Now is the time to re-examine the entire ‘Greek’ system on college campuses

The news of Timothy Piazza's death at Penn State after a Theta Beta Pi hazing ritual that left him lying dead without calls for assistance is devastating, but not shocking.

It's sort of a symptom of this generation of young adults, and I use the word adults very loosely. It calls into question how we got to the point where college students, soon to be grownups, and productive members of society could allow this to happen.

I believe it's time to re-examine the entire Greek system on college campuses everywhere.

It's amazing that we have become so progressive and enlightened in so many areas of our kids social interactions that we still allow this antiquated form of useless socialization to exist. It's possible that in the 50s and 60s, the heyday of the fraternity and sorority system, there were positive things being accomplished by the brothers and the sisters of these clubs.

I've heard tales of great work being done, charities being supported and social services being offered to students and non-students alike. But in today's day and age those things, if they exist at all, are only an afterthought. Now the the sorority or frat houses are places that not only condone, but encourage the most reckless, classless, and vile behavior under the guise of "brotherhood".

The fraternity in question had been cited before on the Penn State campus for it's questionable activities and alleged encouragement of underage drinking. But it's only because a student died that we are even noticing it, because this goes on in every single fraternity in New Jersey and across America and we simply pretend it doesn't exist.

Every time an unfortunate and tragic incident like this occurs the administrators of said college or university grandstand, wrong their hands, send out letters of condolence, and beef up their rules including outlawing hazing or banning that particular fraternity or sorority from campus.

But that only puts a Band-Aid on the problem.

The kids of this day and age are not like kids of the 50s and 60's, who had to worry about war, supporting their families, and what they were going to do after they graduated; the real stuff. Those were a tougher brand of kids who truly were adults by the time they got out of school.

Today's kids simply do not have the maturity and personal responsibility to be able to deal with the type of freedom that living in a house with a bunch of guys or girls with offers them. This is why it's time to abandon the Greek system completely, unless we start turning out a different type of 18-year-old: One who deserves the privilege (and it is a privilege) of participating in a fraternity.

We're a long way from having that type of young adult on our college campuses. There are some, but I'm afraid segment of the student body is shrinking. Remember the type? The kind that knows right from wrong, the kind that's strong and ethical, and mature. And most importantly, the kind of student with integrity to step forward and not try to cover his own butt while his "brother" lays dying.

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