Shane Dale

The Pike debacle didn't give fraternities a black eye. Nothing has changed. Those who resent frats have pictured them with a shiner long before now.

What the incident has done, however, is made it more difficult for local fraternity members and those who support them to defend their affiliation. Much like conservatives slap themselves across the forehead every time President Bush says "nuke-u-lar," well-behaved fraternity gentlemen have to hold their head in their arms every time something stupid like this happens.

Certainly, one of the reasons fraternities are seen negatively by so many is because bad news is sexier than good news. Unless a frat puts on an amazing display of compassion such as donating their eyes to blind kids, odds are the good stuff isn't gonna get much attention, but the booze busts will be front page material - continued on page two. Hey, it's all about readership, and that's just the way it goes.

While the primary reason to join a frat will always be beer and boobs, it's a fact that a good deal of guys want in to be a part of something important and meaningful (and to have something to slap on their resume in the near future). Unfortunately, since a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, the more obnoxious frat members sometimes make it impossible for the good guys to rise above and beyond, and get recognized.

One can only hope that the good ones are firm believers in karma.

But while the papers may not notice all the good things frats do, the community does - and does not forget. It's a guarantee that students and faculty remember the money and blood drives fraternities put together right after Sept. 11 (though it's easy to forget which ones participated).

It can be argued that all philanthropic activities frats partake in are nothing more than publicity stunts - an effort to portray their club in a positive light to the public. This is similar to businesses participating in charitable activities - everything from the Ronald McDonald House to that change jar for "the crippled children" (as Jennifer Aniston put it in Office Space) at the local Circle K. The difference being that businesses do it to increase patronage; the frats do it to keep folks off their back.

It's likely that some frats pick up good causes for the simplest explanation: They genuinely want to do something good. Regardless, while it may be even more likely that frats do charitable things solely for the sake of image, the question is: Does it really matter?

If corporations only "give back to the community" for the sake of profit, does it make that giving back any less valuable? By the same token, if frats collect money for ALS research or battered women's shelters (don't forget the thousands Pike raised for Bobbi Olson's charity), and that money gets to the charity, does motive make a difference? A hundred dollars raised is a hundred dollars raised. If the frats didn't exist, these gentlemen would probably never have banded together for such a cause.

One thing, however, that would go on with or without frats is the partying. Some frat guys would still do keg stands. They'd still streak through the front yard. They'd still make horses asses of themselves and not remember why everyone looks at them cockeyed the next day.

What's more, they'd still participate in underage drinking and drunk driving. Administrators know this, which is why fraternity membership should be encouraged by everyone all the way up to President Likins himself.

Fraternities are the only way the campus community has a shot at policing any illegal activities that go on at frat houses. Granted, they may be policed as well as weed coming in and out of Snoop Dogg's residence, but without the frats, supervision would drop from little to none. Is it not better to have these parties in a semi-controlled environment than at an anonymous house five miles off campus?

Stereotypes invariably stem from a certain amount of truth. Therefore, when a fraternity member tells you his greek chapter is an upstanding, alcohol-free institution, the impulse to snicker should not be withheld. But constant accusations by college students that frat guys represent nothing more than alcohol abuse and idiotic behavior - allegations made mostly by insecure, passive people who condemn greek life out of fear and resentment - is an unfair characterization of most fraternity members. As always, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

At times like these, it's more important than ever to understand why fraternities exist - and why universities support them. It's equally as important to remind administrators why frats should continue to receive that support.

It's just as important for greek gentlemen to remember that actions speak louder than words.