Before we think that the media is unfair to GLO's...

[phikappapsiman]

This article was given to me by a friend who is not in a GLO after I complained to him about the negative portrayal of Greeks in the media...

Title: Oh those wacky frat boys!

Three student senators and the student body president at the University of Idaho in Moscow resigned in early April after admitting to stealing a campus gay pride flag. Senators Matt Henman, Joel Sturgill, and Kevin Smith broke into the school's gay-straight alliance office to nab the flag. The three then met up with president Kasey Cole Swisher at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house, where they tried unsuccessfully to burn the flag before throwing it into a dumpster.

"We are saddened and shocked," university president Robert Hoover said. "They have intruded into the lives of others, and they have soiled the image of the student body, the university, and the state of Idaho. Moreover, they have violated the trust of those who elected them."

Ladies and gentlemen, this is not only breaking and entering, and burglary, but it could be classified as a hate crime! Now, this is not a "joke" or a simple fraternity prank. Nor is it "boys will be boys" kind of stuff. If we want others to respect us and not judge us, then we HAVE TO respect others-even if you might not agree with them.

[SigkapAlumWSU]

I was going to post that article so long ago, but it must have slipped my mind. UI is 8 miles from WSU, so we hear a lot about each other's schools. Here is the artice in it's entirety as published in our student newspaper. Upon re-reaing the article, it seems unclear that any of the men involved is a member of SAE. Very strange, I thought.

UI theft raises hate crime, Bill of Rights issues

[mrblonde]

Exactly what I was thinking. They would have definitely made a point to mention it if it were true. The article sounds to me like its trying to incriminate Greek life on some level. It just seems highly unlikely that they would have an article about that without directly mentioning any Greek affiliation. Even if they were Greek, its an isolated incident. My point is, if you feel that every fraternity or sorority member has to stay straight to be accepted, that is more than is asked of any other social group, save ex-cons. If you told our Puerto Rican chapter president that 'if you want to be respected, Latinos would have to stop committing crimes', that would be considered racial profiling. Hell, if you told me that 'if Irish people dont want to be judged, maybe they shouldnt be drunk all the time', that would offend me just as much as what Greeks need to do to be respected.

[SigkapAlumWSU]

Originally posted by mrblonde
Exactly what I was thinking. They would have definitely made a point to mention it if it were true. The article sounds to me like its trying to incriminate Greek life on some level. It just seems highly unlikely that they would have an article about that without directly mentioning any Greek affiliation. Even if they were Greek, its an isolated incident.

Actually, if you would read the link that I posted, they were Greek.

None of the three former senators live at the SAE fraternity, where they tried to burn the flag. Sturgill is a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, and Henman resides at the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity.

It just didn't mention what, if any, affiliation the president had. The article wasn't trying to incriminate Greeks, they happened to be Greek.

[mrblonde]

I allowed for the possibility that they may be Greek. The important part is at the end.