Greek Predjudice!

[TexasStar]

I have to vent this morning! My daughter is a greek at a major university. She proudly has her letters on the back of her vehicle, very subtle small decal. This morning she is on her way to class and is pulled over by a police officer for a "rolling stop". Not arguing whether she did it or not, she says four other vehicles did the same thing. As the officer writes the citation he says in a very mean way, "Didn't they tell you not to do that at that big sorority house?" His demeanor was very upsetting and he seemed to talk great pleasure in giving a "sorority girl" a ticket.
Has anyone else experienced this kind of bias?

[BlondeGurl]

I hate to say it, but while I was a university in TX when I joined my sorority they basicaly told us to put sticker on our car "at our own risk". I had stickers on my car and was pulled over no less than 5-6 times for no reason (changing lane with out blinker, "swirving" while makinga turn, etc) and never got ticketed, but each time had a sobriety test done (I was not 21 so I wasnt drinking). This was common with ALL of my sisters who had sticker on their car as well. We actualy knew a few of the officers who most commonly pulled us over by name. There's not really much you can do about this type of thing except drive smart.

[AOII_LB93]

Originally posted by TexasStar
Has anyone else experienced this kind of bias?

Hmm, with the cops specifically? Not me personally, though I know of some stories...the ones in the city where I went to school were pretty cool in general. (campus cops are a whole different story) They gave some trouble to one of the fraternities while I was a collegiate(because there is no row) since their neighbors always complained about them during parties...and during the week.

That is rather rude of the police officer though, and quite unprofessional.

[33girl]

I would report the officer to his superior, and if nothing is done to reprimand him contact newspapers and tv stations as well.

That is discrimination and should not be tolerated.

[RedRoseSAI]

Wow - I actually got OUT of a ticket once because I had my letters on a license plate frame. I think the officer was a fraternity member, because he said "well, I saw those letters back there - this'll be just a warning"

[RUgreek]

I never put my letters on my car. Attracted enough attention on the road, didn't need one more decal to add another problem to my driving. You never know who's going to see them...

At Rutgers, the greeks in general were treated as outcasts by the non-greeks. I wouldn't call it prejudice, but really just stereotyping and ignorance. If anything went wrong, it had to be a fraternity involved. And there really wasn't that many of us to cause a stir (maybe 1-2% of the student population was greek).

Maybe times have changed in the last few years, but I doubt it. The campus police have more important criminal matters to worry about and the local police don't care.


RUgreek

[moe.ron]

I also got pulled over a lot during my undergrad days. Than again, I also had a grateful dead and Phish sticker. Maybe it's those stickers that got me stopped over.

[Coramoor]

I'm surprised there isn't more of a prejudice here on my campus. I swear the cops are on the road in front of my house at least twice a week b/c one of the frats on my street.

[Rio_Kohitsuji]

When I travel to other schools is when I seem to get into trouble with the law However, at Rio if I get pulled over or whatnot they just want to say that their sister/mom/whatever was a Lambda or he was a Lil Bro, hehe

[megleigh]

Originally posted by RUgreek

At Rutgers, the greeks in general were treated as outcasts by the non-greeks. I wouldn't call it prejudice, but really just stereotyping and ignorance. If anything went wrong, it had to be a fraternity involved.
RUgreek

I totally agree with you. During greek week, there's the GDI's of course, who also try to say we "run the campus"... Us greeks do not build our lives around trying to be the popular ones on campus or putting down independents, we just have fun with our sisters/brothers.
And yes, there are a lot of stereotypes about us. Since we host most of the parties, we get in trouble and talked about.. but no one ever cares to mention that a lot of independents come to those parties...

[adpiucf]

Sadly, it is all a part of the territory-- we had a cop come to our Peer Education class in college to talk about campus DUI and he told us flat-out that yes, they do target the Greeks-- but they also have the data from years and years of incidents at fraternity parties, Greek date parties and socials to justify watching any cars with Greek paraphernalia a little more closely.

So long as we lead by example, we can begin to work on the stereotype. But meanwhile, the cops are acting in what they believe are the campus's best interests targeting what have historically been high-risk groups.

Does that justify pulling you over for not signaling? Heck, that has happened to me in my post-college life with no indication of letters on my car. College is a place to make mistakes and be caught making them.

So go the speed limit and be conscious of your letters. It isn't fun, it may not be fair, but all we can do is follow the law and hope for the best. If you get an unfair citation, fight it.

[WVU alpha phi]

I've been pulled over twice- once in high school and once in college. Both times I've been given a warning. In high school, the cop didn't really say much to me, and I just got pulled over for briefly stopping at the STOP sign at the end of my neighborhood. He made me late to school though! Last year though I got pulled over driving home for spring break. I have my letters on my back windshield. It was around 11 on a Friday morning and the cop pulled me over for doing 82 in a 65. Then he asked if I was drinking. Who the hell makes a 3 1/2 hour drive home DRUNK on a Friday MORNING?! I don't know if it had to do with my letters on my car or not. And I still only got the warning.

[Rudey]

I hear black folks have it a lot worse. They get pulled over a lot and get tickets. Imagine if you're a black greek...that combo would get you a lot of tickets, I bet.

-Rudey

[IrishPhiSig]

someone i know had their car keyed and someone wrote on their car "sororities suck!" or something similar. Quite juvenile!

[mccoyred]

Not really. I have been Black for 36 years and Greek for 18 of those years. I have only been pulled over twice, both times I did do what I was accused of, but both times I left without a ticket.

Frankly, Black/NPHC Greeks don't have the same reputation (deservedly or not) to deal with for drinking/alcohol abuse. We have other issues...

Originally posted by Rudey
I hear black folks have it a lot worse. They get pulled over a lot and get tickets. Imagine if you're a black greek...that combo would get you a lot of tickets, I bet.

-Rudey