Unhappy readers

I've received my first angry reader complaint.

In the March 6, 2008 issue of the Transcript, I wrote a column about the popular ABC Family television show, "Greek." I compared the show to the Greek community here, citing that the show it not all that different than our Greek community.

Click here to read the column on my own personal blog/archive.

I did not state which sorority I was a part of, and I didn't badmouth any sororities in general. I merely stated that a fictional setting resembled ours here. I know many times sororities and fraternities are shed in a negative light in fiction, but I felt it was necessary to say that while we do not all go to the outrageous parties and participate in many of the things these TV shows portray, that the basics: extreme amounts of gossip, participation in ridiculous events, etc., do exist. But newsflash, these occur outside of these social circles as well.

I stated facts, that I have witnessed first hand in my own sorority experience, and for the most part, I am certain many others have as well.

And I am pretty sure that many people outside the Greek community might share similar experiences or know someone who has.

While I saw no problem with my article, and neither did some of my friends (even some in the Greek community) I was greeted with a Facebook message this morning from one of my friends and sorority sister that asked me to refrain from writing anymore stories concerning my sorority or sororities in general (though they recognized that I had the right to if I so wished). I was informed that if I did, the image of our sorority and/or sorority life here at OWU would be damaged and we would be forced to attend many more recruitment workshops, etc. to counteract that poor image.

Upon receiving this message, I was kind of happy. I made my first "enemy" in the journalism world. I can't please everyone and not everyone will enjoy my writings or share my opinions. It almost felt great to know that people were offended. I do not intend to write any more columns on the Greek community because I only did that because the television show was returning with a new season on Monday March 24.

The part to this that I find truly funny, is that in the season finale of Greek last fall centered around a journalism student who had pledged a sorority (I am unsure whether she did this purposely to create a scandalous story or not, but ...) and then turned around and wrote an anonymous expose centering on the Greek system as a whole, and the particular sorority she pledged. The story focused on the drinking, partying, bitchy girls, etc. of the Greek system at the fictional university. The article created a large problem for the university and damage control was needed.

The fact that I wrote a simple story stating that some of the very basics happen here in order to simply talk about one of my favorite TV shows happened to make members of the Greek community angry, just like the fictional storyline, makes me laugh.

I know this isn't exactly an ethical question or dilemma, but I wanted to write about it because it was the first time I managed to piss off some part of my readership. And they are telling me not to write anything further about sororities, which in a way is unfair (Even though I have no plans to write anything at the moment). They cannot stop me, and they realized that, but they then are "threatening" me one could say with "punishment." And if you've ever had to sit through boring recruitment workshops, you know that is a rare form of torture.

Course, if they knew I was writing all of this, I might still be subjected to those workshops. Life is funny that way.

I'd still choose journalism any day. My purpose to report and in this case, state my opinion in my own column. I like that I made someone unhappy because that will probably happen more in my career.