Original Article: http://dartreview.com/archives/2001/05/14/letters_to_the_editor.php
Monday, May 14, 2001
Wah-Hoo-Wah
To the Editor:
Eugene Long's a boor ('Salp 'Em: Another Perspective,' 4/30/01). If Mr. Long wants to be treated as a gentleman pe,rhaps he should consider acting like one: Apologize to the lady and the brothers for boorish behavior and let the fascist Dartmouth administration do what it likes.
Donna Baird
To the Editor:
I admire the way Eugene Long has handled himself during the 'Wah-Hoo-Wah' escapade. At no time did he ever say anything that could even be remotely construed as suggesting actual violence. He is guilty of name-calling, though, and for that the College should immediately make him stay in for recess and write a letter home to his mother.
I share with him the disillusionment with the administration at this school, although its utter irrationality has never been focused so directly at me as it has at him. In fact, I am also disgusted in the student body's response to issues such as this one. The only position that one is allowed to hold is the emotional, knee-jerk, irrational, PC party line. '-l fraternity brother was saying 'Wah-Hoo-Wah?'' Well, that saying is offensive and suggests violence. The fraternity and the boys involved should be punished.' This is the knee jerk response. No one takes the time to think that, even if 'Wah-Hoo-Wah' is not a nice thing to say, there is no law against it, nor a College rule against it. Thinking for one's self is too hard, I suppose. Or maybe there should be a College rule against saying 'Wah-Hoo-Wah.' Maybe we should form a new committee and compile a list of phrases that are not allowed to be uttered by Dartmouth students.
Finally, I applaud his statement, 'I have no remorse whatsoever for anything I did, and I find your attempts to punish me ridiculous.' Every time fraternities do something unsavory in the eyes of the college or the student body, they are so quick to apologize even if they believe they committed no wrong. It is clear to see why this is the case, though. Rather than get in a long ugly fight about it and draw unwanted attention, it is easier to quickly defuse the situation by issuing an apology, no matter how ridiculous the charges. Long's courage for refusing to apologize is admirable.
Dave Reed '02
Fraternities and the Faculty
To the Editor:
Since I was a little boy, I have been taught to judge people by their deeds, not by pre-conceived notions. I have been taught that prejudice is bad and to have an open mind. Today, as an activist for several charities, I practice that creed. If only the faculty were as open-minded.
There is now a faculty call to abolish fraternities. I heard this first 22 years ago, when it was called the Epperson proposal. It was based on perceived knowledge of the fraternities, coming from faculty members who had learned everything they knew about fraternities from watching 'Animal House'. You might as well claim to know everything about Chinese culture from watching 'Charlie Chan' re-runs. Prejudice is a hard thing to deal with, especially the prejudice of the faculty.
My fraternity, Gamma Delta Chi, has been a local fraternity since 1935. It is a New Hampshire corporation, subject to the laws of this state. It owns the property on which its chapter house stands. We alums take pride in our brotherhood and remain involved in the organization. We are, like the College, an educational institution. But we are teaching leadership and how to be a part of a team. The skills I learned as an undergraduate officer, then as a director, I have applied to my community work. Yes, folks, the skills I learned in coercing my fellow students to grab mops and clean up are now being used to assist homeless AIDs sufferers.
We have pride in our accomplishments. We combined chapters from four national fraternities into one board. We were one of the first houses to admit African-American students. We were the first to admit Jewish students. We were the first house to become coed, and when the numbers weren't there, the first to return to all-male. Our alums have become teachers, professors, ministers, Peace Corps workers, lawyers, doctors, travel writers, composers, and, like me, community activists. To take us as a pack of sexist, homophobic whites-only clubs is to ignore the realities of our history and our place at the College. To believe that the activities of one condemns all is as silly as saying that Charlie Chan represented all Asians.
Let's back down on the emotions, folks. Charges against a fraternity have been made. Let us allow the proceedings to take place according to policies. I would encourage faculty members to learn more about fraternities by volunteering as advisors, where they can observe the activities of the members and thus be able to act on the basis of facts, not bigotry.
Jeff Newman '82
Zeta Psi
To the Editor:
The members of the Zeta Psi fraternity should be congratulated for expressing their First Amendment rights and for acting like males with balls. For too many years now there has been a creeping anti-male bias in the U.S. Feminists want to castrate or feminize males, then turn the U.S. into a matriarchal society. In other words out with John Wayne and in with Jane Fonda.
Roger Exton
Will Leitch
To the Editor:
Stefan Beck's writing about Internet semi-celebrity Will Leitch ('Will Leitch: Internet Semi-Celebrity', 4/9/2001) left me with a warm place in my heart. It is nice to see the writers out in cyberspace get the recognition that we all pine for as we sit in front of a lonely computer screen placing our thoughts, impressions, stories and findings onto an abstract piece of one's and zero's that define our writing style.
Beck's interpretation of ironminds.com is right on the mark, a long-winded but worthwhile trip into the foibles and insight of the Midwestern mind.
Congratulations Leitch, for creating a product that is not only understood, but sought out. Further, congratulations Beck, for honoring what is possibly the least noble profession (but never without its appealing charm), creating a memorable, referenced, and often read piece of personal creation. To tell a story, it takes only a sharp memory of the event. To create an event of reading someone else's story takes a clever writer and a keenly honed wit.
G. Joe Walberg
Moving On
To the Editor:
Please discontinue sending me copies of The Dartmouth Review. I have concluded that Dartmouth is no longer the college I attended and every edition of the paper has become depressing. I could simply throw it out without reading, but I do not care to reduce your efforts in the slightest way.
There was a time when I had hopes that some organization would take steps to restore the character of the college and its concentration on student education and character development. That was not to be, my letters went unanswered, leading me to conclude that the Dartmouth of 60 to 100 years ago no longer existed nor was it desired.
Therefore, I am moving on. I wish you good fortune in your efforts.
William Watson, Jr.