Who Stole the Cookie From the Fraternity?

October 29, 2009 - 5:58am

Dear A to Z,

My friends and I got ourselves involved in some illegal activities last weekend. In a frat prank war, three brothers and I brazenly stole from a rival fraternity and got some Grade-A loot. However, the president and risk manager of our chapter found out about the theft and decided to hand out official punishments to deter us from engaging in frat-grabbing. Luckily for me, he knew that my three friends were involved but not that I was, so only they were penalized. The punishment is not only extremely severe, but it has started weighing on my conscience as well — I feel bad that my friends felt the brunt of the castigation and I am scot-free. Do I turn myself in and risk being judged by less rambunctious brothers for my questionable decisions, or do I jeopardize my relationship with my friends that got in trouble?

Sincerely,

Stole the Cookie

Dear Stole the Cookie,

I believe that the most morally sound thing to do would be to turn yourself in. In doing so, your conscience will be cleared, and although you will have to suffer through whatever the punishment may be, you will be proving the value of your character to both yourself and your friends. Indeed, the fact that you have even been wrestling with the decision suggests that you are ready to admit your guilt. You didn’t kill anybody or commit treason, so ‘fess up and laugh about this in a few years with your fellow thieving frat stars.

There is no need to jeopardize close friendships for mere speculation about what other people in your house might think of you. Your concerns are valid, but it is probably going to be even more suspicious if there are rumors going around than if you just come clean. In all likelihood, admitting your guilt and making sure the punishment is distributed fairly will reflect positively on you. So I say come clean, maintain your friendships, and avoid the “questionable decisions” in the first place. Leave the frat-grabbing to the pledges.

Oh, and Stay Classy!

A and Z