I find most of the criticism directed at the Interfraternity Council (IFC) completely unwarranted. Not only are member fraternities taking an active step toward male involvement in the prevention of rape, they are showing effort far beyond what I've seen in the non-greek student population.

Fraternities have a controlled physical environment, in which voiced and displayed messages carry significant weight. These "rape-free" zone signs may not address a woman's concerns, but they certainly reaffirm the fraternity body's public stance against rape every day to every member. I happen to have graduated from high school with IFC President Andrew Hackett. While I'm not involved in any function of the IFC or fraternity life, I can say from personal experience that Hackett is not one to pay lip service to such a serious subject. Rape is very much a man's issue, and the public stance the IFC is taking might help to eliminate silent acceptance of rape among a socially active portion of Penn State male students.

A lesson we all should have learned as a result of the Penn State College Republicans' fiasco is that silence can be as unacceptable as participation.