University of Virginia Library

Dubious Remarks

Whatever good intentions Mr.
Don Bellomy may have had in
speaking to the Sceptre Society
Wednesday night, his remarks were
uncalled for and, in some cases
where he isolated specific fraternities
and individuals, in extremely
poor taste. The effect of his speech
was to alienate almost everyone
present.

It became painfully apparent as
Mr. Bellomy attacked the caucus
system (and then digressed to include
the IFC and the counseling
system) that although he claimed
not to advocate a "fraternity-independent
split", in his mind this
split was already an unbridgeable
chasm.

My intention in writing this letter
is not to debate the veracity
of Mr. Bellomy's accusations of
inequality in the caucuses or to
defend the IFC and the counseling
system, but rather is to point
out that the University Party is
not, as one could have easily inferred
from Mr. Bellomy's speech,
an organization of independents
who wish to combat the fraternities
which have usurped their
rights.

Although I am not a member
of the University Party, the impression
of the organization which
I have derived from friends and my
own fraternity brothers who are
members of the University Party
is that this is a place where any
student of the University can come
to be represented on an equal
basis and without prejudice. The
platforms and performance of the
organization seem to bear me out
on this, especially the fact that
three of the five candidates for
Student Council offered by the
University Party in the coming elections
are fraternity men.

It is a shame that in one evening
one person could do so much to
cripple the image of fairness and
equality the University Party has
worked so long to gain.