ree-Xi, DSTRen13, DrPhil, and dreamseeker - Thanks.
Phil - Upon your reply I turned to the magazine and found that (1) there isn't a letters page, and (2) the editor is the same CEO/chairman that was in charge over 10 years ago when I was in school.
I might revise my essay and see if they respond if I send it in. Thanks for giving me a push and a boost of confidence to consider that.
Elephant Walk - I was referring to freshman year in college, when I was choosing a fraternity. I didn't walk around labeling my peers or labeling college organizations as one or the other, or think that joining a more conservative national fraternity would lead to these feelings or outcomes, years later.
From my perspective, things were not as polarized in 1996 as they are now, and the liberal/conservative divide was not as pronounced, I don't think. And, if you're referring to my high school education, no one ever gave the public schools in my city any awards for doing an "acceptable" or above average job. Besides that, does anyone really expect an 18 year old to have lived enough to understand their personal political perspective?
As I think about this, I probably had a group of brothers in my local chapter during the years I was an undergraduate, that was really down-to-earth and didn't have any kind of agenda one way or the other... just typical college kids like I was.
However, if our national fraternity happens to be more conservative than most, and might be that way for some time, I guess I feel like I didn't exactly give my informed consent to that (i.e. I didn't know!), and I don't really buy-in to that set of values. That wasn't in the brochure.
If the nationals only picture "adult success" one way, then it makes it more difficult for me to proudly support the national fraternity as an alumni... even though I want to be involved, and I care.
I suppose speaking up and seeing what happens, is the best way to go.
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