I agree that it’s more relevant and suitable to say “welcoming” during rush and steer away from the “omg we’re all so uNIQuE and WeIiirD~” label. But for some of us, we were labeled as “weird” growing up- not for smearing mustard on our faces, but just for not fitting in with the hot cliques of fifth grade. Maybe we just read books during morning breaks or didn’t put on makeup when everyone else did, and that label carried for no good reason on to middle school or high school. Yeah we’re secretly normal and are able to accept and understand it in the real world, but being able to embrace not fitting in, and acknowledge your quirks or ways you don’t fit the media narrative of what a college girl school be, and laugh them off as weird is an extremely positive and healthy thing.
Thank you for taking to the time to be inspiring and thoughtfully work out this situation; as someone in a similar state, I’m still choking down the bitter pill of not getting my organization’s recruitment position. I served on Panhellenic as VPR until an unfortunate chapter-wide fiasco forced me and several others to step down and I always was the one girls came to with ideas about recruitment. I wanted it with all my heart and soul but the advisers actually kept me from being eligible as a position, and everyone is upset about the new initiate who got slated into it and who isn’t turning to anyone for help or listening to any advice. It’s not going to be the end of the world, and I will be here if she decides to delegate or listen to others. Again, I hope that one day I can be just as mature about it.
Or, you know, your personality and overall person is your own individuality, and you simply haven’t matched all of that to another individual because this isn’t the 60s and we aren’t purely in college to find our great loves anymore.
I’m Greek, as in my parents came from a little Mediterranean island and I have joint citizenship, in addition to being affiliated Greek. As a country, we were never asked if a bunch of American college students could take our language and alphabet and emblazon them across shirts and fuck-all for centuries. Does this mean that we could theoretically stage a response as a country and claim that the use of togas and laurels, hell, the names themselves (Phi Gamma Delta how DARE YOU) are all forms of cultural appropriation?
We hold our culture just as dear as any other, because guess what, we have also been conquered and attacked over the years- look up the Ottoman Rule, or just watch 300. And even though I might mentally wince at the way y’all pronounce the Greek alphabet (it’s my first language and trust me it’s really supposed to sound WAY different) do we insist you all change and take a lesson on real Greek life? No. Of course I agree that certain aspects of themes cross the line- war paint and headdresses, and general stereotyping- but come on. If these are valid claims, I’m going to rally behind my heritage and accuse all of you of giving the word “Greeks” a bad name.
So while I understand the core of the cultural complaints, and can sympathize with many, the issue of changing FIJIs name is ridiculous.
Okay, let me just throw this out as a response:
I’m Greek, as in my parents came from a little Mediterranean island and I have joint citizenship, in addition to being affiliated Greek. As a country, we were never asked if a bunch of American college students could take our language and alphabet and emblazon them across shirts and fuck-all for centuries. Does this mean that we could theoretically stage a response as a country and claim that the use of togas and laurels, hell, the names themselves (Phi Gamma Delta how DARE YOU) are all forms of cultural appropriation?
We hold our culture just as dear as any other, because guess what, we have also been conquered and attacked over the years- look up the Ottoman Rule, or just watch 300. And even though I might mentally wince at the way y’all pronounce the Greek alphabet (it’s my first language and trust me it’s really supposed to sound WAY different) do we insist you all change and take a lesson on real Greek life? No. Of course I agree that certain aspects of themes cross the line- war paint and headdresses, and general stereotyping- but come on.
So while I understand the core of the cultural complaints, and can sympathize with many, the issue of changing FIJIs name is ridiculous.
After feeling personally victimized by her original post, this rebuttal letter is like a chaser sip of Diet Coke that follows a pull of plastic-bottle vodka.
I’m probably going to be told to taken all of the laps for this, but honestly while I looove RG and these shirts are super cute, there’s nothing really special about them, no fratty or sratty touch that makes RG so unique. Like I feel like I could get some of these at Urban Outfitters. But that being said, I’m sure that a tank top or two here will be added to my current collection of Back to Back tanks.
If you hate your organization enough to pull that word out and slap it on your own actions, you are selfish and immature to take away what everyone else has worked toward just because you can’t be a real adult. My chapter had a similar situation in the past, where a girl cried “hazing” for no reason at a fraternity house and not only put our house on probation, but ruined our relationship with that fraternity to this day, and I think “A” made marvelous points. Mad props to this KKG and I hope this letter really makes Hillary re-evaluate her life choices.
I agree that it’s more relevant and suitable to say “welcoming” during rush and steer away from the “omg we’re all so uNIQuE and WeIiirD~” label. But for some of us, we were labeled as “weird” growing up- not for smearing mustard on our faces, but just for not fitting in with the hot cliques of fifth grade. Maybe we just read books during morning breaks or didn’t put on makeup when everyone else did, and that label carried for no good reason on to middle school or high school. Yeah we’re secretly normal and are able to accept and understand it in the real world, but being able to embrace not fitting in, and acknowledge your quirks or ways you don’t fit the media narrative of what a college girl school be, and laugh them off as weird is an extremely positive and healthy thing.
Thank you for taking to the time to be inspiring and thoughtfully work out this situation; as someone in a similar state, I’m still choking down the bitter pill of not getting my organization’s recruitment position. I served on Panhellenic as VPR until an unfortunate chapter-wide fiasco forced me and several others to step down and I always was the one girls came to with ideas about recruitment. I wanted it with all my heart and soul but the advisers actually kept me from being eligible as a position, and everyone is upset about the new initiate who got slated into it and who isn’t turning to anyone for help or listening to any advice. It’s not going to be the end of the world, and I will be here if she decides to delegate or listen to others. Again, I hope that one day I can be just as mature about it.
Or, you know, your personality and overall person is your own individuality, and you simply haven’t matched all of that to another individual because this isn’t the 60s and we aren’t purely in college to find our great loves anymore.
Okay, let me just throw this out as a comment:
I’m Greek, as in my parents came from a little Mediterranean island and I have joint citizenship, in addition to being affiliated Greek. As a country, we were never asked if a bunch of American college students could take our language and alphabet and emblazon them across shirts and fuck-all for centuries. Does this mean that we could theoretically stage a response as a country and claim that the use of togas and laurels, hell, the names themselves (Phi Gamma Delta how DARE YOU) are all forms of cultural appropriation?
We hold our culture just as dear as any other, because guess what, we have also been conquered and attacked over the years- look up the Ottoman Rule, or just watch 300. And even though I might mentally wince at the way y’all pronounce the Greek alphabet (it’s my first language and trust me it’s really supposed to sound WAY different) do we insist you all change and take a lesson on real Greek life? No. Of course I agree that certain aspects of themes cross the line- war paint and headdresses, and general stereotyping- but come on. If these are valid claims, I’m going to rally behind my heritage and accuse all of you of giving the word “Greeks” a bad name.
So while I understand the core of the cultural complaints, and can sympathize with many, the issue of changing FIJIs name is ridiculous.
^ So, this is awkward, my phone flipped out and casually posted this comment on the wrong article…? Much oops.
Okay, let me just throw this out as a response:
I’m Greek, as in my parents came from a little Mediterranean island and I have joint citizenship, in addition to being affiliated Greek. As a country, we were never asked if a bunch of American college students could take our language and alphabet and emblazon them across shirts and fuck-all for centuries. Does this mean that we could theoretically stage a response as a country and claim that the use of togas and laurels, hell, the names themselves (Phi Gamma Delta how DARE YOU) are all forms of cultural appropriation?
We hold our culture just as dear as any other, because guess what, we have also been conquered and attacked over the years- look up the Ottoman Rule, or just watch 300. And even though I might mentally wince at the way y’all pronounce the Greek alphabet (it’s my first language and trust me it’s really supposed to sound WAY different) do we insist you all change and take a lesson on real Greek life? No. Of course I agree that certain aspects of themes cross the line- war paint and headdresses, and general stereotyping- but come on.
So while I understand the core of the cultural complaints, and can sympathize with many, the issue of changing FIJIs name is ridiculous.
He just couldn’t let it go
After feeling personally victimized by her original post, this rebuttal letter is like a chaser sip of Diet Coke that follows a pull of plastic-bottle vodka.
I’m probably going to be told to taken all of the laps for this, but honestly while I looove RG and these shirts are super cute, there’s nothing really special about them, no fratty or sratty touch that makes RG so unique. Like I feel like I could get some of these at Urban Outfitters. But that being said, I’m sure that a tank top or two here will be added to my current collection of Back to Back tanks.
And most importantly, never stop being a srat star at heart <3
If you hate your organization enough to pull that word out and slap it on your own actions, you are selfish and immature to take away what everyone else has worked toward just because you can’t be a real adult. My chapter had a similar situation in the past, where a girl cried “hazing” for no reason at a fraternity house and not only put our house on probation, but ruined our relationship with that fraternity to this day, and I think “A” made marvelous points. Mad props to this KKG and I hope this letter really makes Hillary re-evaluate her life choices.