local fraternity charged with attempted murder

[KappaTarzan]

what a story this is...
there are two fraternities on campus with extremely bad blood. one is local, one national. for the sake of political correctness, i will call them local and national.
the national was colonized because a group of young men rushed and were bid to the local, but hated the hazing they came across.. they decided to talk to a national.. thus was born the national...
since then, of course, the local and national have had nothing but trouble between them.
This past weekend someone stole a sign with letters on it off of the local's house. thinking it must have been the national, they went down to ask them about it.. they denied it, the local left.
a week later the local returns and starts asking again, at about 2am. the national again denies any involvement, but things escalate to arguing... before anyone know what happens, a local punches a national in the face. there are 3 national brothers, and about 12 locals. the brother who got punched (A) looks up the street and sees MORE brothers of the local running down. he goes into the house to try and get help, and out goes another national brother (B). When B walks out the door he sees two of his brothers (C & D) laying on the ground unconscious, bleeding, STILL being kicked and beated by multiple local brothers. he turns his head to the right and is hit on the left side of the head with a 2x4 piece of wood. his skull is fractured, he wont' ever taste or smell again, and is most likely going to lose up to 90% of his hearing in that ear.
meanwhile, the street the fraternities are on is filmed, so the police show up a few minutes later, seeing the national brothers on the ground being kicked in the head and stomach repeatedly. at this time, many local brothers fled. the police stormed the house, and took them to jail. monday morning, 12 or 13 brothers were arraigned for assault with a deadly weapon, and assault and battery. 3 were charged with attempted murder.
now it is time for my sorority to decide whether we choose to have rushes and socials at their house. it is going up for vote, and my opinion is that we should not. i do not want my sorority associated with the police trouble that may be involved. the local's house is periodically busted for drug dealing, and with this new happening, i feel it may be a threat to my GLO to be in that house.
to top it all off we are not recognized so there will be no university recognition of these actions.

thoughts? comments? suggestions? please, please, send them my way!

*edit* to clarify, the national didn't egg them on in any way, and was really pretty innocent in the whole dealing. my sorority intends to rush with the national still.. i was looking ot see if everyone agrees with the on the not rushing with the local situation..

[PM_Mama00]

I think your decision is a good one. You don't want to get mixed up in that kind of trouble. What would happen if your sorority was there one nite when they get busted for drugs? You guys will go down with them, because the cops may think that you are involved. I have a friend who was constantly getting in trouble, and everyone warned me not to hang out with him. I was at his house one nite, after he had stolen a radio out of this girl's car. Had I been there while that happened, I could have been charged as an accessory (wording?). You do not want your sorority to end up in a bad place. By hanging out with them, it would be putting your innocent selves in danger. I think you've made a good decision.

[PsychTau]

OK, if you are asking whether or not to mix with the local...HELL NO!! If even a smidgen of them assaulting the national is true then absolutely NOT!!! There's more than legal consequences for their actions, and I for one would not want to be associated with someone who seriously beats someone else. (OK, small fistfights will happen, but 2x4's? )

If you are asking about mixing with the national, that's a little more vague. Depends on how much of the conflict their egging on, starting, etc. If they are not acting very "fraternal" to the other groups and trying to start stuff, then I don't think they should be getting the attention of some very lovely ladies. Plus, if they are into some shady stuff, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it. (Guilt by association, ya know?)

It's up to ALL of us to keep the Greek system afloat and improve the bad reputations we are sometimes given (some with reason, some without). If we take a stand and deliver the message that we will NOT socialize with Greeks who aren't living out the Greek ideals, then it will hopefully improve the system as a whole. "If you ain't acting right, then I ain't playing with you!"

(Another way to look at it. . .If you had mixer shirts made, would YOU be proud to wear their letters? Would you be proud to see THEM in YOURS?)

[Richard(SNU)]

Drug dealing? Brawls where people end up in the hospital and felony
charges are filed? I'm sorry but is this for real? What campus are
you on? Surely this must have landed in the news if it's true.

With all the threads about sororities being so high on risk management
these days, something about this particular thread strikes me as odd.
In other words why do you even need to ask this question?

A little high-spirited rivalry is one thing, but the behavior you are
describing is that of a GANG that just happens to live in a house and
use Greek Letters.

This is like a large-scale version of problem many women have on an
individual level. Why are women willing to tolerate violent behavior
in the first place? An episode like this, even one, should be cause
to walk away and never look back.

KappaTarzan, I suggest you say something like this when the issue
comes up in chapter for a vote. If your sorority considers itself to
be ladies, then you only associate with gentlemen. If you continue to
hang out with this "gang" what message does that send to the other
fraternities that do make the effort to conduct themselves as
gentlemen?

If it's just me, I apologize in advance, and wish you all the best in
sorting this out.

[PM_Mama00]

I forgot to mention this. A while back one of the fraternities at my school busted into the others' house (small house, only 4 people livin there), and beat the crap out of one of the guys because of a girlfriend situation. The guy that it happened to had to go to the hospital. Today I'm very good friends with him, but I'm also friends with members of the other fraternity. However, if that would've happened when I was around, friend or no friend, I wouldn't want to deal with the "bad" fraternity. They must not only pay the consequence of their actions legally, but messin with the Greek system. Everyone who has posted so far is right. "Guilt by association" is true, and what you described IS a gang, not a fraternity.

[PandaOnProzac]

If stuff happened within our chapter we would certainly kick the individuals out. That stuff sounds weird to happen in the first place. Yeah and it sounds like gang stuff rather than petty rivalry.


This is what sort of punishment is needed.....

[MoxieGrrl]

By all means, keep you and your sisters safe. That sort of testosterone flowing is dangerous.

[nyrdrms]

I think your decision is wise. Remember that the other members of your sorority are women that you call sister, or soon will. To knowingly put them in a dangerous situation wouldn't be looking out for their best interest and well being, and also, it wouldn't be very sisterly. If some of these girls wish to visit these men and keep their friendships with them, that is one thing. But to have them have an event with this group would put many sisters in an uncomfortable situation. After things die down, and the men that took part in this assault have graduated, perhaps you could reknew your organizational association with them. Until then, I agree that you should stay back and let the law deal with their actions. Good luck!

[aedea42]

I have to second all this... in no way shape or form should you go anywhere near them... you don't want to get caught up in anything bad or be guilty by association...

[KappaTarzan]

the vote is in- we unanimously decided NOT to rush or associate with them in anyway.

[lifesaver]

Good, 'cause haow do you handle introductions? "Michelle, I'd like you to meet Brother Greg, and his BAIL BONDSMAN, Mike. Greg wont be having any beer, because it would violate the terms of his PROBATION. What? Oh that was nothing, just a little ATTEMPTED MURDER charge. Those things happen all the time, you know how it is. Anyway, go Kappa!"

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by KappaTarzan
the vote is in- we unanimously decided NOT to rush or associate with them in anyway.

Good decision.

[RockChalk]

Originally posted by lifesaver
Good, 'cause haow do you handle introductions? "Michelle, I'd like you to meet Brother Greg, and his BAIL BONDSMAN, Mike. Greg wont be having any beer, because it would violate the terms of his PROBATION. What? Oh that was nothing, just a little ATTEMPTED MURDER charge. Those things happen all the time, you know how it is. Anyway, go Kappa!"

This post cracked me up.

[KappaTarzan]

lifesaver, hilarious post
turns out not all the sororities on campus share our view... at least one other is still rushing with them... eek...
word is now that they are selling their house to pay for lawyer fees for the brothers involved- the local should be disbanding come spring.
the brother hit with a 2x4 was released from the hospital and the dr says there is a chance he will regain hearing.. not fully but more than expected...

[DRau]

Originally posted by Richard(SNU)
Drug dealing? Brawls where people end up in the hospital and felony
charges are filed? I'm sorry but is this for real? What campus are
you on? Surely this must have landed in the news if it's true.

You would be VERY surprised how common this sort of thing is! I notice that you are from CA... I could probably name 5 campuses that have serious charges pending right now!!