Revision of The Effect of the Ban on Students

The Effect of the Ban on Students

            College is the time where students find themselves, it is a new beginning. Of course college is also known for partying and having the time of your life. Rutgers New Brunswick’s large campus is known for its many Greek wild parties. Rutgers New Brunswick has eighty-six recognized fraternities and sororities. Many incidents have caused the school to take action on keeping the campus and the students safer. Wednesday, March 31, 2015 the university officials declared that there has been a ban to all fraternity and sorority parties on the New Brunswick campus and Greek houses. How do the students feel about this ban that is affecting them drastically?

            Earlier in November 2014, an incident involving a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon occurred. The twenty year old girl was hospitalized after heavily drinking in a fraternity house. This caused the fraternity to be shut down. Six other fraternities and one sorority were also under investigation for alcohol abuse. Another incident occurred September 2014 semester involving a nineteen year old freshman female who was hospitalized and later died from alcohol poisoning on College Avenue, where most fraternity and sorority houses are located. The student, Caitlyn Kovacs, was at a party in the Delta Kappa Epsilon house. The Sigma Phi Epsilon, Delta Kappa Epsilon and Omega Phi Beta were all suspended for violating the university’s alcohol policy. In 2013, there were 766 reports of underage alcohol possession on and near New Brunswick campus.

When the school was asked what it indented to do, the statement said, “Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs is taking this step out of caution and concern and will use this time to continue and reinforce its dialogue with the leadership of the university’s 86 recognized fraternities and sororities about Greek life at Rutgers and their responsibilities to the campus community.” The statement also said “Rutgers takes seriously its commitment to maintaining a healthy and safe campus environment.” Rutgers isn’t enforcing this ban as a punishment. Instead, they are doing it because they are trying to make the campus safer.

Many of the students who are participating in Greek life were on board with the decision of the ban. Jacob Dominy, a student involved in a fraternity said, “We haven’t run the parties nearly as well as we should, so I can understand.” Students involved in fraternities and sororities are now beginning to realize their irresponsible behaviors and are accepting the ban very responsibly.

            However, not all students are on the same boat. Another student, Anthony Nicastro says, “I think it’s just a little unfair, to be honest, to the people that actually do the right thing.” Other students are arguing how it is unfair to punish all fraternities and sororities because of the irresponsible decisions a few students have made.

            Another freshman, Bhargay Tarpara, said, “Fraternities and sororities do enable people to have access to alcohol, but the root of the problem is not alcohol, it’s the whole party culture.” Tarpara also explained, “If you suppress something, it will come out even stronger.” This ban may not result in the positive way that the university is hoping for. After the ban is over, the students will want to throw a bigger, more outrageous party to celebrate the end of the semester ban. This will result to other incidents involving alcohol.

Even though this ban made by the OFSA was made for good intentions, there might be many bad outcomes with it. Students will just have their parties somewhere else. This is because many of the students have the mentality that it isn’t fair that they should all suffer because of a few irresponsible decisions some people made.

            Rutgers is known for their famous wild Greek parties. Pal Hellum, a student at Rutgers says, “A lot of seniors who are graduating won’t receive a farewell so it’s pretty upsetting. A large part of what makes Rutgers’s social life is being put to a stop.” The graduating seniors are upset this ban has been set because they wanted to have a good time their last semester as a college student. Those students feel like they shouldn’t be punished for the poor decisions other students were making with alcohol.

            A recent New York article states, “The University said it is taking this step out of “caution and concern.” But some Greeks – including Jeremy Deane, a member of the Gamma Sigma fraternity — think the ban will do more harm than good.” The university might have good intentions with this ban; however, students will just find somewhere else to have their parties where underage drinking will occur. The students in the fraternities and sororities will still have alcohol at the parties where there are under-age students drinking alcohol.

            Students are making other suggestions on how to decrease the amounts of alcohol abuse incidents in fraternities and sororities.  Freshman Namit Satara suggested a ticket system where student attending fraternity and sorority parties need to have a ticket to receive a drink. The member of the fraternity or sorority would use their judgement on whether or not they receive a drink. Hellum suggested that the person behind the bar doesn’t give out too many drinks.

            The ban on Greek life parties was made to prevent other incidents involving alcohol abuse. The ban has affected the students in many different ways. Each student has his/her own opinion and ways he/she can eliminate the incidents involving alcohol abuse. This ban is not intended to punish student but it is there to show them that something needs to be changed. How do you feel about this ban?

Work Cited

Kelly Heyboer | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "Rutgers Fraternity Shut down following

Hospitalization of Drunk Student." N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

"Many Students Not Happy About Fraternity, Sorority Party Ban At Rutgers." CBS New York.

N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.

"Rutgers Bans Fraternity, Sorority Parties." NBC New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.

"Rutgers Student Died from Alcohol Poisoning after Frat Party: Authorities." NY Daily News.

N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

"Some Rutgers Students Frustrated over Greek Life Party Ban." USA TODAY College. N.p., 12

Apr. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

The Voice of the Voiceless

The Voice of the Voiceless

Martin Luther King Jr. is known for many of his incredible speeches. One speech that is very important is “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence.” King’s speech explains why America is being hypocritical. He provides seven reasons to support why he is against the Vietnam War. Some of his reasons are funding being taken away for the war, violence being used and innocent women and children being murdered. When innocent people are being killed and money is being taken away from those who need it, it is time to speak up for the voiceless.

In King’s speech, he explains how the war has taken away funding from organizations for the poor. King states, “There were experiments, hopes, new beginnings. Then came the buildup in Vietnam, and I watched this program broken and eviscerated.” The money that was supposed to be for helping the poor was taken away. With the war going on, the funding program basically was forgotten about. Money that was supposed to be funded for the poor in America was going to the poor somewhere else.

I am personally dealing with a situation that relates to King’s argument. I attend Fairleigh
Dickinson University as a part of the Educational Opportunity Fund program. This program is sponsored by the state of New Jersey, in which students who want to attend college but cannot because of their financial status. However, Governor Christie wants to cut the funding of the program by 1.5 million dollars to increase other state funded programs. The EOF students have taken action to send letters to local senators and assemblymen to convince them to reconsider cutting the funds. My EOF peers and me are choosing to break the silence and speak up.

Sending these letters to the senators and assemblymen is our way of speaking up. These letters explain what the program means to us and how our lives have changed. By sending these letters, we are showing that we will not stay silent when the program that made it possible for us to be here at FDU is being cut. 

Along with the governor being a hypocrite because he is taking away funds from the EOF program to give to other funds, King also explains how the nation is being a hypocrite.  A nation that doesn’t believe violence will solve anything is in war, using violence. The young men ask, “What about Vietnam? King writes, “Their question hit home, and I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today- my own government. For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent.” King was against living in a nation that was using violence. He had to speak up. The silence had to be broken by the one who can be the voice of the voiceless.

One case that involved thousands of people nationwide speaking up for the voiceless is the Michael Brown case. Brown was shot by a white police officer. This caused uproar in society because many thought it was unfair that the police officer who shot Brown was not indicted.  A recent CNN article states, “The 18-year-old was shot by police officer in a St. Louis suburb on Saturday, sparking a federal civil rights inquiry, local protests and national debate,” (Shoichet).  As the case began, not many people were following, but as media developed the story, more people took notice. After there was no indictment given to the police officer, protests increased in the most popular cities in America. Thousands gathered in New York City, Washington DC and even Los Angeles to speak up and break the silence about the injustice that was committed in the killing of Michael Brown.

While some cases are being spoken up for, others are not. Recently, three young students were a part of what has been explained to be a hate crime. There has been a shooting in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that killed three innocent Muslims. Craig Hicks shot the two females and male where the media didn’t acknowledge it as a big deal. The media only portrays Muslims as terrorists. When a Muslim is involved in terrorism, the media blows it up. This causes people to be afraid of Muslims and not want to associate with them. This is a time to break the silence because if things don’t change, Muslims will always be known as terrorists.

The Chapel Hill shooting and the Michael Brown case were two major events that were hate crimes. However, the Brown case was spoken up for. When the Chapel Hill Shooting occurred, the media just disregarded it. Muslims are only the center of attention in the media when there is a terrorist attack. This causes the world to see Muslims as terrorists only. There are many opportunities to speak up for the voiceless. The Chapel Hill shooting is another opportunity to speak up for the three innocent Muslims.

     

       Innocent Muslims in Palestine were being killed. In his speech, King also explains how innocent women and children were being killed in the war. In Palestine, a war has been going on for over fifty years and innocent people are being killed because of this war over land. Knowing I cannot do much about this, my family and I have decided to send money to family and friends that need it over there. Organizations have been created to contribute to them as well. Many people all over the country became the voice of the voiceless in this war. Walks were made with hundreds of people holding Palestinian flags and signs with the hashtag free Palestine. The pictures of the walks were posted on social media to raise awareness of what is going on. The voiceless people in the war didn’t have freedom. Doing the walks was a way for people to speak up for the people in Palestine.

            Muslims weren’t the only ones who didn’t have freedom. Fredrick Douglas writes “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” explaining what Fourth of July means for blacks. Douglas explains, “A day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.” Douglas is saying that Negros don’t really celebrate the Fourth of

July because they don’t have independence. Douglas explains that blacks do not have freedom because they are slaves. Blacks were being sold for labor and weren’t allowed to express themselves. If a slave was caught trying to learn, they would be killed. The silence has to stop because the Negros are being treated unfairly. When Negros are treated unfairly because of their skin color, it is time to speak up. It isn’t fair that they don’t get the same privileges as whites just because of the color of their skin. They shouldn’t feel like they don’t have independence on a day that is marked to be the day of independence. This is not a nation for just whites nor is it a nation just for blacks. It is one nation for both blacks and whites who should have equal freedom. There have been many protests and fights to get the same freedom for the blacks. The Africans are speaking up for the ones who died of slavery.

            In Dr. King’s speech, he explains how we should voice the voiceless by speaking up for the ones who cannot. With the Educational Opportunity Funds being cut, the Michael Brown Case, the War in Palestine and the three Chapel Hill students, it is time to speak up for the ones that are too afraid and the ones that were too late, such as Michael Brown who was killed. The innocent people that are being killed are too afraid to stand up for themselves. We have to be the voices of the voiceless.

A Free Slave

A Free Slave

            In James McBride’s The Good Lord Bird, McBride explains a story about a boy who was kidnapped at the age of ten. The boy, Onion, spends most of his life as a girl. Throughout Onion’s journey, he ends up in a whore house where he meets Pie, a slave whore. Outside the whore house, there is a slave pen where Onion meets Sibonia. Both slaves have different life styles- Pie lives in the “big house” with her own room, a luxurious bed, good food and doesn't do any manual labor while Sibonia lives in the pen and has to do manual labor. Therefore, the way they live makes Sibonia freer.

            Freedom is a privilege that not everyone has. Freedom is having the ability to express yourself through the practice of religion, race and sexual orientation without judgment. If one has the ability to express him or herself in a way that makes him or her happy, then one is free. You don’t have to be able to say the first thing that comes to your mind to be considered free. Freedom isn’t validated on what you can and cannot say.       

       However, in previous generations having freedom wasn’t always a choice, especially for African Americans. During this time, Africans were being sold and enslaved. They didn’t have the opportunity to learn how to read and write, which made it hard for them to express themselves.  Slave owners didn’t want the slaves to be literate because through literacy they would gain knowledge that would help them be free.  
        Sibonia is owned by a white woman, Miss Abby. Sibonia acts crazy because she wants others to perceive her as crazy. She sits on a wooden box, clacking and babbling. “Don’t mind her. She is feebleminded,” (161). Sibonia acts in this way so people don’t question her or what she does, which comes to her advantage because she is planning an insurrection against white families. People wouldn’t pay much attention to her because of how she acts. Her plan to rebel shows her freedom because she is able to stand up for what she believes in. 

Even though Sibonia lives in the pen she is surrounded by other slaves who share the same feeling as her about slavery. “When you hear tell of the bible meeting for the colored out here in the yard, come on,” (166). This meeting is to discuss the insurrection they are planning. Having people follow what Sibonia believes in shows her leadership. Having leadership shows that she is not afraid to express her beliefs, making her free. 

Sibonia dies with freedom. After getting caught, Sibonia along with the other eight slaves that were involved, were hung. Before they had a chance to hang her, Sibonia took her own life. “Sibonia suddenly sprung away from him, jumped high as she could, and fell heavily through the galley hole,” (183). Sibonia dies under her own conditions.  After Sibonia’s action her sister states, “Let us die like her,” (183). Sibonia dies for what she believes in. This shows her freedom because she isn’t afraid to take action to prove what she believes is right. 

Pie living in the “big house” doesn’t necessarily mean she is free. “Plus she was in competition with the tavern across the street that didn’t have a colored slave like Pie to bring in money, for Pie was her main attraction,” (158). Since Pie was Miss Abby’s main attraction, she was always busy tending the long line of males that come to have sex with her. This made no time for Pie to do things she wanted to which took away her freedom.  

All in all, even though both Sibonia and Pie are owned by someone, Sibonia is freer. Sibonia is a slave who stood up for what she believed in. She sacrificed her life for her beliefs. Dying for what she believed in proves that she died free. 

In today’s society, people assume having freedom means they are able to do whatever they want whenever they please.  However, in this case, Sibonia who is a slave still manages to have freedom. Sibonia was able to express herself in an insurrection that opened the eyes of many people. Anyone can have freedom if they have the ability to express themselves in one way or another whether it is through religion, race, arts or sexuality.  If you have the ability to do so then you are free.

Treatment Towards Slaves

Works Cited

McBride, James. The Good Lord Bird. New York: NY: Penguin Group, 2013. Print.