Pop culture loves to depict Greek life as a harmless rite of passage where the worst thing that happens is the dean suspending you for putting boobs on the mascot.

But fraternities were built centuries ago on principles of white supremacy that still infect the system today. Despite the "Greek" name, frats are mostly an American abomination––like street gyros or George Stephanopoulos.

Fraternities were started for wealthy white Christian men to discuss philosophy in secret. Many had charters explicitly prohibiting members who weren’t white Christians. Decades after segregation officially ended, Greek life segregation unofficially continued.

The University of Alabama didn't have its first integrated rush until 1991. Your first integrated rush shouldn't be younger than the band Rush.

Black students had responded to segregation by starting their own fraternities and sororities, but Black fraternities and sororities aren't treated as well as their white counterparts. For example, they've rarely had their own houses on campus.

When a Black frat was set to become the first on the University of Mississippi's fraternity row in 1988, their house was burned down before they could move in.

Despite promises to become more diverse, racism in white Greek life remains a constant. Even if we magically ended racism, frats are still a menace, between the reckless drinking, the hazing, the sexual assault, and their new status as COVID super-spreaders.

Some people are calling for Greek life to be reformed rather than abolished––but they've been given so many second chances, only to screw up over and over again. Double secret probation isn’t cutting it. Let’s shut it down.