Editor, Daily Nexus,

In response to Steven Ruszczycky’s article (“Last Call: UCSB’s Greek System Settles in for a Long Dry Spell, Daily Nexus, Sept. 20, 2002), I would like to say, as a member of a fraternity, that this intrusion on our liberties cannot and will not stand. We make up only about 10 percent of this school’s population, yet we are the whipping boys of the administration and the constant butt of the Nexus. Rape, as horrible a crime as it is, is most certainly not the province of the fraternities. There is far more alcohol abuse, which often leads to things like rape, outside of the fraternities.

Since fraternities are organizations, they are easy targets for putting the blame on for the social ills of the college community. We are held responsible for behavior that more independents display than we do. It is time for non-greeks to stop blaming us for all the social problems of our school and community.

The parties on DP are alarmingly uncontrolled, whereas when a fraternity throws a party of any scale, weeks of careful planning are put into them. We have security; we have sober brothers to ensure the safety of our guests; we notify the proper authorities well in advance. We even offer anyone who needs it either a ride home or we escort them home. When someone falls sick or gets injured on our property, we take any and all necessary action to alleviate the situation.

If the university wishes to place such Draconian regulations on us, why do they not do the same to the independents? They are equally, if not more, responsible for the problems of I.V. I want I.V. to have a lively party scene, but those who party and those who throw parties should act in a responsible manner (as we at least try to do). Those who do not act so should be punished accordingly.

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