Letters to the editor

Letter regarding Greek system poorly researched

Susan Hicks writes her letter… Letter regarding Greek system poorly researched

Susan Hicks writes her letter without doing much research on how Greek parties are regulated here at the University of Pittsburgh. Many fail to realize the large number of precautionary measures taken to ensure the safety of guests. On-campus fraternities must first register the date and time of parties to University officials, who, in turn, relay the information to University police. This allows everyone to be on the same page as to when any parties will take place and allows both fraternities and police to take more safety precautions. Pitt police routinely patrol on-campus fraternity parties and station police on the hill during the weekend evenings. All of this helps to foster the unsafe environment, which Hicks describes.

Greek practices that would also encourage “moronic partying” would also have to include the strict enforcement of a policy that ends parties at 2 a.m. and visible signage throughout the fraternity house of helpful information and social policies. Kegs will never be found in a fraternity party. This policy helps to avoid contamination of drinks. The fact of the matter is that planning for social events entails a tireless effort to ensure the safety of guests and the lower risk of incident. Hicks makes the comment that “Whether or not brothers themselves participate in date rapes is irrelevant.” While this statement is completely true, it is also the reason her male friends were not admitted to a party. No one in the fraternity knew her friends or were willing to vouch for their character. When male guests are constricted to list-only policy, (which is practiced at Pitt) greater control is gained by knowing the males to at least some degree. Fraternities strive to build good reputations and when they allow random males into parties, they lessen the safety of guests and increase the risk of incident.

You will be hard pressed to find a party in Oakland that doesn’t use kegs, ends at 2 a.m., doesn’t serve hard alcohol, is registered with the University, is patrolled by Pitt police, and is on a direct University bus route and planned with safety and risk management in mind by men that have been to numerous alcohol and risk management seminars. The frat party might not be what Hicks calls, “the healthiest or safest environment” and that “freshmen girls might find other safer places to spend their Friday nights,” I would argue that you don’t find any safer alternatives in Oakland.

Ron Campana

CAS junior

Column suggesting a lawless America came from flawed logic

Steve Thomas’ Oct. 14 column recommending the abolition of laws is logically flawed. The effect of such a policy would lead to the destruction of American society.

Thomas cites aboriginal tribes as societies in which laws are unnecessary. This is only partially true. Laws in such societies exist as an unwritten code. Since members of a small tribe usually know each other personally, would-be offenders of these unwritten laws are kept in line by public shame.

In a modern society, disputes often happen between strangers. If, for example, our society were to allow two parties to a traffic accident “to deal with each other as humans,” the result would often be a fistfight, a stabbing or a shooting. Lawsuits, however nasty, are at least restrained.

In a modern society such as ours, the laws place a restraint on evil behavior. They cannot prevent such behavior completely, but their enforcement can make life bearable for the majority of the citizens.

Jonathan Squibb

CAS sophomore