[15919] in APO-L
more all-male stuff
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tim Peterson)
Fri Jan 3 12:31:53 1997
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 10:26:50 -0700
Reply-To: Tim Peterson <peterstg@rintintin.Colorado.EDU>
From: Tim Peterson <peterstg@RINTINTIN.COLORADO.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
This is my two cents on the all-male issue. First of all, a little intro:
i served alongside Bill Smith in the Chapter Ops reference committee and
went through the same deliberations he did. I am from Gamma Theta,
University of Colorado, Boulder, a decidedly co-ed chapter, and one of the
ones which sing "true to."
That having been said, I firmly believe that having three reps from
all-male chapters did not play a role in the actions of our committee. As
Bill stated, we were instructed by our chair that, while we were in
committee, we were to think of the issues from the perspective of the
fraternity as a whole. I believe we all took that instruction very
seriously.
Also, to talk about the resolution which came out of committee: I take
objection to the statement that the 1996 convention was done a disservice
by the issue being sent to committee. Once all those who were not able to
attend can obtain a copy of the legislation, I'm sure they will see that
this was a well thought out decision-- the only one with which we as a
committee were comfortable. After many hours of discussion and
testimony, we were only beginning to scratch the surface of the issue. I
believe that a committee, working for 2 years, with a legal expert
(national legal counsel), should be able to get much closer to the bottom
of the issue than we could in a day and a half.
The biggest eye-opener for me, and for all of the committee, was that this
is not about all-male chapters. Rather, this is about the rights of
chapters to determine their own membership. I think we all need to
approach the issue from that direction. An all-male chapter is not
sexist, it is merely exercising its right as specified in legislation
passed by the 1976 convention to determine its own membership. Another
eye-opener was the actual "gentleman's agreement." We found what could
only be that agreement in two resolutions passed at that convention, not
in any unwritten pact.
All of that having been said, I reiterate what Bill has said: serving on
this committee was a huge honor, and a terrific experience. I feel good
knowing that we did our part to help the Fraternity down a knowledgeable,
well-informed path.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone on our committee, especially our
advisiors and Scott Palmer, our chair. Please, any of those on the
committee, contact me with e-mail addresses, I'd like to keep in touch.
Yours in LF&S,
Looking forward to '98,
Tim Peterson
Sgt@Arms, Gamma Theta
