Would my last name blackball me?
 

consider this post deleted. I had no idea such a response would be prompted. I am simply putting to rest something that I have heard...and I thought this would be a reliable source to ask. However, instead, I am ridiculed. So nevermind. Thank you for all of the patient responses.

It is difficult here for me to take you seriously... and I am really trying not to answer you in a manner which might be upsetting.

But the fact that you would even ask a question like this makes me question your intentions here. Searching through your posts, I see a very inarticulate person, who I have a hard time believing is a junior at an SEC school, who is trying to elicit admissions from members here about the sort of discrimination which occurs in the selection process.

I could be completely wrong about you, and I apologize in advance if I am.

And for what it's worth, if you pull this odd, overinquisitive stuff during recruitment, you're going to be discriminated against, not because of your age or your ethnicity, but because you're acting like a social leper.

The sort of people these organizations target are the sorts of people who know what it means when they are told to dress 'business casual' or to wear something that's in good taste. I'm not sure what sort of upbringing you've had, but this stuff isn't exactly rocket science.

QFP

and in response... SERIOUSLY???

The Dekes blackballed me because of my last name. :(

Ummm, based on what you've written, if they would discriminate like that, you wouldn't have to worry about being a part of it.

I have a traditionally jewish last name. I am not jewish either. I don't believe I was ever discriminated against going through recruitment. Even if I was cut because of it, I wouldn't have wanted to join that house anyway.

You may have faced discrimination about 40 years ago, but many, many parts of the greek experience have changed in those 40 years.

Including blackballing. AFAIK, inter/national fraternities & sororities rarely use the archaic blackball method anymore.

I am not talking about you or the other people that gave me patient responses. The reason is 20 years ago my aunt rushed at the same school that I am in the spring, and was only considered by a Jewish sorority. And...the moderator most certainly did ridicule me. A ?social leper? in my book that is not support, that is ridicule, and really I don't appreciate it. If you are no longer giving advice to prospects/ or answering questions thats fine, but when a question arises and it is answered in such a demeaning way...that is not ok. I am most definitely not talking about the people who gave me answers that are helpful and I will take your advice whole heartedly.

That unfortunately did happen sometimes, 20, 30, 40 years ago. It's not something that happens now, just because those last names aren't considered exclusively Jewish anymore as they were in the past.

Thank you. I hope this can be put to bed. I did not want this to turn into what it became. It really made me sick to my stomach when I read his post. I know what business casual is. My University has not yet released dress code for informal Spring rush. I was brought up just fine, and just because I asked a question does not mean that I am inarticulate in any way. Wow, It's sad that I come to get help and I regret it. I hope that prospective members in the future do not get treated that way, it's a turn off.

Well thank you for clearing that up. My Aunt's story prompted the question. I just found his response unnecessary, that's all. It hurt my feelings, and insulted me quite a bit. You have been great, however.

He didn't call you a social leper.

He said that if you ask random questions like this during recruitment...like, with the girls in the room, you will look like a social leper to them.