To the Editor:
You can't build a community around hate, antagonism, secrets, or lies. In fact, in my opinion, you can't even build a real community around tolerance alone. Call me crazy, but I think you need love -- or at least kindness, empathy, and concern for the well-being of everyone. It is out of this very concern that I rise, for the first time in my three years at Dartmouth, to activism.
To state the obvious, many people are pretty shaken up by recent incidents. Some feel really upset and threatened by the Greek system as it is. Some feel really upset that the Greek system might be threatened. While I realize that the core issues at hand are by no means contained within the Greek system alone, it is a major focus of debate right now and I would like to address it specifically.
Yet, to me, this is not exclusively a question of the rights, privileges, and powers of institutions. It is primarily about the well-being of individuals, irrespective of their affiliation, or lack thereof. My agenda is not necessarily to dismantle the Greek system, nor is it to defend it at any cost. I just want, quite passionately, for us all to take an honest look at the fraternities and sororities and examine how they affect each individual on this campus. My closest friend was in a house (and is now inactive), and while he feels it was a great support to him at times, he also is aware of ways in which it also misled him, harmed him, or taught and reinforced (even subtly) destructive mindsets and patterns of behavior. I happen to believe that certain Greek practices can be degrading to both men and women, obscuring and distorting their true identity as individuals of immeasurable worth. This distortion really upsets and saddens me. Now, I realize that the problems runs a lot deeper than the Greek system, but I do think that some aspects of the system can encourage and perpetuate these ideas. It is because I believe that we are all worth so much more that I think that the institutions are worth questioning.
But because the issue is more complex than simply the question of keeping the system or not, we must be discerning in our examinations and evaluations. In order to do that, we must all strive to apprehend the truth about social life and relations at Dartmouth, in all its detail and in all its complexity. My most potentially controversial proposal is this: I think that, at this point, we all deserve to know the whole truth about what has transpired, and what continues to go on, in each Greek house. As many have said already, let's face it: Zeta Psi is not the only frat with objectionable practices. We've all seen and heard some awful things about many houses, but we never bring these facts to light. Why not? If we want to start building a better Dartmouth, the best place to start is the truth. I would like for there to be a way for people to come forward anonymously (if they wish) and tell the truth about what goes on at Dartmouth. I'll bet there are many people who would staunchly oppose this idea -- but why? How can you say that your organization should be honored as a part of the recognized Dartmouth community if it insists on continuing to do things you wouldn't want to be honest about? What's your motivation for covering things up? I mean, if we say we care at all about making Dartmouth the best it can be, don't we owe it to ourselves to be honest? The proposed change will help us to take a realistic look at the institutions as they are now -- not necessarily to destroy them summarily, but to consider how they affect the well-being of all involved.
But that's not all I mean when I say I would like to see us strive for the truth There are many other questions well worth considering and reconsidering. For example, we need to strive to apprehend the truth about men and "masculinity" -- as admirably written by Seth Nielsen in the April op-ed - and about how femininity, too, is constructed and performed here at Dartmouth.
I'd also really like to know all about the specific positive points of students' Greek experiences. What is it that makes them good, and what, specifically, do defenders feel they are fighting to preserve? I'd encourage people to dig deep for insights into this, so that we can know best and most accurately what really does help, support, enrich, and benefit Dartmouth students, and what gives them joy. So, with the goal of respecting and honoring the value of each individual at Dartmouth, perhaps by starting with the truth we can begin to move forward.
