Saleem is a fifth-year history student.
By Haroon Saleem
As much as I hate to admit it, Kirra Steel has staggering
accuracy in her depiction of the Greek system, and to my knowledge,
the sorority system here at UCLA (“Systematic sisterhood
promotes intolerance,” Daily Bruin, Viewpoint, Oct. 5). I
know sorority members that have stated that their houses use
similar if not identical methods of recruitment. Maybe its a form
of twisted irony, but I find it remarkable that we in the Greek
system are at one of the most prestigious higher education
institutions in the world and it feels like we never left high
school.
The cliques, the racism, the back-stabbing, the superficiality
““ I’m back in 11th grade.
Being a part of the male Greek population here at UCLA, I am
also aware that we in the fraternities do not fare much better.
Don’t get me wrong, I know that myself and others try our
best to promote the “anti-Greek” lifestyle; that is,
fighting the stereotype that has made us so popular and so loathed
by many.
Yet when we hear about the dirty rushing going on in other
houses, most of us look down and shake our heads in disgust,
knowing that the next day a story about a rushee getting alcohol
poisoning is going to top the one about the fraternity that went
with its new members and cleaned up a camp for disadvantaged
children.
I have no problem with saying that I am proud of being a brother
of my fraternity. I know what the charter of my house says and what
it means. I know what I stand for and I know I’ve stayed
true. I’ll vouch for any of my brothers’ actions. But
that aside, I am utterly ashamed of calling myself a Greek.
To the girls that read the article and know it’s true: How
can you let this happen? Do you really think that’s what
it’s all about? The numbers for rush this year were not
exactly breakthrough. If the system doesn’t change, we all go
down. I’m sure some of you could care less about all this and
hey, if this lifestyle is your forte, then more power to you. Enjoy
your mid-life crisis.
As for Steel, I applaud your decision and I stand by you.
It’s great knowing that you figured it out. I hope that some
of the girls in the system with whom I was willingly friends will
read your article and come to their senses. I also hope that others
out in the system that share your views will make an effort to do
something about it. Way to go, Kirra.