OCR Text |
Show Viewpoint September 1, ; 'Six of Long Beach State College's seven sororities ' from the college recently. And before that all six of p'' College's sororities were suspended. . THE LONG BEACH groups had withdrawn from 1 vised rushing last summer without consulting the coll- 1 sent letters to members stating that off-campus rush 1 compliance with the September 1, 1964 deadline to et-' 1 criminatory clauses from social group constitutions. -Trustees of the state colleges have ruled that sororif j: ternities must sign these pledges, in which they agree nop-1 ; inate against members on the basis of race or religion. J THIS IS THE same ruling which University of Califo- ' must comply with by next September. In Oregon, the situation was slightly different The' had only been recognized by the college in 1960. Before :-they :-they had to agree not to discriminate. ' ; BUT TWO "eminently qualified" Negro girls had to-- :' rush this fall, and had not been pledged by any sorority ' ! were suspended with further investigation scheduled to the reasons why they were not accepted. ' t. We don't know exactly what "eminently qualified" -appears that even Portland State students can't really detr ! AND THEREIN lies one of the biggest stumbling H. ,'; whole social group discrimination hassle. It is understandable that a group which purports to ': of friendship, a collection of people drawn together to live; life together should want to choose their members. UNINSTITUTIONALIZED groups do this every day. It is also understandable that members of this jr.jf resent being told by some outside force who their menfe i be. And this is the way many members view the pledges, fr those who are no longer a part of the campus group, an: member their college and Greek days fondly. IT APPEARS that the situation at Long Beach State i: this resistance to what appeared to be a moVfe to dictate 1. membership composition. But one must remember that the University has again;-1 said that the non-discrimination pledge does not tell the p: it should admit. It merely says that it should not prohib;: : because of their color, religion, or national origin. 1 THE GROUPS may still choose members on any criteria-? success in athletics, scholarship or activities, friend!;:.: patability, social awareness or whatever. They simply mil; 1 lowed by either national or local organizations to exct: who otherwise live up to the group's standards because ol religious prejudice. Perhaps people who do live up to the- "eminently qualified." We do not see how this can be viewed as offensive. It is dedicated to liberty and democracy. It is only to be es? the University and associated groups should also suW; philosophy. And that philosophy includes the right of eat-ual eat-ual to be accepted on his own merits. - THAT IS WHAT the great civil rights movement:;! the entire country right now is all about. And if one I that is what the Christian doctrine of "love thy neig f ing to.' The treatment of men as men, liking them i ... t kind of people you want as friends, not liking them u r Both the Portland and Long Beach cases are rnosU- The colleges and the groups concerned may both sun m. We can not hope too strongly that - nothing similar here between now and next September. k, MARYMcGOWAN ' Daily Coml |