Fraternities are the drug kingpins on campus?

This week, a disturbing newspaper article broke this week about a very
large drug bust in San Diego

Among those arrested, 75 were students, one of them a criminal justice major charged with possession of guns and coc aine, authorities said. One student allegedly dealing coc aine was a month short of obtaining a master's degree in homeland security at the California school and worked under campus police as a student community service officer.
...
Campus police initiated the investigation about a year ago, after a student's fatal overdose in May 2007, university President Steve Weber said. About five months ago, as the investigation evolved, campus police sought and received help from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

There was a second overdose death in February at a fraternity house.
...
Mosler described the students as "mid-level distributors" who were selling more than a person might buy for personal use.
...
DEA agents infiltrated several student drug distribution cells and made more than 130 drug purchases and seizures, a news release said.

edition.cnn.com...

So, after a years investigation and 130 illegal drug purchases and one OD, the cops finally nab the "mid-level distributors"

Officials say the evidence seized as part of Operation Sudden Fall includes four pounds of coc aine, 50 pounds of marijuana and 350 ecstasy pills. Authorities also took one shotgun, three semiautomatic pistols and $60,000.

I posted this in the breaking news forum, it didn't get much attention. The first reply was

Corruption in fraternities? Are you surprised? They are basically the training grounds for aspiring politicians!

How do you think the "good old boy" network works?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

They're college kids, their supposed to be having fun, right?

But if this where your average 20 yr old construction crew, boy the world would be down on them as low class citizens.

But, the truth is, the frats are one of our worst drug offenders.

CHARGES SUGGESTED IN FRATERNITY DRUG DEATH
Miami Herald - NewsBank - Jun 11, 2000
Author: AP. Campus police recommended criminal charges Friday against two University of Florida roommates in the death of a fraternity brother

Fraternity target of drug probe "Date-rape' case under...
Denver Post - NewsBank - Nov 29, 2000
Police and school officials are investigating Colorado State University's Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity after five women said they were given "date-rape" ..

Drug Linked To Death Of Student At U-Md. - The Washington Post -...
Subscription - Washington Post - HighBeam Research - Oct 6, 2001
The Washington Post - Drug Linked To Death Of Student At U-Md. - From the ... Maryland student found dead on the front porch of his fraternity last month

U. Arizona: Drug charges dropped for U. Arizona fraternity president.
America's Intelligence Wire - AccessMyLibrary.com - Mar 10, 2005
Charges against the president of an unrecognized fraternity were dismissed March 3, giving him an opportunity to have his criminal record wiped clean

Prescription abusers not just after a high
USA Today - May 25, 2005
However, he said researchers have found students are more likely to abuse prescription drugs if they are white, live in a fraternity or sorority house

news.google.com...,2004

So, not only are they dealing illegal drugs, but they have access to the best legal drugs too, because their parents are doctors or connected to doctors.

Receive a "College Education" on Government Corruption,
"Taught" by former CIA, FBI, and other Agents and
Deep-Cover Operatives-and former drug traffickers
Reading and assimilating the three latest books written by a former federal investigator, Rodney Stich, assisted by dozens of government
insiders and former drug traffickers, Mafia family members and others, will do more for your understandig of the government's sham
and corrupt war on drugs than any college course-if such a course existed.

www.defraudingamerica.com...

Howard Hart, former CIA clandestine service officer, said on C-SPAN 2 that there are far far fewer clandestine service officers serving abroad than there are faculty members at the University of Virginia. He also said there are fewer than there are FBI agents serving at the FBI NYC office.

www.parapundit.com...

Just another example of how secret societies are bringing down our nation,
secretly.


[edit on 8-5-2008 by cutbothways]

"But if this where your average 20 yr old construction crew, boy the world would be down on them as low class citizens."

That is absolutely true....

one more line for serious content quality

When I was in college, we smoked weed and drank beer. Didn't have any machine guns and didn't run any coke.

Fraternities are not the problem. If you think these people would not be doing this stuff if they didn't belong to a fraternity, you're dead wrong. The problem is cultural.

i know people that sell a lot of stuff from acid to pot to adderal, one of the fraternities here on campus is pretty much known as the drug fraternity cuz theyre always high on something.

I was in a fraternity. While it is unfair to call all fraternity members are stoners, drug addicts, or beer swilling baboons, those labels are appropriate for a disproportionately high number of fraternity members.

For better or for worse, fraternities have always been places where immature students socialize, live, and work together with little or no structure, regulation or guidance from older, more responsible adults. Most fraternities and their members use this lack of structure, regulation, and guidance to commit relatively benign acts of mischief and throw parties that are relatively safe and respectful of the community. Some fraternity members, or some entire fraternities, use this lack of structure, regulation and guidance to commit severe criminal acts and gang like criminal activity.

We have all read about rape occuring at certain fraternities. We have also read about severe hazing. Some fraternities also function as drug dealing gangs. These fraternities are not just entrepreneurs providing a good to a receptive market, but can be vicious thugs who will settle business differences with violence. My school had one such fraternity.

Being a member of a chapter of one of the fraternities suspended (Lambda Chi Alpha, Delta Eta Zeta at the University of Western Ontairo) I think I have a little bit more insight into this issue than some of the people here.

First of all, SOME fraternities are full of the aforementioned "immature" students with no respect for authority, however, not all fraternities even allow the inclusion of these types of people within their brotherhood. Every single member of my fraternity is an upstanding citizen and friend. During Lambda Chi Alpha's North American food drive, we raised 13,000 pounds of food for donation to charity at my chapter alone. Collectively the fraternity raised over a million pounds. Additionally, we've held fund-raisers for breast cancer, autism, and other worthy causes. We are a hard working and intelligent group of young men, and I am outraged at the SDSU chapter for destroying our good name. Ron Paul is a Lambda Chi, so was Harry Truman (albeit an honorary initiate), and so are many other successful and intelligent people. It saddens me very deeply that our name, as well as the reputation of the entire Greek Community is being damaged thanks to some spoiled, bratty, want-to-be-thugs.

My fraternity is in direct contact with alumni at all times, and their wishes are respected with the utmost sincerity. Our international offices are in constant communication with all of the individual chapters and officers of each chapter. Lambda Chi Alpha is a well oiled machine that creates doctors, lawyers, politicians, business executives, and other professionals constantly. The fraternity experience is one I wish everyone to experience... it is an incredible, uplifting, and satisfying thing to be part of a group of people with similar ideas about morality, a similar attitude toward religion, and a dedication to school, (as well as the ability to throw INCREDIBLE parties and bar events for everyone to enjoy, where all brothers stay sober to ensure the safety of all of our guests, and to make sure everyone gets home safely).

If any of you have questions about what it means to be in a fraternity, I'd love to talk about it with you. I can confidently say joining Lambda Chi Alpha was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. Fire away with the questions.

reply to post by Hollow-X


With all due respect I do not think it is accurate to say that "some" fraternity members are immature. Fraternities for the most part are made up of young men in their teens and early 20's. Most of these young men have had little or no real life experience.

When I was in college and in a fraternity, myself as well as virtually all of my classmates were kids. We never took on any real responsiblities in our lives yet. Sure, we may have planned a couple charitable fundraisers or social event and may have had after school jobs and interships, but none of us took on any serious responsiblities like raising a family or having a serious job where one has to support himself and is responsible for the well being of others. Granted, there are always exceptions to the rule, but you cannot say that only some fraternity members are immature.

I wasn't in a fraternity in college but I was far from clean. That's the best way I can put it inside the T&C. It's not fraternities, it's individuals.

Fraternities are not the problem it is real drug dealers and runners who deal with the drugs. If fraternities were cought running drugs or using then they would be kicked of campus or the frat would be shut down. Since their are many frats still on campus and I dont remember hearing about any getting kicked out or shut down.

reply to post by whitesatan


Drugs and alcohol were always part of college life and continue to be part of college life. If fraternities disappeared tommorow, college students will still use drugs and drink.

Drugs and alcohol seem to be "at home" in fraternities because fraternities are places where there is little or no adult guidance, supervision, or regulation. A drug dealer operating out of a dormitory or apartment may be stymied by landlords, school officials, and nosy (or concerned) neighbors. A drug dealer operating out of a fraternity house is less likely to have these impediments.

reply to post by hotpinkurinalmint


Immaturity and lack of life experiences are very different things. I like to believe I will not be judged based on the fact that I've been alive for 19 years, but by my demeanor, attitude, approach to a situation, and accountability. Think of the parents you see smoking, drinking, and doing drugs around their children. Think of the people with little or no concern for others' safety who drive intoxicated. Surely a "mature" person would understand the difference between "right" and "wrong," correct? So by your evaluation of maturity, a drunken, abusive, 40 year old unemployed sack of sh*t is STILL more mature than I am? I truly believe that there are many more "adults" out there than you'd like to think who couldn't hold a candle to your average 19 or 20 year old in terms of maturity and responsibility (social or otherwise). "Serious" responsibilities don't make somebody any more mature either. Just because you have serious responsibilities in your life doesn't mean you handle them appropriately and with maturity. I understand that life experiences HELP build a mature and wise person, but your natural disposition towards life, learning, etc., and your intelligence mean just as much.

Those posting that alcohol and drugs are, and will be a part of college life for an extended period of time are completely right. Fraternities have nothing to do with the proliferation of substance abuse in schools (no matter what Animal House tries to convince you )

To whitesatan: As I wrote in my lengthy post earlier, there are plenty of people who come by the house, and even more you need to answer to via the phone and internet. Additionally there are many responsibilities you need to fulfill as a "housie" (as they are affectionately named.) There is no more supervision in my apartment building than in my fraternity house.

-Hollow

reply to post by intrepid


I'm not judging their drug use. I simply want to point out, that if people in fraternities (brotherhoods) are going to put themselves upon a pedestal, they should be setting the example, not being part of the problem.

It's kinda like the cops selling drugs for a year to bust the drug dealers.

What if the one that overdosed, OD'ed on the drugs the cops sold?

If one puts themselves in a position to judge (which we all must do sometime) then one shouldn't be guilty of the charges one is judging against.

It's called hypocracy, and it is the worst of all human behaviors.

reply to post by cutbothways


I do not think that fraternities' involvement in drugs is as hypocritical as a cop selling drugs. While it is true that fraternities often pay lip service to the ideas of morality, integrity, and character, most fraternities also associate themselves with the "Animal House" image.

Most fraternities throw conspicuous parties that involve women, alcohol, and loud music. It seems naive to think that an organization that would associate itself with sex, alcohol, and rock and roll would not also be at least tangentially involved in drugs, too.

The only hypocrisy I can see with fraternities selling drugs is that some fraternities claim to be drug and alcohol free. At my school, a couple fraternities truly were drug and alcohol free. For example, there was a Christian fraternity that certainly was not involved in any shenanigans. It wold be highly hypocritical, and even scandalous if these fraternities were involved in drug dealing.

There were also a couple of fraternities that claimed to be drug and alcohol free, but really were not. These fraternities claimed to be drug and alcohol free largely for insurance purposes. Some of these fraternities flagrantly violated the "rule" by having parties with alcohol and drugs, anyway. Some of them skirted the rule by only engaging in "low key" alcohold and drug use. For example, members may have drank alcohol and used drugs only in private. Some other fraternities simply did all their drinking and drug use outside of the fraternity house.

It seems to me less hypocritical when the pseudo-dry fraternities get involved in drugs and alcohol. While these fraternities may be pulling a fast one on their insurance company, people that have any sort of connection with the fraternity are aware that the fraternity is just as much involved with alcohol and drugs as any other fraternity.

reply to post by hotpinkurinalmint


I don't think their motivation behind being apparently drug and alcohol-free is related to insurance primarily. Fraternities were founded on values from (in my case at least) over 100 years ago. It is truly expected of all members not to engage in illicit drug use (the consumption of alcohol, however, is okay, at least in Lambda Chi Alpha). If a member of a fraternity does use drugs, and they do it in privacy and not at the fraternity house or during fraternity events, and it does not interfere with their demeanor or conduct, it becomes non-fraternity business. When you join a fraternity, you are not pledging to dedicate every moment of your life to adhering to its values, you are pledging to do your best at all times to live up to the exacting standards developed by your fraternity's creators. Fraternities are not designed to show everyone else how to live by example, they are designed to teach YOU and ONLY YOU how to live your life to your fullest potential through experiences and situations you share with your brothers.

Edit: For the record, any fraternity worth joining wants nothing to do with the stereotypical idea of a "frat." (BTW I despise this word, if you call your fraternity a frat, what would you call your country?) No self-respecting or socially respected fraternity would allow themselves to become synonymous with "sex, drugs, partying, etc." It is okay for a fraternity to throw parties with loud music and alcohol, but there are classy ways to do things and trashy ways to do things.

Edit 2: Keep in mind that a chapter of a fraternity at one college could contain men with completely different personalities and lifestyles than another chapter of the same fraternity on a different campus. Obviously a few "bad seeds" are impossible to avoid, especially when the number of chapters you have numbers in the hundreds!

[edit on 5/14/08 by Hollow-X]

[edit on 5/14/08 by Hollow-X]

reply to post by Hollow-X


With regards to immaturity and lack of life experience being separate characteristics, you are correct. There is however a strong correlation between age and life experience. You cannot tell me that the average 19 year old is just as mature as the average 40 year old.