Greek Predjudice!
 

I have to vent this morning! My daughter is a greek at a major university. She proudly has her letters on the back of her vehicle, very subtle small decal. This morning she is on her way to class and is pulled over by a police officer for a "rolling stop". Not arguing whether she did it or not, she says four other vehicles did the same thing. As the officer writes the citation he says in a very mean way, "Didn't they tell you not to do that at that big sorority house?" His demeanor was very upsetting and he seemed to talk great pleasure in giving a "sorority girl" a ticket.
Has anyone else experienced this kind of bias?

Re: Greek Predjudice!
 

Hmm, with the cops specifically? Not me personally, though I know of some stories...the ones in the city where I went to school were pretty cool in general. (campus cops are a whole different story) They gave some trouble to one of the fraternities while I was a collegiate(because there is no row) since their neighbors always complained about them during parties...and during the week. ;)

That is rather rude of the police officer though, and quite unprofessional.

I would report the officer to his superior, and if nothing is done to reprimand him contact newspapers and tv stations as well.

That is discrimination and should not be tolerated.

Wow - I actually got OUT of a ticket once because I had my letters on a license plate frame. I think the officer was a fraternity member, because he said "well, I saw those letters back there - this'll be just a warning" :)

I never put my letters on my car. Attracted enough attention on the road, didn't need one more decal to add another problem to my driving. You never know who's going to see them...

At Rutgers, the greeks in general were treated as outcasts by the non-greeks. I wouldn't call it prejudice, but really just stereotyping and ignorance. If anything went wrong, it had to be a fraternity involved. And there really wasn't that many of us to cause a stir (maybe 1-2% of the student population was greek).

Maybe times have changed in the last few years, but I doubt it. The campus police have more important criminal matters to worry about and the local police don't care.


RUgreek

I also got pulled over a lot during my undergrad days. Than again, I also had a grateful dead and Phish sticker. Maybe it's those stickers that got me stopped over.

I'm surprised there isn't more of a prejudice here on my campus. I swear the cops are on the road in front of my house at least twice a week b/c one of the frats on my street.

When I travel to other schools is when I seem to get into trouble with the law :p However, at Rio if I get pulled over or whatnot they just want to say that their sister/mom/whatever was a Lambda or he was a Lil Bro, hehe :D

I totally agree with you. During greek week, there's the GDI's of course, who also try to say we "run the campus"... Us greeks do not build our lives around trying to be the popular ones on campus or putting down independents, we just have fun with our sisters/brothers.
And yes, there are a lot of stereotypes about us. Since we host most of the parties, we get in trouble and talked about.. but no one ever cares to mention that a lot of independents come to those parties...

Sadly, it is all a part of the territory-- we had a cop come to our Peer Education class in college to talk about campus DUI and he told us flat-out that yes, they do target the Greeks-- but they also have the data from years and years of incidents at fraternity parties, Greek date parties and socials to justify watching any cars with Greek paraphernalia a little more closely.

So long as we lead by example, we can begin to work on the stereotype. But meanwhile, the cops are acting in what they believe are the campus's best interests targeting what have historically been high-risk groups.

Does that justify pulling you over for not signaling? Heck, that has happened to me in my post-college life with no indication of letters on my car. College is a place to make mistakes and be caught making them.

So go the speed limit and be conscious of your letters. It isn't fun, it may not be fair, but all we can do is follow the law and hope for the best. If you get an unfair citation, fight it.

I've been pulled over twice- once in high school and once in college. Both times I've been given a warning. In high school, the cop didn't really say much to me, and I just got pulled over for briefly stopping at the STOP sign at the end of my neighborhood. He made me late to school though! :mad: Last year though I got pulled over driving home for spring break. I have my letters on my back windshield. It was around 11 on a Friday morning and the cop pulled me over for doing 82 in a 65. Then he asked if I was drinking. Who the hell makes a 3 1/2 hour drive home DRUNK on a Friday MORNING?! I don't know if it had to do with my letters on my car or not. And I still only got the warning.

I hear black folks have it a lot worse. They get pulled over a lot and get tickets. Imagine if you're a black greek...that combo would get you a lot of tickets, I bet.

-Rudey

someone i know had their car keyed and someone wrote on their car "sororities suck!" or something similar. Quite juvenile!

Not really. I have been Black for 36 years and Greek for 18 of those years. I have only been pulled over twice, both times I did do what I was accused of, but both times I left without a ticket.

Frankly, Black/NPHC Greeks don't have the same reputation (deservedly or not) to deal with for drinking/alcohol abuse. We have other issues...

This is similar to people getting pulled over for having Grateful Dead stickers on their cars. I don't have a sticker on my new car, but I do have my college sticker on my car. I was pulled over once and got off because my school has a religious sounding name even though it is not religious.

Good answer. My father is a retired Deputy Sherriff and despised working traffic, but usually made the best of it. He wasn't a huge stickler about speeding (cops speed quite a bit, even off duty) and typically wouldn't ticket people for small offenses ("california" or rolling stops, not signaling, tail/headlights being out, etc.) unless there was some other danger involved. But he often got accused of racial profiling, being a white cop in a city with a large Black and Hispanic population. Occasionally, when accused of racial profiling, he would respond, "yes, I was profiling you," but only because he was patrolling and watching for suspects for a particular crime. When he would explain why, people would usually understand, especially when he would say "but you don't fit the description now that I'm talking to you."

Most people tend to be understanding of cops when they realize that they're just doing their jobs. As much as it sucks that people have to profile people by race, sex, age, Greek affiliation or whatever, it makes me feel a lot safer that they do. And it sucks that Greeks get such a bad reputation, but sometimes it is deserved and we all know that not everyone affiliated with a Greek organization is completely innocent. Next time you get pulled over for having a Greek org. sticker or license plate frame, politely ask (after getting a ticket or being dismissed) the officer if it had anything to with you being pulled over. Most officers will tell the truth and if they don't, let it go. And if the officer is a jerk, report him/her. No sense in letting behavior like that continue.

a friend of mine who pledged Phi Sig last semester was pulled over and let go because the cop happened to notice the lettered bottle opener on his key ring--it's nice to have a local cop as an alumnus

I didn't mean all blacks. Obviously it is an issue for some. And the rest of my post about combining the Greek thing with being black was a joke.

-Rudey

And up here in Philly the issue is Greek Picnic! ;)

this is true!
 

i TOTALLY agree...

As a Police Officer, I would be more lenient with Greeks unless they were totally screwed up and became asses.

Then there would be a Problem for sure!!

BUT, around College Towns, Yepper could be a Big Problem because of the Reps that Greeks have.

Last time We had a Party in the Front Yard, Sea Food Boil, the Local COPs came by every 20m Min. I just smiled and waved, most of us there were older than they were anyway!:D

I am from Philly. Frankly, its mostly the hangers on and wannabees that start the mess on the fringes of the Philly Greek.

Absolutely!

Your post is an excellent one.

However, just as in any profession, there are a few jerks in law enforcement.

Our middle daughter was stopped once and the Deputy Sheriff was a absolute a$$hole to her.

I knew the County Sheriff slightly through my job at a local TV station and wrote him a letter.

I got an immediate call from the deputy's Sergeant and then a Leiutenant. I told them that I wasn't looking for any punishment to be administered, but hoped that they could make the guy realize that his attitude really hurt police/high school student relations.

Thanks for the compliment.

I definitely agree with you- there are MANY jerks and even some criminals in law enforcement. I think you took the right approach with the situation your daughter encountered- I would have done the same thing if I had been in that situation and my father would have done the same. There is no excuse for inappropriate behavior with any profession (hello, ethics?) and it takes a lot to be able to stand up to those who enforce the law. I'm hoping the people you spoke to regarding that sheriff's actions were understanding and did something about it.

Something similar happened to me. My car was stolen from campus and they found it in Rockford, IL in a swamp. The police in Beloit told me that I must have did it and walked home (20miles) and was just afraid to tell my parents. I put him on the phone w/my mom becuase I was too upset to talk to him and he told her that all young women lie, he knew his daughter did. I got my dad to call the police dept and yell at them.

Reality is though. If the police are known to target Greeks, why put the sitcker on your car? It is like wearing your shoes through the metal detector, ya you are technically allowed to do it, but it is a pain in the ass afterwards, so you make it simple and don't wear your shoes (or the Greek letters). No one has ever suffered because they didn't put a Greek letter sticker on their car.

To be fair, I'm white and have no stickers at all on my car, and probably get pulled over twice a month.

Sooo, how's your driving?

(Sorry, I had to ask.)

What kind of car do you drive?

You live in DC and you actually get pulled over? I mean I know the red light runners and the cars with the automatic tickets will get you, but you actually get pulled over?-

Oh Yes, there are COPs who can be the biggest jerks in the world. Hey, I have a gun and Badge. Wyatt Earp Syndrom for sure.:rolleyes:

But when I see a COP (Constable On Patrol) acting like a Jerk Off, I call and let their Superior know about it.

It is a unrewarding job at times, but to use and abuse that Power is totally uncalled for.

Sometimes Potty Training is called for.

I have My Fraternity Letters on My Car Tag and am damn Proud. If some ones pulls me over and gives me S**T then there is a Problem. Just tell them, I will follow you to your Division so I can talk with Your Supervisor.

If I screw Up, Then I admit to it and go about my merry way! My Bad.:( Da, so must you. Abuse from the Good guy is Worse Than from the Bad Guy!:eek:

But, The Good Guy is supposed to be trained better.:rolleyes: