetic campus they are marching and making themselves heard. Like a child who called all of his friends jerks and made fun of their clothes, Zeta Psi has been ostracized. A social error has engendered a social backlash. The college and everyone else have expressed their disapproval, but the building at 8 Webster Av. doesn't need to be turned into graduate housing.
If Zeta Psi makes it through the upcoming hearings, they'll have a long road ahead of them. The college will find it necessary to impose some sort of sanctions, but the toughest part for Zeta Psi will be revitalizing their image. That they've learned their lesson is certain, but convincing people that they have changed their ways will be difficult. But we, the student body, the faculty and the administrators that are Dartmouth, should allow Zete to make amends. It was as a house that they brought this firestorm to campus. It must be as a house that they repair the damage they've caused.
