Quote:
Originally posted by IvySpice
I'd say something along the lines of, "Well, maybe people will learn something from this." But it's clear that they won't. The night this happened, there were several major news stories already kicking around. If the stories of deaths two weeks ago, one state away, weren't enough to motivate the OU students involved to act responsibly, then this additional death won't make any difference to the next victim, either. There's got to be some other way, because what we're doing isn't working.
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Unfortunately, I agree.
What we have seen recently is the almost automatic suspension of chapter charters when something like this happens. Some always say that the university has rushed to judgement -- but in the end the suspension is almost always justified.
We have to stop sweeping this under the nearest carpet and admit that alcohol is a HUGE problem for college aged people. It's not entirely a Greek problem, but one we need to take the lead on because of the perception that it is.
I am on record here as being in favor of lowering the drinking age for beer to 18. But that would only solve the "legal" issues of most of the underage drinking.
The problems go much deeper. We and the colleges are inheriting kids who are drinking heavily in high school (Pot, meet kettle -- I was a poster child for this myself years ago). The anti-drinking campaigns and education need to start much earlier. They should continue -- not only in the Greek System but in the rest of college life.
In the end, though, I'm not convinced that no matter how good a program is that it makes much difference. Kids still think they're bulletproff.
Take a look at the threads on GC. Every time something of this nature happens, you send your prayers, you send your condolences, you send your thoughts, you send your best wishes to the family, chapter, fraternity, university and friends.
Then you post about how wasted you got last night.
By the way, I say "you" when I would generally say "we" because I have become a very small part of this equation. No matter how much I (we alums) rant and rave, nothing is going to be accomplished until there is peer group pressure for moderation.
The university sends out grief counselors, but are the bars any less crowded that night? Are there less pitchers on the tables?
There are some good programs in place, but none was effective in the four most recent fatalities. Designated drivers wouldn't have helped, there were no fatal traffic accidents. Checking ID's wouldn't help -- these didn't happen at party-type functions but rather at pledge events or just sitting around drinking. In all but one of the four fraternity related incidents, the victim was underage.
Here's what could happen: Harsh crackdowns by the university, the police and by the national organizations. Dry Housing -- absolutely enforced. Automatic suspension or expulsion of chapters. Heavy fines or expulsions of individual offenders by schools. Zero tolerance of underage drinking.
Here's what else could happen. Peer pressure for moderation. Social instead of binge drinking. Obeyance of the law. Truely working together with the university administration instead of "arms length" negotiations when the school is made to force its hand. A hard look inside at the kind of culture at your chapter or school, and ways to change it if needed.
Holding high the standards of our organizations, founders and rituals.
So what happens now? Do you (we) become pro-active in saving lives, or do these tragic events lose their impact over time -- fade into the background of our memory until another one occurs?
This has been written in deep frustration by the father of two older and one college age children -- who has had to participate in a "candle light vigil" for a young brother in one of the chapters he had advised.
Enough is enough.
Or maybe too much.