The Fraternity Facebook Scandal: What Will They Tell Their Mothers?

Another story at Penn State made national news this past week.

The brothers of the local chapter of Kappa Delta Rho are alleged to have set up a private page on Facebook in which members of the fraternity posted information about illegal drug sales, details about hazing activities as well as pictures of young women who were either passed out or sleeping.

In these pictures, the women were reportedly naked or in compromising positions and were apparently photographed without their knowledge.

One of the brothers in question agreed to be interviewed by Philly Mag under the condition of anonymity. His response to what may be determined to be criminal abuse and mistreatment of others can be summed up in this quote. “The fire of indignant, misplaced self-righteousness that looks to ruin people’s lives and unjustly ruin reputations is the abuse and violation that should be at the center of discussion, not the humorous, albeit possibly misguided, antics of a bunch of college kids.”

Decisions made without empathy or remorse or guilt and with total disregard for the safety or well-being of others meets the diagnostic criteria for anti-social behavior. Outrage that the focus of discussion is about the “antics of college kids” and without concern for the victims suggests psychopathology.

A Facebook page with 144 members and for which the number of “views” was reported at several thousand visits demonstrates a serious problem within our community. The decision to set up the closed page, to invite members, to keep it running, to post new pictures and then to have members repeatedly return to visit the page – and to create a second page when the first one was uncovered — suggests a level of darkness that goes beyond “misguided.”

We recently watched in horror as a 10 second cell phone video taken by a student at Oklahoma University showed the members of a fraternity, on a bus, dressed in formal attire, singing a racist song. The national chapter of that fraternity, administrators at Oklahoma University and the local authorities took swift action to address the young men in question.

At Penn State, it wasn’t a racist song and general disrespect for a minority group. At KDR, it was the degradation of actual young women with names and faces and families and friends. They are young women who likely sit in classes or attend university activities with those 144 young men –- including some who may have been dates or even girlfriends — and who were victimized without their knowledge.

In response, we hear young men rationalizing their decisions. We hear people questioning the victims for “getting in that condition in the first place.”

Why aren’t we hearing Girls’ Lives Matter? Will the story change if we learn that any of the girls were underage?

I was a member of a sorority when I was an undergraduate at Penn State. I understand the value of membership in a group that helps to build friendships, provide opportunities for service and offers the chance to have a little fun. I know that many Greek organizations value individuality over conformity. Not all are about peer pressure, groupthink or the distorted sense of “safety in numbers” that sets the ball in motion for these horrific incidents.

But situations like the one at Oklahoma University, KDR and even the now highly suspect report by Rolling Stone about a gang rape at the University of Virginia, turn up the volume on conversations about the mob mentality so often associated with organizations like fraternities and sororities. Some of the decisions made by some students associated with Greek life (i.e. underage drinking, dangerous levels of alcohol consumption, hazing, community vandalism) raise concerns for both town and gown.

Inevitably, people will point to the good works of many of these organizations or to those Greeks who reject the “Animal House” reputation. People will point out the non-Greek organizations such as marching bands or sports teams that have had issues with similar negative behaviors. We’ll hear about higher GPAs, alumni networking, and alumni connections to both the organizations and to the university when comparing Greeks to their non-Greek counterparts.

And then we learn of a group in which illegal activity and sexual exploitation of women may be a group norm.

When we find one in which the group dynamics are such that the focus is going along with the group instead of doing what is right socially, legally and morally, there should be a zero tolerance policy. No probation or warnings. The group should be gone and the members expelled by the university. If they can’t regulate themselves, then we should regulate for them.

Penn State President Barron, the Interfraternity Council (IFC), and the local authorities have all issued statements that this behavior will not be tolerated on our campus and that a full investigation is underway.

If and when criminal behavior is determined to have taken place in this Facebook incident and the identities of the opportunists in question are revealed (Facebook is reportedly cooperating in the investigation), each member should have to face serious and legal consequences.

Included in that should be requirement that each member of the Facebook group explains in detail to his mother, his sisters, his grandmothers and any other women in his life his decision to go along with the crowd and to let them know his views of women.

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