Tubasaluki: Quoting music since 2003

You may have seen the previews for the new show on ABC Family “Greek”. I would encourage you not to watch it, for reasons given below. This show actually disgusts me how it depicts the Greek system. I sent this to ABC Family, where it will never be read.

To whom it may concern,

I am very disappointed in ABC Family’s newest show “Greek”. As a member of a fraternity (Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia) myself, I am disheartened and angered at this show which portrays a negative and very false image of the Greek system.

Being a Greek has, I believe, taught me how to be a better leader, a better friend, and a better person. These qualities did not come from throwing keggers or by chasing after girls. It came from working together with the brothers in my chapter to help the community and our school through various projects such as campus clean-ups and Mills Music Missions, where our chapter will go sing at a retirement community or hospital.

I have worked with men and women from other fraternities and sororities and nearly all are of outstanding character. Individuals and chapters alike are devoted to making our university and community as good as it possibly can be. Greek organizations are the first to volunteer members for campus and community events, and our efforts have been recognized many times by Southern Illinois University and the city of Carbondale.

Your show has decided to overlook all the outstanding benefits of joining a Greek organization, and instead has decided to dwell on a very negative and very false perception of Greek life. Your previews for the show depict hazing, to use one example. I know for a fact that my fraternity and several others have adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards hazing. We do not pressure probationary members to drink, we do not force them to wear women’s clothing, and we do not force them to do anything that they don’t want to do. The Greek community realizes the dangers and horrors of hazing and is doing its part to rid the practice from its organizations.

I will admit there are a few real life organizations that give the Greek system a bad name, but these stories are becoming scarcer and scarcer. The good that these organizations do is rarely given the attention it deserves, but it is happening.

I am guessing that you find a real depiction of Greek life to be boring, and not attractive enough for ratings. But, keep in mind you are passing along this negative and false image to another generation of television viewers. This show may turn people away from Greek organizations, and will never get a chance to take in all the system has to offer.

I ask that you pull the show from your line-up due to its extremely negative view on the Greek system, or at least diminish the role negative stereotypes play in the show. The Greek community can do wonders for the personal growth and maturation of a collegiate, but your show reduces us all to mindless nimrods.

Thank you for your time,

Alan Hoffmann
Senior, Southern Illinois University
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia –Epsilon Kappa

If you’re a Greek or simply know that this show is wrong, I would encourage you to write to the network and tell them. The show depicts an incredibly false image of what it means to be in a fraternity, and as I said in the letter, it could scare people away from joining an orginization.

Fighting the good fight, I guess.

Alan