Eating clubs should not be attacked

Every few weeks, members of our University community find new reasons to attack the eating club system. Last week it was the "vandalization" of Forbes College and the trauma that freshman members of that college suffered during pickups. I write this article because I am disgusted by the vilification of the eating clubs and the honorable officers who lead them. They are among Princeton's finest.

The imagery available to you over the past week has made club members and officers out to be villains. Quadrangle Club was particularly singled out. And University officials have reprimanded and disciplined the officers of that club. This was uncalled for.

The claim that freshmen were scared during pickups is patently absurd! Yes, we were loud as hell. That's the point. But these freshmen are almost twenty years old, and they can deal with the noise for half a minute, once! They were terrified? Grow up!

You want something terrifying, how about a handful of local gang members waving guns at you because you prevented them from breaking into your club? That happened at Quad. That was scary.

Officers of clubs deal with real-life, dangerous situations on a weekly basis. We spend immeasurable time, energy and money creating a safe and fun environment for University students. Yet, you attempt to vilify us and to see us disciplined for the noise we created during pickups because it terrified freshmen? Yes, I find that absurd. Enjoy dealing with the noise and cleaning up after room parties when we shut our doors.

The "vandalism" charge is even more disturbing to me because it denotes something much more serious than the accidental creation of a mess: the willful and malicious destruction of property. Sean Cameron '05 should never have made this claim, specifically not against Quad; he was not in his room or in his hallway during the entire time Quad members were in the building.

Additionally, last Sunday there was neither extreme destruction nor any malicious intent to destroy. Unfortunately, a small mess was created, though it was honestly not that bad. No hallway was destroyed the way vandalism implies. My freshman year in Forbes, every light in my hallway was broken and every exit sign in the building was destroyed multiple times by underclassmen. That was real vandalism, yet I saw no vindictive editorial.

Though I deeply regret the inconvenience to custodians, allow me to put this in perspective. Club officers waste hours upon hours of our valuable time cleaning up the messes that underclassmen create in our clubs, not once, but multiple times a week! In addition, no offence intended to the janitors of Forbes College, but they are being financially compensated for their work. Officers in clubs are not, even though we collectively spend tens of thousands of hours each and every year providing an enjoyable and safe social outlet for students on this campus. We mop floors and clean up vomit at 4 a.m., often when we have important assignments due the next day.

When was the last editorial you saw about the destruction of expensive club property, the breaking of windows to gain entrance, the trespassing on members' nights or the theft of irreplaceable and priceless historical property by a nonmember and uninvited underclassmen? We deal with this every week. Perhaps in the future we will not remain so silent.

Though I know I will be castigated after writing this response because some of what I wrote is unpopular and offensive, I believe it is right. As president of the ICC I have worked closely with the presidents and officers from every club, and it has been my greatest honor to serve with them.

All of you Officers of Prospect have my utmost respect for the time and energy that you give freely to this university community that almost always goes unrecognized underappreciated, and is frequently used against you. You ask nothing from the University, yet you give it so much in return.

I am tired of seeing the best of Princeton attacked and vilified. God help this University when the day comes when honorable young men and women of Princeton ask: "What is the point?" JW Victor is the president of the Inter-Club Council and a former president of Princeton Quadrangle Club. He can be reached at jvictor@princeton.edu.