Clashes w/in the Greek system
 

This is an article published in Mizzou's Student news last week. It set off a HUGE amount of controversy- I have an opinion but I'm keeping it to myself.
What do you guys think?
Probs between NPHC and Panhellenic

I'll post it here too:

Greek Town Escapades
By Jenny Marinko

Late Saturday night, my roommate got a call from one of her fraternity friends informing her that there was a fight going on outside a fraternity in Greek Town. She got me up and we went to go see what was going on. The cops had already arrived by the time we had made our way over, but we were able to figure out what happened.

In addition this past weekend sorority members from NPHC ripped down philanthropy banners throughout Greek Town and basically paraded around looking ridiculous.

The first thing that happened with two fraternities fighting was not a real shock to me. I mean there are certain fraternities that hate each other and others that get into random fights, which has to be expected with over 20 fraternities on our campus. I was disturbed however, by the fact that sorority members drove to Greek Town just to cause problems. Not to be rude but in all honesty I know nothing about the national black sororities, so how the hell do they know anything about us? I still cannot believe they were tearing down philanthropy banners. What were they accomplishing?

I guess my biggest question is, “Why?” What do they have against our Greek community and what would provoke them enough to drive themselves down here?

Another reason why it caught me off guard was because I did not know that the national black sororities had a problem with our Greek community. In fact I was under the impression that relations had been improving but apparently I was mistaken. Another reason I found it weird is because in the three years I’ve been Greek, I have never really heard of members from NPHC coming to Greek Town just to tear it up. I really have not heard anything about NPHC. I don’t even know how many members belong to it on our campus.

Were they trying to send the Greek community a message that they are better than us or that we should look out for them? I’m sorry, but I’m not intimidated by a few torn sheets. Coming into Greek Town and ripping up stuff means the same to me as Kappa Kappa Kappa getting into a huge fight with Beta Beta Beta. Since I don’t know who they are it’s really not going to send any sort of message to me. I guess we are now in fourth grade tearing up the kid’s art projects that we don’t like. If they think they are better than us that’s great, because their little sorority does not affect my life 99 percent of the time.

I know there has been a lot of talk in the Greek community about getting NPHC involved with our activities. Personally, I really don’t want them to be involved with our events. I’m not saying this because of this past weekend’s escapades, but I feel that NPHC walks around like they are better than Panhellenic and IFC. Therefore, why would I want to include them on something Panhellenic and IFC participate in?

When sorority members from an organization I know nothing about vandalize something I have worked on in Greek Town, it makes me wonder what’s next. Are their letters going to be chalked down Richmond place or is NPHC going to protest outside Greek Week games?

Why don’t these sorority women stay in their little worlds and stay out of ours.

Not very well written.

Where are the facts?

Well, she is saying that the the banners got ripped down. Fair enough.

She is wondering why they would do that, also fair enough.

She is stating that she doesn't see the need to work closer with the NPHC groups. Also fair enough.

*shrug* seems ok to me.

The oddest thing is why she would get herself out of bed to rubber neck a fight. A bit of a voyeur.

Frankly, and with all due respect to Ms. Marinko, she has not presented anything factual. Perhaps there is more known about this then she wrote. But since she did not let us know, that is poor journalism at best. Something that I would think Missouri - with their strong journalism school - would not tolerate.

Ms. Marinko wrote: "I was disturbed however, by the fact that sorority members drove to Greek Town just to cause problems. Not to be rude but in all honesty I know nothing about the national black sororities, so how the hell do they know anything about us?"

Along with "Why? What do they have against our Greek community and what would provoke them enough to drive themselves down here?"

Simply, what the heck are you talking about Ms. Marinko? If you have any journalistic integrity, then let us know.

Then there was this hit and run statement.

"Another reason why it caught me off guard was because I did not know that the national black sororities had a problem with our Greek community. In fact I was under the impression that relations had been improving but apparently I was mistaken. Another reason I found it weird is because in the three years I’ve been Greek, I have never really heard of members from NPHC coming to Greek Town just to tear it up. I really have not heard anything about NPHC. I don’t even know how many members belong to it on our campus."

While ignores is bliss, stupidity is not.

That's the first thing I was wondering, too. I'm confused by this article. Is she in a sorority and she wants "her kind" of sisters to be disjoint from NPHC?

I think she has a point in that she doesn't want disrespectful people to be a part of what she is involved with. I would feel the same way.

I probably should have said- MU Student News isn't the official student paper on campus. The Maneater is our official paper and has a stronger journalistic discipline. Neither are associated with the J-School, though- Journalism students write for the TOWN paper, the Columbia Missourian.
FAB might be able to agree/disagree here, but in my opinion MU Student News is opinion oriented, whereas the Maneater actually provides the news.

Just wanted to clear that up- I'm very proud of our J school and didn't want this associated with that!

Also, NPHC is planning this huge rally in the center of campus this week, they've asked all of panhel and IFC to go in support. With the size of the paper and it's lack of visibility, I'm kind of surprised there's been this much controversy.

It did read like op/ed . . .

But still, if you boil her opinion down all she is concluding is that she doesn't see why NPc sororities should feel obligated or compelled to work closer with NPHC groups. I have no problem with that.

Jules do you have any more information on the Banner ripping and other sources of tension?

That was my first thought, too.

This whole story doesn't make a lot of sense. When a more detailed account is written, I'd like to see it.

It wasn't an op/ed?? I thought it was.

I also agree with James on this one...I have no problem with the girl not wanting to feel like they HAVE to work closely with any other group. If your organization chooses to work with another org- awesome. If not, no one should make you.

Agreed, felt it read more like a column. And that's what columns are--people's opinions.

Perhaps working together on a project or other event would promote cooperation and understanding and prevent these types of things from occuring. I know at our school, we had a common Sorority Council where NPC and NPHC organizations are both represented, work together, and get to know one another. Most of the tension I've observed over the years has been between NPC groups and not between NPC and NPHC.

Just a thought.

This article was rather...BLAH
It read like an opinion piece, and if it was, that should have been stated somewhere on the page. This whole, "WHY" mess is cracking me up. She obviously dislikes the NPHC and that is her choice, so WHY is she asking WHY. I don't get that. If you dislike someone WHY are you surprised that they dislike you? Anywhoodles, I really hope the do something to work on Greek Unity on that campus, there are obviously problems deeper than some posters being ripped. It's sad really, Greeks yell unity all the time, well at least during Greek Week, and then turn right around and say "I really don’t want them to be involved with our events." I thought No Matter The Letter We're All Greek Together extended to all orgs, not just NPC/IFC. She says that she isn't concerned about their little sorority, I REALLY doubt they're concerned about hers. Petty and Asinine.
I'd advise her to invest in some grammar courses before going on a rant.

Poorly written article.

She accuses the NPHC groups of behaving like fourth graders. She is behaving like one her self. She doesn't want to partcipate in activites because they are are "being mean to her". That's pretty juvenille to me. Maybe if these groups actually bothered to take the time to get in contact with the NPHC groups, maybe things like this wouldn't happen. Same goes for the NPHC groups. They are on the same campus and they are all greeks. It's time to start behaving like adults.

Maybe the executives of all the groups on campus should get together and discuss their problems like mature adults.

I think this girl and her article are just perpetuatuing the problem. It's like well their mean to us so we'll be mean to them. She's definitly part of the problem.

OK. We all agree it either is or sounds like an opinion piece and the paper isn't related to the J-School.

So my questions would be:

1) Is there a real controversy, or is it something this "rag" is promoting?

2) Is there more information available on the situation(s)?

3) What, if any, is the relationship between two fraternities getting in a fight and the alleged controversy between NPC and NPHC?

Well i would be pissed off if someone messed up my stuff. So what if they invited them to a huge rally, the organization involved should apologize and then ask them to do a joint project togther.

I don't think anyone here is condoning the actions of the NPHC org that did this. But the way I see it (and maybe others) is that, this girl is not looking for ways to solve the problem. She just wants to bitch about it, and by doing this she's adding to the problem.

X______
Co Sign

Exactly, no one is saying what these organizations did was correct, simply that if she wants to solve the problem fine, but all this ranting and speaking negatively about the NPHC is unnecessary.

I understand why she's mad, and if she wants to write an article about it, that's fine, but the way she went about it wasn't logical. I would be pretty pissed if ANYONE tore down signs for a philanthropy, but I don't think I'd write an article stating that I was MAD.

I'll agree that she had a pretty 4th grade arguement. Her reasoning just wasn't well thought out or sound.

I was trying to figure out if this was From The KKK Newsletter of stupidity or some other Moronic Ass who had pie in eyes and ears!:rolleyes:

I am sure, that "IF" this did happen that Kansas City and St. Loius Media would have picked up on this and then onward to the National Media to stir it up somemore crap!:mad:

If it did happen, shame on them as they are dispicicable!:(

Not a credit to Their Fine Organization! Oh I see no names were mentioned, I am sure to protect the rightous!:eek:

There was a sit in today at the center of campus...I didn't get a chance to check it out but I'm sure it will be in our "offical" paper tomorrow.

I guess my comments on all this are:
There really isn't any tension between NPHC and Panhel...or at least there wasn' t before this. Panhel and IFC have houses in Greektown, NPHC does not....the african american fraternities have participated in our events a few times....basically we're just seperate. They have all the priveleges we do, and vice versa, but there doesn't seem to be a strong desire on either side to assimilate. Kind of a "you guys are cool, we like our system too, why would we change all this?"type thing....

I don't think it deserves this much controversy. Although ignorant and immature, they're her opinions. Isn't that the idea of an op/ed column in a paper???

Finally, I feel like the amount of tension there was before (little to nothing) is nothing compared to what this chick has stirred up.


ETA:After re-reading it...what the hell did that frat fight have to do with anything?? That's just poor writing right there.

You know she mentioned Kappa Kappa Kappa...hmm hint?
lol
Nah, I think she was genuinely an idiot.


AXJules, do you know the author?

AXJules, why not really try to nip this in the bud and get with The NHPC Greeks and figure it out and work it out! It could just be a few dumb asses or maybe a paper written thing!

deuika, idiot is a good word for Moronic Idiots!:)

I definitely agree.

And no I don't know her, although her name is really familiar and I can't figure out why....

For the actual Mizzou Greeks: did this happen?

Hey guys!! Wow, last Friday when I read her article I was thinking it might cause some problems, but this is just crazy. I walked by Jesse Hall earlier where they were having a rally and people that were just passing by on their way to class were getting screamed at by all sorts of people. Not cool.

I have met the author of this several times before and from knowing that I was not really surprised to see her write something like this crappy article. She is the same girl who threw a pumpkin at a girl in my house during greek week serenading. So I guess it's ok to do awful things to greeks as long as they're Panhel too or something equally retarded. I have to say though that I highly doubt that it would have even gotten published except her editor in chief is a sorority sister of hers! Hmm, convenient. Jules, they live next door to you guys in case you didn't know/were wondering.

Anyway, I think this article was just crap, it had no point and she just made herself sound like a total moron. Other than that I think the only thing that really bothers me about the article is when she says something to the effect of "stay in your little world and we'll stay in ours" or something like that. I know she was using it in reference to sorority life, but it can easily be misconstrued. (sp?) So I think she made a mistake by writing this article, but hey it's the MU Student News, not exactly quality award winning journalism. :rolleyes:

She really threw a pumpkin? I just laughed. You gotta admit that not too many chicks are psycho enough to throw pumpkins.

-Rudey

Well, from what you're saying FABSpice this chick was a few sandwiches short of a party platter already. Have the NPHC groups in question spoken out on this?

This is true. She is also a big, husky rugby player so that's why she was able to chuck it so hard. It cracked when it hit Rachel's (the girl from my house) head. This girl definately has some issues.

We're talking like a big pumpkin and not one of those mini ones right?

-Rudey

That's insane! Throwing a pumpkin!

And she didn't get punished/in trouble/she wasn't brought to standards?

Are all her sisters as crazy as her?

Yeah a big one, that you'd carve for Halloween. And no she never got into trouble. Why, I have no idea. Her house hates mine for some reason. I can speculate and guess why, but I won't say anything. :D

More of the story
 

Here's what I know about the story. This is what a Greek Life informal investigation apparently turned up.


The Friday before the article was published, several Zeta Phi Betas (in letters) were seen trashing several sorority banners in Greek Town. These Zeta Phi Betas were NOT from Mizzou. They had apparently driven up for, and attended, a Zeta Phi Beta party in Columbia that night. They were supposedly on their way home and passed through Greek Town.

They did not drive up just to cause problems.

Diversity is a huge issue on this campus. it's the "buzz word" here if you will.

This was "the straw that broke the camel's back" in the argument according to someone that was at the rally this morning, as quoted in today's Columbia Missourian.

For several recent articles from the other side of the Diversity debate, go to themaneater.com archives and look for columns from Zaria Quidafi

Rudey, She told You What The F Happened! Do you not get it:confused:

You belabor unimportant parts and question peoples integraty!:(
You being the Pompus Ass That some times you become is wearing Thin With Many GCers and You do not seem to get it do you:confused:

Are You Really a Member of a Greek Organization and a College Graduate?:rolleyes:

I Have My Doubts!:mad: There is a saying in the middle part of the USA, Grow Up S**t For Brains!:o

The only one you is impressing is your self!:eek:

Oh, for your edification, If you are trying to impress New Possibles to Join Your "Fraternity" I would drop You like a Hot Rock!:mad:

Integrity and yourself. Maybe the Pittsburg Gorillas didn't teach spelling?

Anyway, I too find the pumpkin amazing. I mean, really, who throws a PUMPKIN? I've thrown many things at people, but a PUMPKIN?

FAB will confirm I IMed her to discuss this situation further as I too was incredulous over the pumpkin.

Also, I've grown up in Middle America and never heard that saying. Maybe it's because I have class. Maybe.

Again, please stop talking to me and insulting me. I don't want to argue with you.

-Rudey

What the hell, woman?? Am I not an actual Mizzou Greek?:p

No no, I meant did they really tear down all these signs or was this girl just being cracked out.

I believe you that you're really an actual Mizzou Greek and not a miserable 35 y/o man.

haha. that's hot

Updates from the "Maneater" Student Paper
 

The "Maneater" has two articles -- one about the demonstration or sit-in led by the NPHC, one about the supporting demonstration by IFC and NPC. Quotes from relevant students and Mizzou administrators are included.

Apparently an apology has been made or will soon be released by the writer of the article in the "Student News" paper.

The articles are at

http://www.themaneater.com/story.cgi?id=18501

and

http://www.themaneater.com/story.cgi?id=18502
It looks as though Mizzou's NPC definitely disassociated itself from the point of view suggested by the "Student News" story.

And yes, the "Maneater" articles identify the "Student News" writer and editor, and the NPC sorority to which they both belong.

Hmmmmm... Wished that they'd have thought through that article BEFORE posting it... And, wish they had not mentioned their letters/affiliation...:rolleyes: