Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to Wednesday's Feature "Students work to improve drug awareness at Tufts." While I support freedom of speech and expression, I do not feel the Daily should use its satirical Halloween issue to single out Alpha Phi, one of the three sororities on campus.
It is inappropriate and wrong to publish a story that accuses Alpha Phi (or any Greek chapter on campus) of engaging in illegal activities. It is one thing to target fake people or organizations, but it is entirely out of line to imply that members of Alpha Phi use cocaine. The Daily should be used as a forum to raise awareness about issues affecting Tufts students - not as an outlet to defame campus organizations.
As President of the Panhellenic Council, Tufts students should know that the Panhellenic community (composed of Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Phi and Chi Omega) will not tolerate the Daily or any other publication that maligns Greek organizations on campus. Furthermore, Jessica Snow, the Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing of the Inter-Greek Council, agrees with our dismay at the Daily's uninformed remark and adds, "I believe that, as a Tufts community, we should all be working to support one another."
This would be unacceptable no matter what group was singled out and it is unfortunate that a Tufts student feels the need to put a great organization down in order to be allegedly funny. I hope that in the future, the Daily will consider the individual members of this organization, who they are, the great work they do, and why it is wrong to accuse them of cocaine use.
There is no basis, in fact, for what the Daily stated about Alpha Phi. In the future, the Daily should be more cautious about what it chooses to print in its articles. Whoever approved "Students Work to Improve Drug Awareness at Tufts" obviously did not consider the possible ramifications of implying that members of Alpha Phi use cocaine.
I understand this was a satirical article that was supposed to be taken as a joke; however, falsely accusing an organization of illicit drug use (particularly cocaine) could have serious repercussions, which is not something to be taken lightly. More importantly, articles that perpetuate stereotypes, false preconceptions and foster ignorance toward organizations should be avoided.
Hailey FitzgeraldClass of 2008
