We hate the Badger Herald because you run stories of “alledged” hazing and rape. They never have any basis and are nothing more than rumors you heard and have a few people willing to give a quote. Everyone on Langdon Street knows Sig Ep doesn’t haze and Sigma Chi doesn’t rape. I think its especially telling that both houses are very well respected, especially among the other BIG houses, which quite frankly, is all that matters. The little houses are constantly trying to bring the big houses down and Barb Kautz and Jeff Benson do nothing but encourage it.

why would any Greek house want to come to the Badger Herald with a press release when it’s nothing more than a gossip rag disguised as a “news”paper?

Kevin, if the Badger Herald is full of such great reporters, and “frat boy” such as yourself, shouldn’t you guys know when these events are going on? why should Greeks have to come forward for publicity? you do such a great job fishing out stories about bad stuff. I know when DU is dirty rushing, when DG’s Anchor Splash is going,when AEPi is having their triathalon, even when Pike is having a concert. Everyone in the Greek system knows whats going on in every house. We know what house the girl in the Sigma Chi case is in. Word travels. Shouldn’t take much digging or effort to find stuff to report about in Greek life, especially good stuff.

Kevin:

It’s not always about what a news organization reports; it’s about how it reports the information. While I appreciate your editorial above, no responsible news organization would have printed four articles about an alleged incident without any substantiation of the facts. I also understand the Badger Herald’s desire to print stories of interest to the campus, but the notion of responsible reporting must be considered as well. Consider this before you write an editorial “next time some frat screws up.”

not respected by me, bro

Hi,

I’m a Sigma Chi up in Canada. I think everything I have read so far draws excellent points towards the debate in progress. If I may, coming from a somewhat minimized exposure to Greek life, Canadians do not emphasize Greek life as much as Americans, I do tend to agree that there is less positive feedback than there is negative.

Now that’s most likely because it’s so much easier to report on negative exposure because, quite frankly, it’s more thought provoking. “Why would they do that?” “What kind of people are they?” “Who in their right mind…?” But I believe that is a habit that has developed in the journalistic world.

I think you’re right Kevin in that we should take a proactive role by informing the press when we are being philanthropic. It may not be a flashy news article on the front page, or the top story at 6, but it will be there at least. The biggest issue is, as noted above, how the issues are reported. Yes, “frat’s screw up”. I’m pretty sure we all do. We’re human. How the Fraternity in general is dealing with the issue, and what they are doing to a) make sure it doesn’t happen (again) and b) clarifying any issues that are not quite black and white, like the raw �facts� about who is making the claim. Is it a claim? Do they have proof?

I have seen what a “screw up” can do to a chapter. Believe me, it�s not pretty. And most often than not, there are MAJOR repercussions, if not, some serious self esteem issues. It is impossible to determine who is worthy of wearing the badge and who is not. We do our best to determine men of good character and who will be accountable for their actions. But in reality, there�s always a black sheep. And it�s more often than not, their actions that incur the negative criticism that we endure so often. Again, we take them seriously and do our best to rectify the situation.

The government screws up all the time, and when necessary, members resign or are impeached. But you don�t just give up on the system. That would be stupid. So when one of us screws up, just remember, you�ve done something stupid once too. Did you receive just punishment? Do you regret what you did? Don�t think that just because one of us has screwed up that we�re all a bunch of delinquents. We�re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I think most people can agree, we have good intentions, and for the most part, are pretty outstanding people.

So in the future, when some �frat screws up� perhaps the approach you take is what is being done about it now and how they will learn from it? It�s easy to bring focus to someone�s mistakes. It�s a much more skilled journalist that brings interest out of how someone is dealing with the mistake.

All in all, I don�t think you need to worry too much about writing positive stories about fraternities. Or sororities for that matter. But please do consider that much has been skewed and twisted due to the media that�s always in our face nowadays. So perhaps shedding some new light and, even perhaps some older light, but from a different angle. Well written and thought out. I enjoyed it. Thanks for your insight.

Also, not all of us have understood and learned from the lesson Acting and NOT Reacting to a situation. I apologize on behalf of the Brother, mine or not, for insulting your paper.

Again, all of these comments prove how stupid you guys are. Papers print stories about alleged crimes all the time. The crime is alleged all the way up until a judge our jury hands down a verdict. “Alleged’ is not the same as “rumored.” Alleged is a journalistic word required by journalism ethics until the charges are settled. Re: 12:54 … You’re basically suggesting that the BH write stories based on gossip. Who would go on record and say which house the girl is from? Not you. And, yes, the Greek community SHOULD seek out news media with positive press. Any worthy organization would. I bet 80 to 90 percent of this campus hates Greeks. Is it fair? Maybe not. But until you give us a reason to believe you’re not just a bunch of beer guzzling, backwards-hat-wearing, high-five-me-brah rapists, don’t expect anything to change. But then again, you don’t care what everyone else thinks…” both houses are very well respected, especially among the other BIG houses, which quite frankly, is all that matters.”

yo frats suck…keep up the good work herald

I know for a fact my house sends in press releases through the University as well as both newspapers every time we have something going on. I know other houses are the same. Weird that you’re writing this piece, when you should know for a fact that your paper gets these new releases and ignores them, choosing to run gossip from people that think they saw or heard something.

I put more stock in Juicy Campus then I do in the Badger Herald, at least most of the stuff on that site was true.