Are Fraternities Seperatist Organizations?

The video that showed Oklahoma frat boys singing openly racists songs fed into the national conversation on racism that has risen to its highest volume in years. Because it appears to be an isolated issue, its broader implication can be easily overlooked, just like it has been overlooked for the last 150 years. The fraternity system dates back to first universities in America; however, I'm in to position to speak about fraternal ethics in those early organizations.

Most Americans probably use images of Animal House as their intellectual guide to modern fraternities. In some ways, those memories from the film represent the best of what a fraternity can be. In reality, however, fraternities are much darker, sinister places.

The idea behind most fraternities is that by joining the fraternity you become part of a group that is better than those who do not belong to the fraternity. This group will then provide you with a life long advantage for your career and a multitude of social opportunities. However, for it to work it cannot be open to all. This off course is the basis for the selection process. A process that was nicely depicted in the film Network, as well as a number of other classic films. After selection, there is the initiation process. Finally there is the degradation of the hazing process. A process that is universally sexual, often perverted and always humiliating for those being hazed, while empowering for those doing the hazing. I find it strange that the torture pictures from Abu Ghraib resemble fairly standard fraternity hazing.

The philosophies of the fraternity are steeped in secretive ritual behaviors, many of which have quasi-religious or quasi-satanic elements. This is where I see the strongest connection with America's most infamous fraternal organization, the KKK. In cases where there are great similarities, I think it is safe to say the messages of elitism and the propagation of a separatist "us vs. them" mentally are also similar.

Separatism

Separatism is nothing more than a tool that can be used to shape a bigot or a racist. It is a blunt instrument and the resulting human is both crude and ugly. However, we tolerate separatist because we fail to see the product. However, I ask you to look at the pictures I've include. The ritual dehumanizing behaviors that join separatists into a fraternity are the same dehumanizing behaviors that can be directed towards those that are deemed "other." The only question is: Who is the "other" today?

I will also note that those within fraternities, are in my experience, better sheep than sheep dogs. It only takes one or two to start up a rousing chorus of "Let's Lynch Some Niggers" to get a whole bus full of, perhaps otherwise normal, people to join in the sing along. People who join fraternities are very often weak minded and desperate to be a part of something. If that something is wildly racist, well, too bad.

What About Sororities?

Are sororities also guilty of promoting separatism and racism? Yes, although, usually not in such overt ways as fraternities.

Does my critique apply to everyone who has ever joined a Greek organization? No, of course not; however, I think that has more to do with the quality of the individual's character than an the absence of separatist and racists ideologies in your run of the mill Frat or Sorority house.