Idiot College Students Think Partying Is More Important Than Preventing Rape
Sometimes, college students take their youthful energy and optimism and use it to create meaningful change. Other times, their enthusiasm for “rights” and against “the man” is used to support questionable causes. That appears to be the case with a certain irony-proof student at Johns Hopkins, who has put up hundred of flyers around campus protesting the recent temporary suspension of parties held by fraternities and sororities after an alleged rape in one of the frat houses. Because it’s not fair, Mom! I didn’t even do anything! How come all of us have to get punished?! Forget it. I’m never coming out of my room again.
A couple of weeks ago, a 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two men in one of the bathrooms of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. None of the three people involved were students at Johns Hopkins. In response, the school sent out a letter to students notifying them that all such parties would be temporarily suspended. A copy of that letter was shared with Jezebel, who ran the following quote from it:
We recognize that the decision to postpone social events pending an implementation plan has disappointed members of the student body and reduced opportunities to relax and socialize together this past weekend. But we also know that there is broad consensus in our community that we have serious issues that must be addressed, and in the Johns Hopkins way: openly; fearlessly; with respect for evidence-based best practices; and, above all, with the welfare of our students, guests and entire community as our first concern.
This is a good letter. This is a respectful letter from a school that is trying to look out for the welfare of its students while getting its collective shit together. But according to this pricelessly idiotic letter, you’d be wrong. In the astonishingly tone-deaf and selfish flyer, the author(s) argue that banning these parties without consulting the student body first means that their voices are not being heard and their right to make decisions is being taken away from them. Huh. That’s kinda like what someone who has been raped feels like, except that we are talking about a goddamn kegger instead of a person’s dignity.
Jezebel’s Anna Merlan shared some choice quotes from the flyer:
The flyer begins “Life at Hopkins is royally fucked.” It adds: “Depriving you of revered traditions, like The Administration attempted to with Beer Garden, is a rash and repugnant decision. Additionally, the attack on the Greek system as a whole for the actions of a few individuals is unjust.”
The flyer also says that Greek parties are a way for everyone to deal with the crushing stress of going to Johns Hopkins: “[U]nreasonable stress demands a support system that can combat mental health issues. Academic stress at Hopkins is a reason for binge drinking.”
The letter ends, “Cease your apathy. This concerns all of us.” It’s signed DCG 76, apparently a reference to Daniel Coit Gilman, JHU’s first president.
Because Daniel Coit Gilman, who lived from 1831 to 1908 and almost chose a life in the ministry before deciding to devote himself to education, would have been incensed by the cancellation of Beer Garden. I would also say that telling the administration of Johns Hopkins that you need to drink heavily because your classes are hard doesn’t help your cause.
Listen, idiots. You can still go drink beers with your friends. Nobody is trying to stop you from spending your weekends vomiting. But this isn’t about you or your right to have a party — this is about a young girl whose rights really were taken away from her in a heinous and cruel way. Get a little perspective and find a real cause to fight for. The right of rape victims would be an excellent place to start.
Here is the complete letter, which was posted on a Reddit thread for Johns Hopkins Students:
Idiot.
(Photo: Radiokafka / Shutterstock)
