Less whining, more partying
By Rowan Carlsen
Published on Thursday, March 2, 2006
To the Editor:
If a non-student were to read all the indignant op-eds The Dartmouth has published concerning Frat-Free Friday, he or she might imagine our campus is in the midst of a heated gender war. The brave and vocal men and women writing to The Dartmouth to argue for their "faction" would likely seem to be leaders, representatives for all the angry students who share their feelings. And yet, I haven't really noticed the wounded lying in gutters, or any pitchfork-armed sorority mobs roaming Webster Avenue.
Is it possible that this whole controversy is really the domain of just a few self-righteous individuals, trying to vent their fury over a lack of girls in the fraternity basement, or an unsuccessful sorority party?
It certainly seems that way to me. My female friends haven't ceased their usual weekend activities: no, not trying to establish female-oriented spaces, but rather, well, having fun. And isn't that what this is all about to begin with? Are we really going to delegate where people ought to go to celebrate, or to just let off some steam after yet another midterm?
The last time I was in a frat basement, it didn't seem like the girls were unhappy about being there, or were trying to escape the cruel dominion of evil brothers. Maybe if sororities want people to hang out in their basements, too, they should try to make their parties more fun for everyone instead of insulting frats and organizing boycotts. What a novel idea.