Gangs and Fraternities

Vince S. · #1 12-01-2007, 02:08 AM

I'm am seriously getting so sick of this crap. My suitemates came back just now, one of them with his face seriously swollen and bleeding. Apparently a fight broke out between him and a member of a rival frat. The two frats have been going at it for weeks now.

Seriously, I am SO sick of this crap. I know not all fraternities are like this, but the damn frats here on this campus are more like school sanctioned GANGS then upstanding organizations. They steal under the guise of "collecting for charity", they "shake down" people for money and "favors", it's really ridiculous. And now the situation is escalating to a point where the two rival frats are really going at each other, like a turf war. I really don't see a difference between these frats and gangs besides the fact that these are rich, suburban kids. I happen to live with four members of one of the frats. There's word that their enemy frat would "retaliate". The situation has been steadily escalating.

Think NOW it's enough to go to Student Affairs and get myself the hell out of this suite? I really don't feel safe anymore. I'm worried some of the members of the other frat would break in or do something really stupid, and I would be caught in the middle. In the meantime, I'm keeping my eyes open and watching my back.

Aaron Saunders · #2 12-01-2007, 02:20 AM

How'd you end up in this living situation in the first place? Assigned rooms?

Mark Latimour · #3 12-01-2007, 02:25 AM

Frats make Vince mad

You don't want to make Vince mad.

Vince - you should have gotten out of there long ago - if you are uncomfortable or fear for your safety, its no way to live.

Vince S. · #4 12-01-2007, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

How'd you end up in this living situation in the first place? Assigned rooms?

Yes, I am transfer and I was actually in a hotel for the first couple weeks of the semester til a room opened up on campus.

Vince S. · #5 12-01-2007, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Frats make Vince mad

You don't want to make Vince mad.

Vince - you should have gotten out of there long ago - if you are uncomfortable or fear for your safety, its no way to live.

I tried several weeks ago, but Housing basically told me to "deal with it".

Aaron Saunders · #6 12-01-2007, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince S.

Yes, I am transfer and I was actually in a hotel for the first couple weeks of the semester til a room opened up on campus.

Right, I remember the whole deal now. What might be a good option is to seek off-campus housing, I live in an apartment and walk 15-20 minutes to classes every day.

Spector_Ray · #7 12-01-2007, 08:13 AM

I'll direct you to this thread.

It may not be your perfect solution, but if anything you need to protect yourself first and foremost.

Handguns

peaveyuser · #8 12-01-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spector_Ray

I'll direct you to this thread.

It may not be your perfect solution, but if anything you need to protect yourself first and foremost.

Handguns

Damn you beat me to it

Whats funny is I'm more anti gun and I was about to post the same kinda thing

Oh well this works too

Bhuti · #9 12-01-2007, 09:57 AM

I don't like the gang analogy. You see, people join gangs to find a sense of belonging and brotherhood, where as people join frats to have a sense of belo...ngi....ng and.... Bro...ther...hood....

Wait a second...

But in all seriousness. Yeah, it happens. I don't know why, maybe human nature, but in my experience, the two are founded on similar core principles and thus have similar tendencies.

I'm sorry about the situation. I hope everything works out for you. I've been through bad living situations on campus and it's no fun.

MakiSupaStar · #10 12-01-2007, 10:51 AM

Everything about this whole thing is lame.

SundanceChile · #11 12-01-2007, 10:59 AM

Sounds like time to take a notion from this guy:

Dr. Cheese · #12 12-01-2007, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SundanceChile

Sounds like time to take a notion from this guy:

I wish they would make that movie!

iamlowsound · #13 12-01-2007, 11:32 AM

I suggest a tazer.

lowsound

i_got_a_mohawk · #14 12-01-2007, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I wish they would make that movie!

2008 from what ive read

apparently its being done as a proper theatrical release, not just an extra, but, who knows!

Jared Lash · #15 12-01-2007, 11:49 AM

My first roomate at Cal got in on appeal and couldn't get a spot in the dorms and ended up in the co-op system. He hated it there and wanted out so badly that he complained to the housing department a couple times a week.

The magic word apparently was "drugs". As soon as he mentioned the kind brownies that our neighbors cooked up, he was whisked away to a suite in the dorms. The story of him accidentally eating half a brownie (he was very anti-drug) before I came in the room and told him what it was and the events that unfolded after are hilarious, but maybe suited for another thread.

In any event, while I'm more of a "make do with it" type of guy, if you really want out, reporting illegal activity would probably be an easy ticket out, especially if there's a threat of involving the police.

The only real question is (IMO) are they directly preventing you from concentrating on your work or interfering with your social life? If not, then I don't see why whatever crap they are pulling affects you. Let them be morons.

But if it is affecting your ability to keep up with your coursework, the other magic word is lawsuit. Though I think it's sad that it works this way, and is a terrible lesson to teach college kids, the fact is that at Universities (actually pretty much anywhere) the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Make a big enough fuss and you can get what you want. Sad but true.

Spector_Ray · #16 12-01-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

2008 from what ive read

apparently its being done as a proper theatrical release, not just an extra, but, who knows!

http://imdb.com/title/tt0985694/

Imdb lists Trejo as the only actor but because it's so early in the production stages, there's very limited information at this point. Is this the same character from Grindhouse?

Bob Clayton · #17 12-01-2007, 01:30 PM

at my school there are a couple frats that have lost recognition from the school.

you know what the school refers to them as?

street gangs.

i_got_a_mohawk · #18 12-01-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spector_Ray

http://imdb.com/title/tt0985694/

Imdb lists Trejo as the only actor but because it's so early in the production stages, there's very limited information at this point. Is this the same character from Grindhouse?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machete_(film)

There is some info there too, but im not sure how accurate it is.

syciprider · #19 12-01-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince S.

I'm am seriously getting so sick of this crap. My suitemates came back just now, one of them with his face seriously swollen and bleeding. Apparently a fight broke out between him and a member of a rival frat. The two frats have been going at it for weeks now.

Seriously, I am SO sick of this crap. I know not all fraternities are like this, but the damn frats here on this campus are more like school sanctioned GANGS then upstanding organizations. They steal under the guise of "collecting for charity", they "shake down" people for money and "favors", it's really ridiculous. And now the situation is escalating to a point where the two rival frats are really going at each other, like a turf war. I really don't see a difference between these frats and gangs besides the fact that these are rich, suburban kids. I happen to live with four members of one of the frats. There's word that their enemy frat would "retaliate". The situation has been steadily escalating.

Think NOW it's enough to go to Student Affairs and get myself the hell out of this suite? I really don't feel safe anymore. I'm worried some of the members of the other frat would break in or do something really stupid, and I would be caught in the middle. In the meantime, I'm keeping my eyes open and watching my back.

Folks who join gangs masquerading as frats are seriously retarded. The scary part is that they somehow got through high school and are now in college where they can potentially perpetuate their stupidity.

Why would a student join a campus group just to gain enemies?

ADbassman · #20 12-01-2007, 03:03 PM

Sadly some fraternity participate in this sort of behavior. I am a member of a fraternity, but before I joined, I made sure they were all good people. Since our re founding, we've yet to have any sanction against us and have helped the community through service in several sectors. I am up for election for President of the fraternity next week, and it's my hope to rally to eliminate this kind of negative behavior on campus.

Your situation is a little shady, so definitely bug the crap out of res life on your campus to try and move elsewhere. Personally, for a fraternity's actions to have gone this far is evidence of failure on the part of the Greek community at your school as a whole.