SOA brothers same as other frats
Hello,
I just wanted to comment on all that has been going on with the two "hazardous" fraternities SOA and EI. I know many members of SOA personally, and if it means anything, I think that the public should know that they are not some creepy gang members but rather really great guys. This, of course, is a blanket statement. I will not sit here and lie; these guys drink and smoke, just like any other 20-year-old fraternity members. I have attended other "legal" fraternity parties and the members of these so called "legit" organizations engage in THE SAME EXACT activities. Some SOA members are at the top of their class and are outstanding students. Others, of course are not. But this whole movement to criminalize them is a bit ridiculous. In the end, it truly attracts more members into the fraternity which is awesome for the organization and the guys. I know this is a huge rant, but I needed to speak up and say something for the guys who have been like family to me for during my past three years at AU.
Sincerely,
Sara R.
EI waits for university recognition
In the September 28, 2006 edition of The Eagle it was reported that, according to an attributed source, the organization Epsilon Iota "does not follow any sort of by-laws and engages in questionable behavior such as hazing and excessive drinking."
As the President of Epsilon Iota, it is not only my duty to know the by-laws of the organization, but to enforce them with the rest of my Executive Board.
The university administration has clearly not put in the time or effort to examine the reasons why Epsilon Iota is so strong and so resilient. One of the primary reasons is because we have, contrary to popular belief, a set of rules and principles that govern the behavior of our organization.
In the fall of 2003, judicial cases were brought against the individual members of Epsilon Iota in an attempt to expose them as Alpha Tau Omega "rip-offs." At this the administration was unsuccessful. Instead, the legitimacy and right of Epsilon Iota to exist within the Washington, D.C., community was established.
In the past, members of Epsilon Iota have interned at the White House and Capitol Hill, served our country in Iraq and been elected to the university's student Senate. In addition to being students and friends, we are all part of an unrecognized, social organization. Our brothers do not lie about and are not ashamed of this fact. We have waited years for the administration at American University to do the same.
We are still waiting.
Anonymous
