Panhellenic History and GDIs!
 

I've come across a new hurdle recently. I can defend against people saying sororities are terrible, we're all vapid airheads who buy our friends. What I can't really defend right off the bat is why we're 'greek'. I had someone get up in my face about how using the greek alphabet doesn't make us greek and because we're not up-to-date on greek culture, we're hardly greek and shouldn't call ourselves such.

So, history, defense? Why do we call ourselves greek and how do you defend it?

Well you might start with the thought that we are not trying to be "Greek" in the sense that we adopt Greek culture or Greek lanuguages--has anyone noticed that many of our mottos are written in Latin?

I believe our founders chose Greek letters for our names in deference to the ancient Greeks and their learning through discussion and debate. The ancient Greeks believed that "Debate, questioning and discussion were often used as a way to discover true knowledge and 'truth.'" Many of the early GLOs started as societies for members to come together to study and debate the issues of the times, and in the case of women's fraternities, to prepare for classes and just survive in a co-educational environment through mutual support.

Why does this person care?

To take it a step further, when the first fraternities were forming, the study of Greek and Latin and of classical culture was considered a centerpiece of higher education. In the era following the Enlightenment, the philosophies and learning of these classical cultures -- particularly Greek culture, with its veneration of principles like knowledge, beauty, truth and moderation -- were held up as an ideal to which "modern" culture should aspire. So the use of Greek was natural for college students of the day. Your "someone" obviously fails to grasp that fraternities and sororities are looking to classical Greek culture and philosophy (there's a Greek word for you), not modern Greece.

Perhaps you should ask your "someone" why so many government buildings, from the US Capitol and the Supreme Court on down rely heavily on Greek, Roman and other classical influences.

Tell that person to do some damn research. Then ask them what their first name is, and then prod them with follow up questions about the origin of it, why it was chosen and how they aren't truly authentic to it or something. Get all up in thier face like they did you. It's one time when arrogance is okay.

No, don't do that. Turning the argument around & not really answering their question is the most annoying & childish thing you can do (example: all the annoying people on GC that do that instead of addressing the real issues!) :D

So is this person OK with honor societies using Greek letters or is he only picking on sororities and fraternities? That has got to be one of the most ridiculous statements/criticism I've heard! Can we say "grasping at straws"?!?

I'm not sure about the honour societies. I think she's cool with those. She said she found it offensive that we would call ourselves greek when we're not actually greek.

I believe my official answer would be:
"because we're better than you, leave me alone."

Given her offense, "tough cookies" comes to mind....

Or my personal favorite, "Nanie nanie boo boo, stick your head in doo doo."

Seriously though, this is not something that today's college student came up with, but something that has been passed on to us through more than a century of American history. If you think about it, GLOs are a vehicle through which we continue to celebrate our founders' values (and thereby our country's values) through ritual and sharing. (Ok...a little deep but hopefully you'll take it in the spirit its meant).

If she is so offended by that, tell her to move to Greece.

Or you tell her, "Look lady, I just work here. Take it up with management."

exactly.....this should be followed by a swift kick to the unfortunate GDI's balls.

I did have one girl post and was all 'I'm greek-American' and it made me see red. This is just a personal peeve, but if you have citizenship in America and no other country, you're just American, period. Yes you can celebrate your heritage, your history, your ethnicity, but the only way you are actually a greek-american is if you share citizenships. When I get my US citizenship I'll be English-American.
I also pointed out that we use 'greek' with a small G. We don't claim to be Greek, or anything like that.

*spits coffee on keyboard*

I think we need WPTW right about now - he could throw some good mud in the mix here!

Where oh where is wptw?

Denise

Does she not get that collectively we're just referred to as "greeks" because the names of our organizations are greek? It's just a slang term or nickname for our group of organizations.

If she doesn't like it, she can blame Phi Beta Kappa for starting the trend.

Wait, these are people on the INTERNET? I thought you had GDIs marching up to you on campus getting up in your face, as you said.