Due to recent events, I finally find it time to stand up and say “enough.” Everything is completely out of hand and one sided when it comes to the current events surrounding Chi Omega and the African American students at Kent State. Personally, I dated a young African American man in high school and have been taught my entire life that prejudice of any kind is wrong, as have the majority of women I know, not only in Chi Omega, but at Kent State. I am not attempting to prove that the award given at the Chi Omega formal was not wrong, only that it was a mistake. I know each and every member of Chi Omega is so sorry and that each girl now realizes the severity of what has happened.

What has angered me the most about this frenzy of Chi Omega bashing is not only the fact that girls are now afraid to wear their letters for fear of harassment, but that no one has attempted to point out the circumstances of that award, nor has anyone bothered to point out the good things Chi Omega had done in the past at Kent State. No one has talked of the character of the women involved in Chi Omega, and most importantly, that it is completely ridiculous and unfair that girls are being violently harassed. By illustrating only the one major mistake a few Chi Omega members have made, one of the nation’s largest women’s organizations is now being labeled a racist group.

No matter how wrong the award was, it is truly unfair to only illustrate one side of this story and for girls to be harassed while going to class.

What about the fact that Chi Omega annually raises money nationally for Make A Wish? Last year, Kent State, John Carroll and alumni members were able to grant a wish for a little boy to travel to Disney World. What about the fact that Chi Omega won Delta Zeta lip sync or Songfest, both philanthropic events? Or, the biggest kicker that Chi Omega had raised more money for Relay for Life than any other campus organization at Kent State? Chi Omegas are outstanding girls. We are not racist. We made a mistake. It happens to the best of us.

As a former Vice President and loving member of Chi Omega, I find it completely necessary to stand up for our organization; it may mean my membership being revoked because of the fact that our nationals at Kent State have ordered us to “cease and desist,” but I am so tired of this bashing. For any peaceful resolution there must be peaceful action, not oppression, not violence and certainly not racism toward black or white.

I am sure when I say this I am speaking for all members of Chi Omega when I say we are truly sorry for our insensitivity, but just as much as our acts were insensitive, two wrongs do not a make a right.

Cassandra Helton is a Chi Omega Member and senior political science international relations major.