Progress And Main
A Social Network Dedicated to Advancing Sustainable Local Communities
Not Neighborly Sigma Nu
Today I was sitting down for a conversation with some of my customers that I am designing a web site for. Being in the mid 70 at 11:00 a.m. my windows were open.
Shortly after that this started:
After an unanswered phone call to the Fraternity contact that I was asked to use and a call to Virginia Tech's office of Fraternity & Sorority Life begging for a quick intervention, to save my customers time I was prompted to call the Police. When I said that I'd rather not make that kind of trouble for the guys I live next to, The person in Greek life indicated that the office would address the issue.
Twenty minutes later, frustrated and unable to have a conversation to discuss their needs, My customers left anyway and the thumping serenade continued without a pause.
Nearly three hours later with the music still going, I call back and was informed that the Greek life office had not contacted of anyone else in the fraternity, because they did not have any contact info for any of the off-campus fraternities. I was also advised that they were too busy dealing with other students to deal with the problems that this off campus fraternity was causing.
Still no call back And Day 2 went like this
And still no call back - Day 3 went like this:
This time the Police showed up. case # 2011-014607
A serious part of the mission of this web site is to bear witness to and create a public record and institutional knowledge of the impact of Virginia Tech on the living situation in town our towns neighborhoods while taking advantage of web 2.0 technology. Then to relate that experience and raise awareness and to organize by creating an easy platform for all parties to communicate in the groups section amongst those with a common goal. These problem solving and community building tools are open to every member of the NRV community for any community building, constructive purpose. Some times the way quality of life issues for neighborhoods can come across negatively. That's not my intent. Hopefully by raising awareness of these issues we can improve upon exiting conditions and clearly illustrate the neighborhood's paradigm for acceptable behavior
The end result of which should ideally be to improve and hopefully then maintain our residential neighborhoods and Downtown and to insure that all of Blacksburg is a place where every stakeholder in our community feels welcome and accepted and can enjoy the use of their property, owned or rented all of the time.
Town / Gown Issues, Meet web 2.0. neighborhood activism
Tags: Greek, Life, Tech, Virginia, campus, fraternities, neighborhoods, off
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John on -
Mike - could you please post a follow up for this event? I can speak personally, since I am the 'point of contact' for Sigma Nu - I only received one phone call, I am assuming the first day, and I was in Seattle, WA, traveling back to VA, so I was not able to notice the voice mail Mike left until Saturday afternoon. I understand the frustration he had, but I think minor community events, such as this, should be handled within the community, and in-person. If I am not available, which rarely happens, I have suggested that Mike should go over and let us know that there is an issue; sometimes people, especially college students, forget their environment and do not realize the impact that they have on the people around them. Although this is not an excuse, I believe calling the police after one missed phone call is not the proper way to handle such a situation. Furthermore, negative examples of our chapter, such as this, should be prefaced or, at a minimum, joined with positive examples. This website is, most likely, the only perspective that some members of the community have on our chapter, and it does not have any information regarding our street clean up efforts, our Blacksburg award for most improved aesthetics in the community, our fundraiser for local law enforcements, our countless participations in philanthropic events, our canned food drive, our academic awards, or any other of our positive attributes. With this in mind, I would prefer that any of the publishers of this website be more empathetic and unbiased when posting articles.
Lastly, I would like to personally welcome any comments or concerns that members of the community have regarding our chapter. It is hard for us to have relationships with the community when we are only here for a short period of time; that is why I will leave my contact information below to create one point of contact for the community to be able to use to communicate with our chapter.
Thanks,
John Nein
(804) 366-5435
johnny9@vt.edu
Chapter website: http://www.vtsigmanu.org/
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Permalink Reply by Michael Hudson on -
Thanks John. As I mentioned below I'm out of town now and Ill have time for a more through reply in the next few days.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Hudson on
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A Sigma Nu Brother posting as "apple" posted this but has subsequently removed it. Since it made accusations that I was altering the videos and so that I could respond, I've put it back up.
Lets talk about "Not Neighborly". What kind of a person sits in there living room
filming the activities of their neighbors?. That is honestly creepy, and to take it a
step further make a web page bashing our organization. I think this site does most of
the talking, anyone with a slight degree of intelligence realizes that you are the one
with a problem. We have stood by and let you have your way year after year
threatening to call to police on us for the most minuscule occasions! Thanks to you
I will be applying for a noise permit to have a daytime gathering with music every
week for the rest of the year. You want to play by the book? We can do that then
you will have nothing to hold over our head. I could go on bashing you with every
creepy thing I have learned about you over the past few years, but you already know
how pathetic your existence is. I will also be purchasing a surveillance system and
the camera will be pointed directly at your front door.(just in case our lawnmower
that has a striking resemblance to the one you magically acquired goes missing
again).
Mike you are the one who deliberately moved in next door to a fraternity house. Are
you the same guy that calls the cops because Hokie House or what use to the be the
Nerve played music to loud during business hours? You are honestly a busy body
and a parasite to this community! Your "customers" probably left because they saw
you for the creep you are trying to film a bunch of college kids out your window.
PS. Dig up those plants you put next to our house or I will be by later to do it for
you!
PPS. Great website skills, anyone with an hour on dreamweaver could slap this site
together. Looks like we did your customers a favor!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjK5W33LjSc&feature=related soooooooooo
loud Mike. Post all the videos that you didnt use amplification software to validate
your complaints!!!
And then there was this partial conversation from another Brother:
"Honestly Mike I think you are the biggest piece of trash I have ever meant and if you have seen our trash pit then you would understand how garbage you are. You are a LOSER the biggest known in the..."As well as this partial reply"
"A couple sigma nu brothers have decided that we shouldn't hold our ground against you and your bs. But I think we have been the best we can be and if you don't like it then move. Our chapter has been...
and then there was this bit of sexual harassment
"Touch the Cooter.....you know what I'm talking about"
on 9/26/2011 this comment appeared on the youtube page:
"jlhipes has made a comment on Day 3 Sigma Nu @ Virginia Tech:
you r living next to frat...shut up"
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Permalink Reply by jane.goette on
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I was disheartened by the response of Sigma Nu to Mike Hudson's very reasonable response to three days of intrusive noise (music, heavy bass) inside the wall of his home. Unfortunately, this group's behavior this year--not students in general or members of Greek organizations in general--shows a callous disrespect for their neighbors and the town in which they are living. I find their replies to Mike Hudson a frightening attempt at coercion. There is no question but that a message like this is intended to suppress the means by which a neighbor might exercise his/her right to invite discussion of a relevant issue and a real problem. I, too, have a fraternity next to my home. Fortunately, for most of the years, most of the groups have been respectful neighbors. Comments like those Mike received are intimidating. This hurts what most of us see as a harmonious, mutually respectful relationship between permanent residents and temporary ones, i.e. students.
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Permalink Reply by Carol on
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I would be interested in our town government's take on this. It appears these students could benefit from a lesson in being a good neighbor.
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Permalink Reply by Gob Bluth on
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I think the fraternity brothers could have handled their responses in a classier manner. However, I do feel that the neighborly thing to do would be to walk over, knock on the door, and ask them to turn down the music, instead of frantically calling everyone you could think of. It seems like you just wanted to tape everything and see what panned out. I am not calling you or the fraternity a liar, but what's the deal with the youtube link below, how come its much much quieter than the one you posted? I live on Wilson, right next to the Sigma Nu house, and I heard nothing.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Hudson on
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That was recorded when the music was pretty loud but did not prove to be the best example of how lout it gets. A better example occurred later which was more clearly demonstrative, so I used that one instead.
© 2012 Created by Michael Hudson.
