The Voice of Reason: SLB’s Missing Element?

Brothers, we have issues to address as the school year begins.

Those who have been around long enough know that the New Year brings a fun-filled yet often overwhelming schedule (events, recruitment etc.) As for the neos; well I hope your summers have been spectacular because this is where the hammer meets the nail.

A couple of weeks ago, my fellow contributor Joaquin wrote a simple yet thought-provoking piece titled ‘The Problem with Sigma Lambda Beta’ http://www.eliluminador.com/2011/08/10/the-problem-with-sigma-lambda-beta/, in which he concluded that we fail to live up to our potential as a fraternity because our standards for who we allow in are often questionable. I would take it a step further and say the reason some less than desirable members are able to evade our security checks and sneak into the purple and white wonderland that we so cherish is because: no one wants to be the voice of reason anymore.

From the first informational until initiation night, certain brothers take up that taxing burden of guiding others along a path that makes fraternal sense. Although their authority is often challenged by brothers with different ideas or who are simply rebellious, their integrity and hard work often sets them apart. These ‘big brother’ figures, however, tend to become mute as soon as associate members become brothers. It is as if initiation earns you immunity from the guiding hands of brotherhood upon which the fraternity was created.

There is this belief that all brothers are equal and thus no brother has any right to tell another what to do. Simply put, this notion is wrong. Much like the US constitution states, all brothers are CREATED equal- but beyond that, we earn our place in society based on how we live. Brothers who know better have an eternal mandate to speak up when things are not being done in tandem with our values. Are we too concerned with not looking like ‘a prick’ that we let values go down the drain?

As the new school year opens, my brothers, I implore you all to be that seemingly elusive voice of reason in our chapters. Someone needs to be telling brothers to not go out on nights before early morning classes. We need to be taking car keys from intoxicated guests (brothers or otherwise) as they stumble out to leave our parties. Brothers should not be watching passively as our fellows disrespect females. If we are allowing these things to go on, what are we here for?

The truth is, just as brotherhood is a lifelong commitment, so is the educational process. The only difference is after brothers cross:  we are all responsible for being that educating figure to the others. If an older brother is costing the fraternity its honorable image, then the newest of members is responsible for speaking up-tactfully that is (see this article on fraternal confrontation http://www.eliluminador.com/2011/02/23/calling-out-a-brother/)

I have been on all sides of the dice. I have been the new member who saw older brothers acting a fool; the line brother who had to be called out by his peers; the older chapter brother who watched quietly as the relationships between neos spiraled out of control and beyond repair. After all this, there is one place that I find worth being. Be the voice of reason. It will not only help better our community, but it will leave you in the good books of only those worth being in their good books. That is, after all, what the essence of an honorable brotherhood is, right?

No related posts.