I think we’ve all seen the coverage surrounding race relations at this school. More recently, we’ve seen a rather intense focus on a particular community here: the Greek system.
I keep reading determined repudiations from individuals not residing in one of their houses. Is there improvement that needs to be done in the wake of historical and even recent events? Yes. But as one letter to the editor pointed out, racial complications are not an institutional matter — it’s an individual one. If one could show me where a fraternity has tenets in place to encourage negativity toward a certain community, let me know. The Meredith statue didn’t have a “brought to you by the Greek system” message hanging from that noose. You see where these repudiations have gotten; one fraternity requested The DM to stop sending this publication to its house.
It’s amazing that Hollywood and its movies and television shows relive the grandiose periods of history, including Roman, Greek, Persian, Egyptians and even African, during which slavery wreaked havoc on most societies pre-20th century, yet people can’t get enough of it. Take our current society, in which violence is promoted and placed on a silver platter in order to hold our attention for more episodes and advertising.
Make no mistake, I’m not criticizing this practice; entertainment is just that, designed to transport us to another place and time. So, when fraternities plan historic parties reliving the “Old South,” a period that was unfortunately marred and overshadowed by its terrible history, for purely entertainment purposes, who cares? If the Greek system wants to diversify, perhaps they’ll realign their party focus to suit the interests of a more diverse membership; the last time I checked, attendance to events is voluntary, but’s that their decision. And I’m tired of hearing about it.
When fraternities and sororities are blamed for racism because some misinformed and ignorant young man or woman carries around a Confederate flag, not caring about the possible implications it has on the black community, why do we then blame the Greek system and expect some full frontal and public assault to combat “injustice”? There are already measures in place to prevent such acts; it’s called decency. It’s the same as thinking we can prevent all discrimination by passing laws. Like some perfect society ever exists to such ends.
If people wish to value the Old South because of proper etiquette and manners in social society, I don’t think there’s a problem with that. I value and celebrate the period for its architecture, made possible by the forced servitude of slaves — does that now make me ignorant or offend someone when I purchase and live in one of those historic homes?
Next time there’s a toga party, just remember the Romans and their terrible treatment of the slaves and servants who built their society. Sounds like a guaranteed entertainment time when that’s on the brain.
Equally true, no one wants be concerned with the tragedies of slavery when dressed in antebellum garb; it’s not what that party is supposed to represent, regardless if you feel they are explicably linked. We would have problems if it a gathering was emphasizing a return to racial inequalities, but it’s just not.
If this concerns you, why not have every antebellum home be destroyed? As an avid historic preservationist, I admire the fact that blacks had the extraordinary skills to build such architectural beauty. Yet I encounter many who wish all evidence of the past would be wiped away. Fine then. Destroy the pyramids in Egypt, the Parthenon in Greece and almost every Washington, D.C., monument built pre-20th century. Indeed, dispose of all ancient monuments that relied almost entirely on slave labor for its institutional and architectural construction. That’ll show those people that we don’t tolerate it.
In fact, don’t admire our Founding Fathers’ fortitude and leadership that built this republic because they had a confused notion of “freedom” while owning slaves. Nor admire Abraham Lincoln for his suspension of habeas corpus or admitting he’d keep slavery in place just to save the Union.
We don’t and shouldn’t forget the atrocities of slavery and isolated racist incidents. Including the recent Meredith tragedy. That’s just shameful. Yet an overreaction to such an event means anger and retribution on one side dominates the conversation with everyone.
The one thing I can’t help is your sense of what is offensive and what is not. Political correctness has its place, but an attack on a system that has shown no present sense of embodiment of the perpetuation of a return to slavery or condoning racism in any form or fashion is not the proper conduct.
We need positive race dialogue; what we don’t need is anyone’s confused notion about how to reach supposed positive positions on racism in the embodiment of the South and its past discrepancies regarding the terrible treatment of the black community.
Have fun with that — it won’t accomplish anything.
Cory Ferraez is a third-year law student from Columbus.
