The Antonym of Brotherhood

I never joined a fraternity during college. I always thought that brotherhood was the last thing that these groups had in mind, especially during initiation rites. I mean, how could anyone call their tormentors “brother.”

I had a dorm mate during my sophomore year who tried to join a famous fraternity in campus. We were already told that the recruitment process was a sham since entry therein was by invitation only. However, in order to keep their accreditation as a legitimate school organization, they still conducted yearly recruitments. Of course, the “undesirables” never made it, while the jocks breezed through the initiation rites.

I’m not totally against fraternities. Some actually merit the school and the community’s praises. However, many of these organizations were constituted just to house the hip and famous. Joining these entities is like joining a beauty pageant.

I know I sound a little bit bitter, or that my hatred for most of these groups is very evident. I guess you already have an idea why. During my freshman year, I got a fight with a fraternity member. It’s a geek-versus-jock kind of thing (guess who’s the geek). There was a time when I can’t even walk on the hallway without constantly looking at my back. That fraternity was notorious for maligning students who they deem to be “uncool.”

I heard that some of its members were already charged before the local courts for physical injuries. I wouldn’t even be surprised if the stupid jerk who punched me in the groin has a lengthy criminal record already.

I’m shoveling up buried angst right now. I already forgot about it actually until I saw an article on Yahoo! regarding the expulsion by a sorority of some of its members who didn’t “fit in.”

The expelled members are mostly overweight. Some of them are also members of the minority groups in the society. Many groups criticized the criteria that the organization has. However, the sorority’s governing body has denied allegations of discrimination and has vowed to look into the matter.