Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Case

My case is that fraternities and sororities will never go dry because they will lose many members and that alcohol is a part of joining a sorority. Even though many people are not aware that they do it, they cannot be stopped because it is freedom. They do not have to drink as a organization but can as an individual. Most of the brothers and sisters a person meets when joining in a sorority will be the people that a student will drink with. Greek Life attracts drinkers because drinking is expected in college and is easy access when in a greek organization. The quote “The Greek system is the single largest unregulated industry that provides the use of alcohol to underage drinkers” (34). shows that not only do students expect it but everyone does as well. There is no stopping Greek organizations because only bad will come out of going dry and chapters will start to lose people.

The Debate

The debate I have identified is if college students are joining greek life for the social and drinking aspect. On page 33 of the book “Dying to Drink”, theres a story of a male named Heideman who joined a fraternity because he thought they were “nicer than that”. Little did he know that the fraternity were heavy drinkers and “alcohol dictated life” . Heideman died from alcohol poisoning and the Case turned into the Heideman Case. An attorney Douglas Fierberg says “The Greek system is the single largest unregulated industry that provides the use of alcohol to underage drinkers” (34). Another debate is that people join Greek life as a sense of freedom and to start drinking. Today alcohol abuse continues to be a epidemic in Greek life and Greek life is committed to alcohol free houses. What should be done is that Greek life should go dry. A disadvantage of this would be that it is difficult to remain alcohol free when others are not. Also there is a lack of sponsors from alumni that feel differently. Liquor stores around campus lose business because of on parties on frat row. And most of all, less students will be interested in joining Greek life. If sorority and fraternity members are not allowed to drink, they will either not join or go as a independent student and not drink with people of there organization and that cant be stopped.

How can i help you

As of now I am not having trouble finding my sources . I am having a little difficulty defining a case but I think I am going to do it on Why greek life attracts drinkers. A possible argument is how the greek organization is said to be a social motivator and for drinkers, where greek life serves the community and helps with raising money. So now what exactly can greek organazations do to lower the statistics of how many people join the organization because of the high amount of drinking. To bring the project to final drafting stages, I have to develop a strong argument of which people agree that greek life is all about drinking and people who also disagree. I will interview drinkers who claim they joined for that reason and why they thought that sorority was only about drinking.

Conversation

After re looking at my paper and having my writing tutor look at my paper, I have narrowed down my topic to College Drinking in Sororities and Fraternities. I have revised my research question to be about the social problem in Greek life and how it leads to drinking problems. My main question is why Greek Life attracts drinkers and how can we lower the statistics on this problem. An article states “They contend that Greek organizations often are stereotyped or pigeonholed as social “drinking clubs” motivating “drinking along with other undesirable forms of behavior”3(p124); however, find- ings from the study document fraternities’ impact on the drinking behavior of its members as negligible.” (Barry) This statement shows that the stereotype for Gerek organizations is that they are meant to drink. A point that I will try to make is that students join Greek life as a freshman or culture as a lifestyle choice and something that they are used to in high school. For example, if a person drinks a lot constantly, they will join a frat or sorority because Greek life is considered the place for drinking and partying. What can be done is to suggest ways for people who want to join a sorority or fraternity and not make it mandatory for drinking to occur or ban it in general. An argument can be if drinking is banned will people join a sorority. Greek Life attracts drinkers because of there past reputation. The book “Dying to Drink” says that “2001 survey showed three quarters of fraternity and sorority house residents are binge drinkers” (35).