U of Tennessee Pi Kappa Alpha Chapter Suspended: Alcohol Enemas Alleged

[PGD-GRAD]

As least two major networks featured this story on their morning newscast, complete with photos of the Pike house at UT, random photos of campus, and one even showed the Pike Headquarters in Memphis.

One thought is to let it die; another is for their headquarters to make a strong public statement and deal with it head-on. On the campus where I advise, there have been jokes all over the place, two include: This takes BROMANCE to a whole new level! and Talk about BUTTHOLE BROTHERS! Both are crude I know, but as long as this remains prominently in the news, the more damage it will do to Pi Kappa Alpha International's reputation. And--rush is still going on on many campuses.

Also, that young man is hardly the only one who ingested liquor this way. In a fraternity house, everybody knows, probably several watched, and others participated. Maybe they should step forward and take some of the heat off their brother. As painful as it seems, perhaps he should resign his membership--sad, but perhaps better for him in the longrun to show he divorced himself from this whole dilemma. (Or dilemm-ema!--SORRY, COULD NOT RESIST!)

[greekdee]

It IS hard to resist some of the puns this situation opens to door for. Even as someone who really does love the University of Tennessee and finds this situation disturbing on many levels, I've had a few LOL's at some of the comments I've read on news articles. I guess, for me, it's some comic relief for what really is an embarrassing situation.

I do feel kind of bad for the kid having his name released to the world. Some news sources have even pulled photos off his Facebook page and published them as well. Supposedly he is too young to legally drink, but isn't enough of a minor to avoid having his name/photo published.

I agree that some of his brothers who participated/watched/knew/whatever need to step up and take a little heat off of him. If there has ever been a test of brotherhood, being your brother's keeper and standing up like men, this would be it. As far as leaving the fraternity, I have a feeling some will be doing just that -- maybe not of their own will, but relinquishing those pins anyway. Pike International de-brothered 25 UTK Pikes a few years ago over a hazing incident that sent three pledges to the hospital with staph infections. One story is that they were made to do push-ups on broken glass; another account says they did push-ups on a dirty bathroom floor. Whatever, the pledges got sick and 25 brothers got booted. Actually, I think the chapter will be closed.