You know how it's really hard to let people say terrible horrible no good things about you but sometimes it's better to just be quiet than say anything because saying things can be worse? Yeah, members of the Rho Theta chapter of Phi Mu at Elmhurst College didn't get that memo: they decided to try and take care of a story about hazing in their sorority, but they ended up drawing even more attention to it.
On Tuesday, Elmhurst's student paper The Leader published a piece that included details from a leaked sorority email about how Rho Theta was being investigated for hazing by nationals. "THIS DOES NOT GET OUT TO THE PHIS," Rho Theta's president wrote to an unidentified individual (or individuals) within the sorority. "I am 100% serious, for I hope that this is a misunderstanding. This also does not get out to ANYONE else on campus. This stays between us and only us."
As the paper reported, the investigation didn't find the allegations of hazing to be true. But the damage was done. The next day, The Leader reported that 800 copies the issue including that article were found in trashcans around campus, "costing over $1,000 in student money." Members of the sorority were reportedly seen doing said dirty deed.
Though, as previously established, no members of Rho Theta were found to have hazed anyone, nationals is now investigating them again in connection with the disappearing newspapers. Rho Theta will also be reimbursing The Leader for the money the paper lost printing issues no one read. Even more shamefully, they may have to participate in a program about First Amendment rights.
"The story reported that there was no hazing, but I guess they were still upset about it," a college spokeswoman told the Chicago Tribune. I guess they were!
Image via Clark Maxwell/Flickr
DISCUSSION
How the hell do people not get that the Streisand Effect is real and very powerful?