We’re all about equal rights – for men, women, minorities, religious groups, etc. But every once in a while an issue pops up that just reeks of overzealous political correctness to the point of complete and utter absurdity.\nA decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the College of Staten Island’s right to deny official recognition to an all male fraternity because it doesn’t allow women. \nJust to clarify, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a fraternity as “a men’s student organization formed chiefly for social purposes of having secret rites and a name consisting of Greek letters.” \nThe decision overturned the August 2006 ruling of a lower court that ordered the College of Staten Island (a campus of the City University of New York system) to recognize a new chapter of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and to provide the privileges that go along with the official status. \nBecoming unapproved by the College does not prevent the fraternity from existing, holding meetings, excluding women or recruiting new members. However, lack of official recognition means that the chapter will not be able to receive university funding, use university facilities or recruit members at student events. \nIt is obvious that these restrictions will significantly hinder the fraternity’s operations. \nAn official statement from the New York Solicitor General’s office – which represented the university – said: “This opinion rightly enables the College of Staten Island to pursue their commitment to creating a community devoid of prejudice.”\nA “community devoid of prejudice” is a good thing, but how does a male-only fraternity constitute discrimination? Because women’s fraternities and sororities probably want to stay women-only, and men’s fraternities probably want to stay male-only, trying to force social change is silly. Furthermore, coed fraternities do exist.\nMen’s and women’s fraternities are complementary institutions within the larger greek system. The College of Staten Island definitely chose the wrong approach when it comes to the whole “letter of the law vs. spirit of the law” thing. Unfortunately, the College of Staten Island is convinced that some poor girl is being discriminated against because she’s just dying to live in a house with a lot of dirty, boozy males.
DISSENT:\nJust because male-only fraternities have only ever admitted dudes doesn’t mean it should be that way forever. Remember when blacks couldn’t join fraternities? The justification then – tradition and history – is the same one used today to bar women. Sure, men and women are different, and the whole greek system would be shaken. Nevertheless, saying that fraternities and sororities are separate but equal sounds a lot like, well, “separate but equal.” You know, that thing the Supreme Court struck down in 1954 as blatant discrimination. Sometimes the system needs to change because it’s the right thing to do. Guys live with girls in dorms, houses and apartments; why not fraternities? -- Peter Chen
