oh the irony

[solipsistnation]

Theta Chi had a fire recently. As a result, a bunch of them are homeless.

From a recent mail message:

> Therefore, starting this Sunday, Theta Chi fraternity is relocating from
> their temporary quarters scattered throughout Worcester to the QUAD where
> they are setting up a tent city. While there they will be soliciting
> funds for the Massachusetts Core of Chaplains. If you have a chance to
> stop by, please say hi to them. If possible, please contribute to the
> cause. You'll be helping both the brothers of Theta Chi and the emergency
> services in Massachusetts.

Many years ago, a group called Students for Social Awareness tried to raise awareness about homelessness by setting up a tent city on the quad. Roughly 30 people slept out there for a week. At least once they were assaulted in various ways by members of a certain fraternity.

While I entirely support the use of their own misfortune to raise awareness for others in similar predicaments but without the support structures WPI can afford them, I can't help but note the irony here.

I'll probably actually walk by on one of my trips to or from home and say hi, and probably donate something. The original troublemakers graduated or otherwise moved on long, long ago, and I bear no emnity to the current people, and am greatly sympathetic to their plight. It's unfortunate that the Theta Chi classes of 1990-1994 couldn't be here to experience it for themselves, though. They might find that the rest of campus is a little more supportive of their efforts than they were of ours.

Comments

[amymarr.livejournal.com]

I'm a little annoyed at how this whole thing is being "spun".

The "student close to the situation" version of the story is that the moron who hit the house's gas main was a brother, driving home from partying at about 3 a.m. whilst rip roaring drunk. He apparently blacked out, came to in time to see that he was in the wrong lane, and swerved to avoid hitting the oncoming car. Traveling at a high rate of speed, he went up over the curb and either over or through the fence, and right up over the house's foundation into the gas main, starting the fire.

So while I'm sympathetic, I kinda feel like these guys have made their own beds. They drink mightily and are irresponsible when they do.

No, WPI doesn't have a drinking problem. Not at all...

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's cute. And in stark contrast to my charitable mood earlier, I have to say that I'm not terribly surprised.

[amymarr.livejournal.com]

And let me say that I am not anti-Greek or anything. I think the Greek system has a lot of positive things to offer our students.

But I'm also a realist. :)

[purly.livejournal.com]

This is why I never went Greek. People who don't know how to handle having a good time scare me.

If that story is true, I would seriously consider suspending that fraternity. (is such a thing possible?)

[zonereyrie.livejournal.com]

Eerily similar to the Super 8 Motel fire I did my IQP on...

[anitra.livejournal.com]

This is the second frat house to have a fire in the past 3-4 months. I don't even know where the guys from Sigma Pi went after their house had a fire in one room. I do know that they're probably not coming back - the house has been condemned, and I don't see anyone working on it...

[stophittinyrslf.livejournal.com]

all the sig pis that i'm acquainted with have dispersed to various apartments throughout the city. last i heard (which is not necessarily the newest version of the story, as i'm not like, close friends with any of them), there are plans to reopen the house at some point, but that'll only happen if they more or less rewire the whole place. which, as you say, doesn't seem like it's getting done.

[qedrakmar.livejournal.com]

The Sig Pi's had something like 2 million (not exaggerating, though I might off by a factor of 2 or so) in insurance on that house. They are going to gut and rebuild the place.

[lizzielizzie.livejournal.com]

I believe that because they are fixing the one damaged room, they have to bring the rest of the house up to code. At least, that's what I think my brother said. (My brother is/was on the board for Sigma Pi.)

[z-gryphon.livejournal.com]

I relinquish the moral high ground to solipsistnation and indulge my dark side. I laugh high, mocking, uproarious laughter in the direction of Theta Chi. Their plight fills me with Schadenfreude, in which I revel. Here's hoping they wake in the night to find that members of other fraternities have put electric eels in their sleeping bags, and in the ensuing cycle of revenge, the whole pointless lot of them end up getting pitched off campus. With a little careful tweaking of the whole situation, a suitably motivated mastermind could have WPI Greek-free by 2005.

[z-gryphon.livejournal.com]

Plus, I just noticed that their spokesman can't spell "Corps". HAHAHAHAHAHA

[stophittinyrslf.livejournal.com]

while i don't necessarily endorse your moral stance, i MUST endorse any plan involving both eels and sleeping bags.

[qedrakmar.livejournal.com]

Don't you already get an eel in your sleeping bag, little girl? ;)

[stophittinyrslf.livejournal.com]

dear sir,

i'm not sure what you're implying, but i'm certain it's something crude.

and i would never have anything to do with crudeness.

[skeets.livejournal.com]

WEIRD. The Theta Chi chapter here in Eugene caught on fire around this time last year. It didn't destroy the entire house, but still, great track record there, guys.

I've met the occasional exception to the rule, but most of the Greekers I've come into contact with were morons, assholes, or both. And they certainly get no tears from me if they're too dumb to keep their own house from burning down. :p