LETTERS: Inaccurate art about Greeks

To the Editor: For a woman who has never been through Panhellenic rush at Penn, Giulian sure has a lot of fallacious thoughts. Why does she not mention anything about women rushing in her column? Giulian's belief that "convincing the house that you're worthy of being a member and that you can be like them," is completely inaccurate for Penn's Panhellenic rush. We know -- we've been through it. The Greek system at each university is completely different. Didn't the DP just inform its readers of these facts on its front page earlier this week? Reading about the manner in which Johns Hopkins's fraternity pledges are hazed does not reflect in any way, shape, or form the pledging activites at Penn. It is a shame that someone so uninformed about Penn's rushing and pledging events was so midleading. But it is even a greater travesty that artist Mike DeMarco, after reading Giulian's column, chose to portray women pledges inaccurately, thereby demoralizing the image of Penn's Greek women. If a picture says a thousand words, then the artwork is an article in itself. Janelle Brodsky College and Engineering '99 Pi Beta Phi sister Ann Wang Wharton and College '99 Pi Beta Phi sister To the Editor: We belong to an organization that promotes academic achievement, community involvement, respect for others and lifelong friendships. This organization was created in the 1800s by a group of women who "vehemently criticized anyone who disrespected them." We are proud members of a sorority and the Greek system at Penn. Despite Sarah Giulian's unfounded statements in her column "No way to treat a sister" (DP, 1/21/97), we were never "degraded, tortured, stripped, deprived of sleep, ordered about or enslaved by others." Nor did we "run a gauntlet and pass a series of severe tests" to be accepted. The common bond of sisterhood we share is not founded in pain or hardship but rather in happiness and friendship? It's a shame that Giulian has never met any of our sisters, all of whom are intelligent individuals who strive to attain goals with the utmost integrity. They would never think to judge Giulian or anyone based on an organizational affiliation or stereotype. They would also share with her the numerous opportunities afforded to them as a member of a Greek organization. Sue Vivolo College '98 President-Elect, Pi Beta Phi two other signatures follow