Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter to defend not only the Sigma Phi
Epsilon Fraternity and all organizations on campus. It seems
to me and many others who obviously seem to be eating it up,
that The Herald has become more like The National Enquirer than
a factual school paper.
I have found myself waiting impatiently for each issue to
come out to see what the Herald staff has come up with or what
"disappointed students" have to say about the punishment
that was given.
First of all, I would like to address the way all this semi-factual
reporting started. When the administration found out about the
incident and was planning on taking action, the whole student
body found out about the incident at the same time. Was it really
anybody's business but the administration's and the fraternity's?
I don't think so. Not until action had been taken and a decision
had been made, those not involved should have found out. I have
been following the reports of the Herald closely and am disgusted
to see that each new story has false information and is misleading.
I don't know whether your staff is misinformed or if they just
feel like exaggerating the truth, but I do know that it is very
unfair to any organization to have its problems posted all over
the front page of a campus newspaper when no judicial decision
has been made.
Second, now that a decision has been made, don't you think
one report is enough? These guys have put everything into this
fraternity: their money, their time and their hearts. Now, it
has all been taken away from them. Don't you think you should
lighten up? Maybe it's funny to some people, but they can laugh
about it on their own time. They don't need The Herald drawing
stupid cartoons that "exaggerate" the truth.
Maybe some people don't agree with fraternities and sororities.
They think they drink too much, party too much and that they
are irresponsible. Yeah maybe, but guess what? Not only do fraternities
and sororities take part in these actions. There is at least
one person in every organization on this campus that also participates
in these deviant acts (yes Scott, even you're beloved debate
team). Organizations are just that. They organize people who
have similar values and try to make them closer--maybe as "brothers,"
maybe as "sisters," maybe just as people who want to
strive for a common goal.
Don't get me wrong. I do want to state that it is obvious
the fraternity made a huge mistake. They know it and they don't
need to read about it every week. (not to say the other fraternities
aren't making the same mistakes, they're just not getting caught).
Lastly, I want to recognize the administration, more specifically,
the judicial board. You've done a great job of finding the beginning
of the culprits who are breaking the rules on ASU soil. Now that
you have punished one, it is only fair that you punish the rest.
It's not only fraternities and sororities breaking the rules,
but every recognized organization on campus can admit to alcohol
abuse and other deviant acts.
I hope this letter will be the last printed in response to
the punishment of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
Give them some peace and let them put this behind them.
Danielle Tackett is a sophomore undecided major from Cabot.
