I myself am a fraternity member (Tau Kappa Epsilon), but have never been around, or known anyone who was forced to drink. We have a fairly small campus so I might be pretty sheltered, but I have never felt any pressure to drink. I can't say who is at fault because both the people who consume and the people who supply the alcohol are at fault in my mind. Anyone who can't say no to a drink does not need to be drinking in the first place and makes me wonder what kind of person he or she is. Now I am not saying that I don't feel bad about these deaths, because I do, but it also seems that everyone is trying to blame the other person. Just like in today's American society, when something bad happens, the blame is applied to everyone else. I do think that when underage drinking is involved the supplier should be somewhat at fault, but in the end it is ALWAYS in the hands of the drinker whether they will drink or not. It's just that most people can't stand to lose a friend over this simple matter and that is what pushes them to drink, so they can be accepted.
JOIN THE DEBATE Be sure to include your name and affiliation. Legitimate requests for anonymity will be honored. Submissions may be condensed or edited for clarity.
| ||||||||
previous response
Copyright © 1998 by The Chronicle of Higher Education