I recently received an email from the Northeastern News, informing me that another edition was out. While I usually skim through the topics, two stood out particularly and I decided to read further. If you had seen my face after those two articles, it would have looked like I had been suddenly and viciously slapped in the face.

I would first like to point out the lack of reporter neutrality and ethics. These two pieces were purely and simply opinion pieces, yet placed in a news section of the paper. Not only that, but to mention specific sororities and state one’s opinion on their “look and feel” makes me wonder where the people who write for The Northeastern News learned their journalistic techniques.

I was not thinking of joining a fraternity when I stepped onto this campus. It honestly never crossed my mind. However, I was one of the few who was caught up in all it has to offer and rushed the fall of my freshman year. I have been non-stop Greek ever since, receiving the badge of membership on my chest. I do not “need all the luck I can get” to continue to be an active and strong member. I’m personally insulted that such a statement was even made. I’m not sure where “driving burning nails into my eyes [for fun]” is also a newsworthy description on the events that took place.

Greeks are under a microscope in Boston due to poor actions committed by a few individuals. However, the vast majority of you make these mistakes every single day. The simple difference is that we wear letters on our chest, which in turn brings scrutiny and publicity to such actions. We also compete with Boston’s rich social experience, making our cause and existence evermore difficult. The last thing any of us needs is this type of publicity, which is full of opinion and completely devoid of fact.

ESPN showed a rookie football player being taped to a goalpost and doused with Gatorade. This seems to be amusing rookie/veteran practice that is accepted by both the players and the public. However, if I to do that in a joking manner with a pledge, who also found the prank to be amusing, I could potentially cause my chapter to lose our charter and be banned from the school as a recognized student group. I could potentially end up in court and later jail.

The sororities who were mentioned in those articles were shown in a sickened, yellow light. These girls do not match the vague and rash generalizations that they were branded with in those pieces. The two “undercover reporters” were obviously tainted with their own expectations and discriminations about Greek letter organizations. They did not enter the first day as a neutral person only looking to cover sorority recruitment. Indirectly, their acceptance of bids in a purely journalistic manner caused girls who might have actually been interested to not be given a chance.

Greeks are well known for their commitment to community service and helping of local and national philanthropies. Rarely are these events ever mentioned, and if so they are done in afterthought and weakly supported. Personally, my fraternity’s name has yet to be spelled correctly in a news article since entering this institute.

Never have I felt slandered in an article until these pieces were published. The Northeastern News lost one of their few full-time readers. I ask that such articles in the future be removed before publication. Greek life is the best thing to happen to me, but I have no problem with the fact that it is not for all. However, respect us just as we respect those who do not agree with our decision to join. Do not attempt to write a newsworthy article in such a manner as to take the Greek way of life and malign it so horribly.

-Jonathan Wojtkun is a middler

computer technology major and a

member the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.