As an interest I will try to give my opinion on a local and national level. Locally at my university greeks and greek life is discussed constantly. I honestly feel that if all the blacks on my campus were polled and were asked if they would go greek if they would be
guaranteed membership into the org of their choice atleast 85% would say yes. However, as has been said before not all of the orgs of the D9 have always been on campus.
Also I think another problem on my campus and probably on others is among other things a combination of envy, rudeness, jealousy, and pride.
Envy: A lot of college students (esp. 1st gen.) are surprised at the respect and deference alloted to college students. Instead of simply taking the situation(s) for what they are, they turn completely against anything that is remotely greek and spread their frustration and discord to their friends and so on.
Ex. My best friend (who is now greek
, but wasn't when she told me the story) told me about a highly anticipated university sponsered event on her campus. Well people were lined up around the corner waiting to be let in for the start of the event. It happened that the some of the greeks in SGA helped approve this event so they were sort of the door people. Well right before the start of the event a good number of greeks from various BGLOs came to the entrance asking to be let in and of course they were in the process getting the best seats in the house. They went right past people who were waiting for atleast an hour. My friend was at the front and took the situation for what it was, but some indivuals behind her were visibly heated. One even went up to a few members at the door and said "We've been waiting here for over an hour just to see you let your sisters, brothers, and your friends in."
Jealousy: because greeks are often have certain priveleges that outsiders disagree with the "I'm going to prove I'm just as good as you" and/or "I'm going to prove I don't give a d*** who you think you are " attitudes have become a popular attitude for those who are newly exposed to college life or to those who disagree with "the way things are" atmosphere has grown. Many non-greeks who have seen people they considered friends or associates "change" often take these attitudes as well. I've overheard people comment, "We used to hang out freshman year but ever since she became an ABC she thinks she's better than somebody."
Ex. I knew a sisterfriend (never a friend of mine by the way) whom I was formely introduced to my freshman when attending one of the first sorority sponsored events I'd ever attended. Well unknow to me she had what I will kindly refer to as a negative name for herself. I truly believed that either she was told she wasn't making a good name for herself or had an epiphany one day and realized that her actions were making her look bad. Mind you I don't take counsel to unfounded heresay, I visually saw what she was like. Well 2 years from when I first met her, she came to an event this summer looking a step above horrible, snatched food from the snack table, walked around the entire room liked she owned, and my friend overheard her muttering, "I can eat the food ABC bought I ain't no IG, the IGs can't eat the food...they want me to act like them..." Then she showed up at another event that I had dragged my roomate to and gave my roomie the evil eye when she saw that my roomate was talking to two members.
Rudeness: Although I am an interest (and I hope I'm not offending anyone) I have noticed some cattiness among some fraternities and sororities. I do think a few, a small few let membership go to their head a little. However, I do think the decline in desire for membership in this case is in part due more to people not understanding how excited one can be when they finally are a member. I also think TOO many non-greek have delved into the affairs of greek members and overall greek life. Why does a non-greek know when XYZ is having a "coming out show" (hope I'm not being politically incorrect) and practically all the names of the new members? Why do they know which orgs are having a probably with each other? Why do they know who was not accepted for membership and exactly how this unaccepeted person was told he/she wasn't accepted. All of this puts a damper on the true nature of the orgs and it makes people not want to pursue membership.
Ex. my favorite cousin was at a club meeting on a day after this huge greek stepshow. The members of the club were commenting on who they thought did the best and the girl commented "Yeah, they were good but their attitudes are foul...So and so told me that she saw a girl go up to this one member and as for a flyer for an event an the member said there is one on the floor pick it up." Now I don't know if this is true and like I said I'm not quick to believe heresay but I can tell you no news spreads like bad news.
Fear: I feel a lot of people are afraid of rejection. I think a lot of people have heard the horror stories of individuals actively pursuing membership and supporting ABC's events for a long time and still getting rejected for some petty reason. Nowadays I feel many believe that obtaining membership has been put on such a high pedestal that its unobtainable. Many people here that they have to look good, they have to be popular, they have to be involved in organizations like student government or political/community service groups, they have to pay an astronaumical intake fee of $1000 more or less (not to mention the money they have already spent on gas driving to events, or buying raffle tickets, or any other activity that one has to pay to enter...etc.), they have to be extremely nice to the members even if by chance they are rubbed the wrong way, and they have to have a GPA of ATLEAST 3.0 (although 3.0 is borderline anything above that is even more preferable) even though the minimum national gpa says it 2.5 (unless you are friends with a member). These are not my personal opinions.
Ex. my freshman year my ex roomate told me her mom was an ABC but she would never try on our campus because she is fat and she doesn't think that she would fit in.
Pride: Some people have heard that they have to be a "do girl or boy." Short and simple and add the fact that they might not get in and you get a "Hell naw" reaction.