The American Spectator

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p> SORORITY ROWS br> Re: Shawn Macomber's Mean Girls and George Neumayr's Thelma and Louise in Iraq : /p> p>Based on your last two exposes of the modern American woman, one might conclude that these days a good woman is hard to find. Take heed, gentlemen. br> -- Blue Ballerina /p>

About halfway through my undergrad days I transferred from a small private college to a large state university that had all the national fraternities on campus. Since my father was a member of a major and well known fraternity, I pledged as a legacy. I was very naive about fraternity life and, as one who had worked his way through both high school and college, I was likewise very independent. Five months after pledging, I depledged myself -- a horrible crime in university life. I was not to become one of the "elite." Oh, the shame of it all. It was such a serious act that I was called before the #3 man in the school's administration. Seems I was the first one in five years to commit such a crime. After all these years I still think that it was one of the best moves I ever made.

The inner workings of large and famous fraternity are living proof that a "Clockwork Orange" attitude abounds within the Greek society. Lying, cheating, forgery, scapegoating and deceptions were the norm. A son from a very wealthy and famous California family would hire fraternity brothers to enroll, take classes and pass tests under his name and registration number. He "earned" his college degree through proxy with the full knowledge and approval of the fraternity. While many of us struggled to make our way, his college days were a four-year vacation of parties and a life of ease. I wonder just what kind of businessman he turned out to be. Most likely a CEO who ripped off the pension funds and would leave the company bankrupt like the ones we read about today. I can't help but think that the college fraternity life fosters such attitudes and behaviors. As an aside, one brother poached a deer out of season and had it hung up to bleed in the tub in the basement of the chapter house. The tub was used as a cold water torture device for those who did not follow the rules. The poor victim was dumped in the icy water that wrapped in a sheet mummy-like which was terrifying.

p>The urge to become part of some special society or cult is very strong. My problem is that I simply cannot turn my life over to the control of a group of any sort. It is no wonder that the sorority sisters are acting like a mindless mob at times.

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