Skip McLeroy IFC President Bmclero1@my.westga.edu
My name is Skip McLeroy. I'm a brother of Pi Kappa Phi. I'm the President of the Inter-fraternity Council (IFC). And most importantly, I'm a member of the Greek community. Last week an article was published in the West Georgian called "Join a Frat". The article was an assault on fraternity men and sorority women. The article was based on no truthful evidence and was filled with countless accusations. The article of course angered me and much of the Greek community. My response though is not "F**k those people". Instead I feel sorry for people that have so much hate for something they know nothing about. My article is not meant to bash any ignorant individual, but instead inform the readers of the untruthful statements that were published.
Carrollton is a college town. There are countless ways to obtain alcohol, no matter the age. Fake IDs and having friends that are over the age of 21 are not limited to only Greeks. Id be willing to bet half the freshman reading this article have alcohol somewhere in their dorm. Is alcohol consumed in fraternity houses on Thursday nights? Yes. But you're dumb if you think its not being consumed in every dorm on campus as well. Were in college, it happens. I read the West Georgian on a weekly basis. There have been numerous articles published concerning robberies, shootings, and drugs. None of these articles ever mention any Greek. In a world were a lot of bad things happen, ill accept a little under age drinking (Greek or not). I feel sorry for anyone that has their car messed with. I personally think it takes a coward to do something like that. It also takes a coward to accuse a group people of a crime with no evidence. Location alone doesn't give anyone the right to start pointing fingers. The word "Fag" was scratched in a RA's car, but the culprit was not found. There are over ten thousand students that go to this school, it could have been anyone. Another cowardly act is calling out someone by name and not even having the nerve to put your own name on article you wrote. Instead you hide behind a ridiculously stupid pin name
I do not pay for my friends. My dues go to things like insurance, intramurals, socials, philanthropy events, and the fraternity house. Did I have any history with the guys when I first joined? No. That's just a given when you start hanging around group of people for the first time. Do I have history now? Enough to feel this newspaper with. Being in a Fraternity is also about the being a part of a bigger community. Some of my good friends wear completely different letters than I do. Fraternities don't hate other fraternities and sororities don't hate other sororities. There's competition of course but that's what makes it fun. These groups are in no way "over-aggressive alcoholics" and to say their members have "no sense of responsibility" is a joke. I have served as both new member educator and president of my fraternity. So I know from experience that the countless number of men and women that have served in similar roles have a strong sense of responsibility. Numerous hours are put in by these leaders and for what? Money? No. Self satisfaction? No. They do it because they feel responsible for the people they call brothers and sisters. The same goes for all the Greeks that serve on Pan-Hellenic, NPHC, and IFC.
The university has invested millions of dollars into a Greek Village. It's located at the back entrance of the school. It's totally transformed the look of the university. A once rough area of the school now actually looks a major university. University staff members like Dr. Melanie McClellan, Lucille Whitten, and Chris Geiger have all had major roles in this project. No student should be mad at them for doing a good job. The village is just another project, like the Campus Center and Coliseum, which is going to add in the growth of this school. All university staff should be applauded for the growth that this school has made in the last five years. Greeks also play a major role in the universities growth. It's a common misconception that all Fraternities do is drink and party. That's not the case at all. Every fraternity sponsors a different philanthropy. Whether it be helping kids with disabilities, getting canned foods for under privileged kids, or helping not so fortunate women, we all help someone. IFC recently participated in Relay for Life. Along with walking for cancer, they all took pies in their faces in efforts to raise some extra money. Do you think "Buck Futter Jr" has every stood in the freezing cold trying to collect money to help build wheelchair ramps? I don't think so
Fraternities are also no racist whatsoever. There are plenty of non Caucasian brothers spread throughout the entire system. On top of that, IFC has put a conscious effort in building better relations with the NPHC fraternities. These fraternities for the first time participated in Greek Week and are also moving into the Greek Village. I take it very person to be labeled as a racist. Did some random fraternity guy yell out a racial slur? Maybe. But one individual's voice doesn't represent us all.
The most disturbing part of "Join a Frat" was the articles attack on Greeks sexual activities. First, since I've been in school, no fraternity man has ever been charged with raping anyone. The author asks, "Can you subdue any sense of conscience when you see another frat brother rap a passed out drunk chick? The answer is that wouldn't happen in the first place and if it did not only would a brother be stopped he would be immediately kicked out of the fraternity. There is no place for that kind of action in any part of society. Accusing people of turning their heads to a crime is a slap in the face. A person's character shouldn't be judged solely on stereotypes. Also the morals of entire group shouldn't be challenged just because you're pissed off someone messed with your car. Secondly, sorority women are not easy. It's just another absurd accusation based on no evidence at all. I guarantee the author of "Join a Frat" wouldn't know if they were and weren't. I personally know the majority of sorority women on this campus, and the best word to describe them is not easy, but classy. Lastly, to take a stab at an individuals sexual orientation is a sad cry for attention. No Greek, including my self, would steep that low just because we don't like a certain group or person.
In conclusion, Greek life at the University of West Georgia is growing and is as strong as ever. If you want to meet people you will know the rest of your life, help out the community, play sports, and become a leader, you should consider joining a Fraternity or Sorority. If not, that's cool too. There tons of great students on this campus that are not Greek. My suggestion would be though get involved with some group and help give back to your university. But if your head is full of hate and ignorance, feel free to sit in your dorm room by yourself writing opinion articles about people and things you know nothing about.
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