In the past week I was both greatly impressed and disappointed with the Rape Awareness movement. I am a supporter of women's rights and was honestly pleased by the participation in the "Tie a Ribbon" idea. It was a great way to express the school's concern and the turnout was impressive indeed.
What I have recently been unimpressed with are the slanderous attacks on the fraternities on campus. Thursday evening, I noticed chalk signs on the West Campus bus stop flagstones that, in short, pointed an angry finger at a certain fraternity. This slander surfaced on the East Campus bridge as well, and I became quite upset for two reasons. First, being involved in a fraternity I have become quite close to its members, and I know of their high moral standings and ethical beliefs. To generalize in that great of a manner is entirely unprofessional and is reminiscent of McCarthyism. You simply cannot claim to have moral intentions by falsely accusing an organization comprised of ethically upstanding individuals based upon the actions of others.
Secondly, as a supporter and advocate of the movement, it truly saddened me to hear the voice of such a worthy cause turn into bitter accusations and blame. By attacking innocent people, you will eventually lose support and turn once friendly ears into defensive ones. I have spent a great part of my life as an environmental activist, and if you intend to propagate your cause, the first rule you learn is not to falsely accuse people. That's how you make enemies.
I wish the movement all of the success in the world and hope that we can participate in additional activities such as the "Tie a Ribbon" in the future. Yet I fear that if we "cry wolf" too often, those cries will fall on deaf ears and this immensely important cause will have silenced itself.
Nicholas Dilks
Trinity '96
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