Page 112 - Phoenix2001-02

Wednesday, March 13,2002· Page 4 Greeks have bad reputation ormalcy is overrated Jill Thalhimer disputes the Colby Goodrum discusses his "stereotypes that Greek members In real life, sororities and fraternities do discrepancies with outside However, in the process of everythln obtain. partybur they also do many beneficial things appearances. being made normal. things merge togethe for our community. and become less defined. You see the keg parties, the beer bongs, They participate in service projects, they There are a lot of things in the world that This is exactly why normal people wo the streaking through campus ...and you as. raise money for various charitable organi- orry people; nuclear war and war in gen- me. If I am walking down the street and se sume it's a bunch of frat guys. zations, and set an example of true friend- ral, global warming, Medicare, retirement, a bunch of people behaving themselves an You see girls walking around with an at- ship and leadership. Being involved in Greek nd now there is terrorism to worry about dressing similarly. it is difficult to flgur titude surrounding them, and assume they are life can teach a person many things. lore seriously. However, all of these things them out. sorority girls. Well, in some cases, you're Not only are you encouraged to become ale in comparison 10 what worries me most: r know something must be wrong wi right, but the truth is that Greeks are no more ormal people. them, but Ijust do not know what. likely to party and be snobby than other stu- The friends you make are I kid you not, I have a bumper sticker In a different instance if I am walkin dents. hat says, "Normal People Worry Me." This down the street and pass a craggily old rna From movies like Animal House and Le- forever and that is aises the question of: who can be defined gally Blonde, a false image is portrayed of something that can never s normal? sororities and fraternities. In the classic Normal is most simply defined as people The cause of this constant movie Animal House, John Belushi portrays be taken away. r things that go along with the norm of so- need for normalcy seems the epitome of a frat guy. iety, which makes perfect sense, but even Doesn't go to class, drinks beer like its ithin this definition there will be debate to derive from our society water, and hits on girls regularly. As we all a leader in your chapter, but also around cam- bout what exactly is normal. know, these guys do exist. but they are not pus and in the community as a whole Regardless of what the hell normal needing everything to be the norm. Frat guys are just like any other Each person is given confidence and life eans, the state of being normal is some- defined ... guys. There are as many sleazy guys in frats skills that last a lifetime. ing that concerns our society, as there are in any other organizations. The friends you make are for forever, and Everything we experience we want to be talking to himself, or a person with blu In Legally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon that is something that can never be taken orma!. From the normal ingredients found and her sorority sisters only feed into the ste- away. n the back of food packages, to your mom spikes come out the side of their head. it i much easier for me to reach that ever so im reotypes of sorority girls. I know of no so- Don't buy into the hype you see in mov- sking you to act normal at your grandpar- rorities on any campus that have exercise ies or on TV; that is just not the reality. So nrs' house (maybe this didn't happen to ponaru definition. and say: "he' I can look at those people rooms in their houses, or an entrance way don't judge people by some letters on a sweat ou"). a burn, and he's a freak." I don't get tha that looks like a palace. shirt. The cause of this constant need for nor- same closure from looking at someone wi And even if the house is nice, the fake Get to know people for who they are. And ley seems to derive from our society need- a freshly cleaned shirt. and ironed pants. attitudes that the girls in the movie have are who knows, you just might want to go Greek ng everything to be defined, because hav- clearly not a reality. yourself. g something defined makes people feel -Cefby Goodrum is a junior The truth is, most girls have attitudes, -Jill Thalhlmer is a sophomore ore comfortable. English-Philosophy major. Greek or not. It'~ more about being female, Social Work major. not about being in a sorority. The worst possible type of Patriotism 1 offer fhe foJ/owing because, it would (all of which contained prominent images against us. What are your seem, America's sympathy stops where its of the Twin Towers) to the removal of the Now, it seems we are back to our old greed and denial begin. Towers as the "backdrop" for the many TV selves, making money wherever we can, I spend a lot of time on Ebay: not so much shows' that take place in New York, many even if it means selling reminders of our thoughts? Feel to shop, but rather because I believe you can people are acting as though their countries collective pain to each other. tell a lot about a society by what it buys and greatest tragedy possess no physical remind- T love this country and its people, but free to respond selis. Over the past few months, I have ers. something about. this latest venture of ours learned more about our society than rever In fact, if we do still want the Twin Tow- truly bothers me. expected. ers in our lives, they come at a cost: liter- Ihate thinking that we only mourned the whether you Since September II, 2001, our country ally. lost of the World Trade Center, as well as has been understandably sensitive regarding On Ebay, the Twin Towers, and our those with it, until we found a way to make agree or the of certain and sym- memories of them, are selling to the highest money from the tragedy. bidder. But, it appears some of us have done just As you could have guessed, the sudden that. disagree with recall and banishment of Twin Tower related In any event, I think we have handled the items has only driven up there value on the lost of the World Trade Center in the worst aftermarket, which makes the denial of their way possible. what has been existence not only puzzling but downright Between those trying to put its existence we have not only dis- written. Address disturbing. behind them and those profiting from their denial, While 1 lost no one close countrymen's those who lost their lives in the de- honored to me in the terrorist struction of the World Trade Center but dis- your articles to attacks of September 11, 1 honored ourselves as survivors. the World Trade Center, the Commentary As I have said before, I deeply hope they would like to think that, decided to rebuild be it in the likeness of the first towers or not, had I, 1 would have the because it seems some among us doubt section, or call courage to honor them by America's ability to rebound from tragedy. be Erin Romanski We have to teach these people that our con- Mike Wiles facing, and celebrating, flicts cannot be denied, but also cannot profited from. what we once had in the While T lost no one close to me in the bois in our every day lives. The Twin Tow- terrorist attacks of September II, I would at x8600for ers of the World Trade Center are perhaps great state of New York, like to think that, had I, I would have the the best examples. and by letting others know courage to honor them by facing and cel- more Unfortunately, our society has all but ebrating what we once had in the great state decided the best way to deal with the pain of itis alright for them to do of New York, and by letting others know it .information. these lost symbols is to pretend they never the same. is alright for them to do the same. existed. We need to bring back the Twin Towers, In the past six months, the Twin Towers Clearly, this situation does not speak well if not in reality at least in our heart and minds. have been aggressively removed from our of our country. In the weeks following Sep- I remember the World Trade Center. Do collective psyche. tember II, I was genuinely impressed by you~ •• •• • From the recall of all promotional mate- America's ability to come through in the .. -Mike Wiles IS a JUDIor Enghsh rial for the forthcoming Spiderman movie :"'_f clutch and suck together when the'bd'dS'w~te:l~major. I.i~ ! A/