When we lose a brother I am particularly troubled. I do not know of whom you speak; I would not know him if he walked into the room. Yet there is a kinship there.
Should he resign I may never have the opportunity to meet this man. I will likely never have the opportunity to sit down and chat with him about his undergraduate time. I'll not know his family. If assiatance shuld be necessary, I would be unable to offer it. These are all precious opportunities that we would all be denied should he resign.
I cannot do much about those that are giving him a hard time. What I can do is extend my hand to him, as I have to all my brothers. The Ritual teaches many things, but hatred isn't one of them. The individuals engaged in harrassment will cheat me - and you - out of an opportunity to know this brother.
If we reflect on the teachings of our Ritual we will see that there is no place within our Fraternity for this conduct. Regardless of orientation, we have accepted this man as our brother and nothing can - or should change that. Certainly not the conduct of a small group (I'd guess five or less) of vindictve children. This is the same man that was pledged or associated and voted on. Nothing changes that. He is our brother.
Regardless of our individual lifestyles, we have accepted this man as our brother. It cannot be made clearer or plainer than that. Those that are making his life difficult do not reflect our Fraternal values and we cannot let them deprive the rest of us of this Brother's friendship.
Please share this note with our questioning Brother. I would certainly like to chat with him if he would like to talk to me.
John Donne, In Meditation XVII said that "...No Man Is An Island.."
http://isu.indstate.edu/ilnprof/ENG451/ISLAND/
The focus of this piece of English literature was that we are not isolated, rather, that man exists in a common community and that we all suffer a loss when there is a passing. I cannot find any more eloquent words than this to describe my thoughts. I pray that you may be able to persuade him otherwise.