THE PENDULUM
PAGE 8 // WEDNESDAY. MARCH 9. 2011
Opini
Opinion should be
In the U.S. party system,
Obamacare. Death
panels. Socialized health
care.
No matter which side
of the ideological aisle
you align yourself with,
these are just a few easily
identifiable examples of
the accusatory phrases that
are freely tossed around
and have come to define
the health care debate in
America.
Health care is an
emotionally charged subject
and both political parties have been quick to
poke gaping holes in the arguments of the other.
Add to that the power of the media in framing an
argument, and the nation has witnessed one of the
most controversial and vocal debates over policy
issues in recent history.
based on more than blind allegiance
true understanding of the health care bill gets lost
Caitlin O’Donnell
Columnist
With contradictory reports about the
consequences of the bill and exaggerated
allegations against those who support it, citizens
are often left unaware of their benefits or
completely misinformed.
As a result, the political line has been drawn.
Whether they know anything about the bill at all
is irrelevant - Republicans don’t support it and
Democrats do. It’s as simple as that.
Long-standing political grudges have gotten in
the way of good sense.
A few weeks ago, Betty Morgan, associate
professor of political science, drew attention to the
new benefits available to college students as a result
of the bill, specifically the ability to stay on their
parents’ insurance until the age of 26, which she
said allows students to make sound employment
decisions. We, as college students, are the ones who
stand to gain the most if this bill goes into effect.
If, as Morgan pointed out, the lives of young
adults have been positively transformed, why are
more students not adamantly fighting for the health
care bill’s continuance?
In many cases, it is a matter of people failing
to educate themselves and instead relying on
politically-charged rhetoric that has twisted the
truth into an almost unrecognizable state.
People are not going to argue for something they
don’t understand themselves.
Rather than naively picking a side in the
argument and defining a personal stance based on
biased political ideals, Americans should take the
road less traveled and think beyond the influences
of the media and talking heads.
Fight for the continuation of the bill or don’t.
But at the least develop a knowledgeable argument
founded on personal research and independent
thought. Choose to be a member of the Democrat,
Republican, Independent, Libertarian or any other
party for that matter. Just don’t let the espoused
beliefs of those political parties become the only
way to define right and wrong.
Varying sides to tlie story: Greek Life at Elon
Greek Life offers so much
more than just a group of
similarly-pinned friends
Lindsay Kimble
Columnist
“Why
would you
want to
pay for
friends?”
Every
Greek Life
member has
probably
been
asked this
question
numerous
times.
And while
it is awkward to answer, it just
exemplifies the ignorance that
fuels dislike for Greek Life.
While, obviously, Greek societies
are not for everyone, those who
criticize Interfraternity Council,
Panhellenic Council and National
Pan-Hellenic Council organizations
should be educated about the
countless benefits that come
from membership before making
a judgment, even if membership
does come at a small cost.
It’s easy to get lost at Elon.
From that first organization fair
in September to the countless
e-mails from student groups and
clubs, many new Elon students
sign up for one too many things.
1 felt lost as a freshman, trying to
navigate the tough academic rigor
of college while simultaneously
balancing my newfound friends
and the 15 organizations that were
e-mailing me. Many students find
this transition easier upon joining
a Greek program,as I did.
Greek organizations give
students a new avenue to become
involved in the university, offering
a large support network and a
family away from home. There
are 25 Greek organizations on
campus, two of which are new
this academic year. Every student
is given the opportunity to rush
any of these organizations and
hopefully find a home that fits
their goals and personality.
Each organization operates
differently, but students involved
get to participate in activities such
as individual philanthropy events
and Greek life-specific activities
like Greek Week in April. Greek
organizations often interact as a
full community, dispelling rumors
of competition and rivalry. In the
fall, Greek Life operated a trick-or-
treat event in the Greek courts for
Elon faculty and staff’s children.
Each Greek organization had
representatives working together
to help kids decorate cookies and
paint pumpkins.
According to the Elon Greek
Life webpage, a study conducted
by the Center for Advanced
Social Research at the University
of Missouri found that Greek-
affiliated alumni have higher
incomes than non-Greek alumni.
Students who join sororities and
fraternities are also 28 percent
more likely to return to school
after joining a Greek organization.
At Elon alone, Greek
organizations budget, collect and
expend more than $600,000 a
year, operating as a self-governing
organization.
Greek Life provides nearly 200
leadership positions for students,
including president, chapter life
director, Panhellenic delegate and
more. In the past 10 years, Elon’s
Greek community has raised
and donated nearly $26,000 and
7,000 service hours to charitable
organizations.
For many people, their only
impression of Greek Life draws
from popular college movies
and television programs like
ABC Family’s “Greek.” Greek
organizations are portrayed
as out-of-control groups who
like to party and have little
concern for academics. Yet the
information given here should
be a strong indicator that Greek
Life is more than just petty social
organizations.
It’s an opportunity for students
to find a home away from home,
to network with their peers and
alumni, to actively participate
and contribute to a philanthropy,
to operate as a leader on campus
and to join a fully-functioning
community.
When everybody else is
doing it, being Greek at
Elon loses its distinction
Robert Woehner
Columnist
If Elon
failed the
senior
class in any
aspect, it
was this; a
fraternity
was never
established
for Coldplay
fans. Its
message
would
have been
simple and
powerful: Viva la Vida. Instead of
pink shorts, loose button-ups and
Vineyard Vines, members would
have donned 17th century French
Revolutionary costumes. Perhaps
if the band releases a few more
Pitchfork approved albums, this
dream will come true.
As far-fetched as this sounds,
with new and alternative Greek
organizations being introduced,
recent trends at the university
suggest that Greek Life will continue
to expand. This spring, two new
organizations were launched and
last week, The Pendulum reported
that two students are exploring
the possibility of starting a Jewish
fraternity on campus.
The students interviewed about
the Jewish fraternity repeatedly
stated the need for an increased
Jewish presence and voice on
campus. That is a worthy goal and
one that should be supported.
Why, though, would being Greek
validate those values? I pose that
same question to young Christians,
band members and others who
have started their own Greek
organization. What some people
call “brotherhood," the rest of
society calls “friendship."
Greek Life is a meaningful
opportunity that should be
embraced by those who wish be
Greek. But everyone isn’t meant to
be Greek. Elon’s response should not
be to encourage Greek expansion
until every possible student feels
they have an organization they can
fit in. That is not the answer.
Besides, the expansion of
anything causes it to lose its
distinction. What it means to be
Greek is lost when everyone is doing
it.
When I was an employee at
the Moseley Center, one of the
hardest questions to answer from
prospective students and parents ^
was, “How prevalent is Greek
Life here at Elon?” I haven’t spent
enough time on another school’s
campus to compare the influence it
has on their student body. But when
I asked this question of someone
else, I got an unconventional, but
interesting response: Look at the
distance between the student center
and the Greek Houses. The closer it
is, the more influential it is.
Of course, the Moseley Center is
just a corn-hole throw away from
the Greek Houses of the Loy Center.
This should be no surprise.
From an administrator’s point of
view, Greek Life is an essential
component to the university. Elon,
North Carolina does not have nearly
the physical and logistical features
to socially sustain 5,000 students.
It’s very simple: there isn’t enough
for everybody to do. With more than
40 percent of students worrying
about formals, theme parties and
volunteering, entertaining a restless
student body is a lot easier.
But with Greek Life developing,
any increased resentment that
grows should be addressed. Just
as no one should be questioned for
deciding to be Greek, no one should
be questioned for deciding not to
be Greek. People shouldn’t create
ridiculous acronyms to compensate
for being unaffiliated. Being Greek
is a choice for a college student,
as is joining an a cappella group
or a rugby team. And just like it
would be nonsense to hate five-part
harmonizers, hating Greeks is not
appropriate either.
Being exclusive is not a crime. It’s
the nature of the game. Resentment
and jealousy of Greeks is out of line.
But frustrations over the system
are not unmerited. The university
must stop prompting one narrative
of a successful and satisfied college
student. Equally alternative ones
are also needed, with or without
Coldplay’s help.