The national non-profit organization, Marijuana Policy Project, is asking fraternities and sororities at UW-Madison and other universities to raise money and awareness for its mission to make marijuana legal.
Similar to other non-profits, like the American Cancer Society, the MPP has its own tax-deductible code for educational organizations. This makes it possible for groups such as fraternities and sororities to raise money for its causes.
MPP mailed out information about its organization to over 2,220 Greek houses for universities in every state, including University of California-Berkeley and Cornell University. These mailings included 20 UW-Madison fraternities and sororities, including Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
\Basically, we are mailing to everybody that we could locate. We have the most comprehensive list of fraternities and sororities available,"" said Bruce Mirken, MPP's director of communications.
The MPP chose to market to the Greek system because fraternities and sororities are large philanthropic groups easily able to arrange charity events, Mirken said.
Money raised from Greek philanthropy would go to fund campaigns like MPP's current fight for medical marijuana legalization in Wisconsin. MPP successfully managed a similar campaign in Montana last November.
""If you rape somebody, you don't lose your student loan, but if you're caught with one joint in your dorm room, you do. Tell me in what alternative universe that makes sense? It's absolutely outrageous,"" Mirken said.
The mailings have not yet reached the UW-Madison campus. However, those involved in the Greek system do not anticipate a warm response to MPP's request because of the political connection the MPP holds.
""It's not that we should be apathetic about political views, but this is something that you should support as an individual,"" said Drew Eshweiler, Interfraternity Council president and UW-Madison senior. ""To tie it to a fraternity or sorority is improper use of your Greek organization.""
Having a politically minded philanthropy is difficult to put in place in a fraternity or sorority, where members have diverse political beliefs.
""Our Greek communities have national philanthropies and are for the betterment of society. There are so many different value systems within a Greek system. Some chapters may shy away from a political stance like this because a cause like it might not represent the views of all members of the chapter,"" said UW-Madison fraternity and sorority program advisor Barb Kautz.
""Fraternities and sororities are about brotherhood and sisterhood. They're not about political action, I feel. I think it's just stepping over some boundaries,"" Eschweiler said.
