While I laud Jared David’s conviction and am impressed with the courage it takes to publicly attack two local chapters of national fraternities, I am appalled by the slanderous statements and deliberately hurtful sentiments he presented in The Hatchet’s Forum section (“Rogue chapters corrupt,” Sept. 20, p. 5). It would seem to me, a senior and member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, that part of the duties of the Interfraternity Council is to help unite the GW campus and foster a sense of good will and compassion. David clearly does not feel the same way.

I do not know David personally, and I will refrain from the childish name-calling he seems to take such pleasure in. Instead I will review a few of the more ridiculous statements David made in The Hatchet.

First, I do not live in a tree. None of my brothers do now or have ever lived in trees. I would not mind having a treehouse, but I am sure D.C. zoning laws would prohibit such a thing. Regardless, we have a house with an actual physical foundation in earth and soil. I am sure David was just trying to be clever.

Of course I, along with the special-needs community, was quite offended by David’s reckless use of the word “retarded” in referring to the Zeta Beta Tau colony. As I understand it, none of their members are disabled nor are they in any way the products of incest as you suggest by declaring they are from a “crowded gene pool.”

David is not the spokesperson for “all upstanding men and women on this campus.” He clearly does not respect my brothers and me, but how dare he have the hubris to assume he speaks for all good people at GW? What gives David the right to discern the “upstanding” members of the GW community from those who are not? Upstanding individuals do not charge people they do not know with being retarded or living in trees.

What does David hope to accomplish with all of his hatred toward Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Zeta Beta Tau? Can we all not coexist peacefully despite slightly differing approaches to Greek life?

David calls my fraternity a “farce” when in fact his hateful ideas are farcical. I wish David luck with the fraternities at GW for which he is responsible and ask that he not concern himself with those beyond his purview.

–The writer is a senior majoring in international affairs.