The bros at the University of Chicago’s Phi Delta Theta are exceeding in their pursuit of a degree in douchebaggery after being involved in a dumb, racist and homophobic prank on an unsuspecting mailman.
“About a week after Memorial Day, I had an order to bring 79 of the boxes. I came to the address and explained to the frat member that I would have a lot more supplies. I went back to the truck for the boxes about six or seven times,” U.S. Postal carrier Iran Becton told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“After the last trip, one of the frat guys came out and said it was a practical joke. Another guy said that I should read the name backwards and I’ll get the joke.”
The packages — all 79 of them — were addressed to “Reggin Toggaf.” Yeah, America’s best and brightest these fratholes are not. Becton, who is black, says he was “humiliated.” The frat contends that it was just a prank; that Becton wasn’t the intended recipient; and that the joke wasn’t meant to offend him. But their mail delivery was put on hold until they sent Becton a written apology.
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In a press release, Phi Delta Theta claimed the packages were sent from an anonymous source and that both the fraternity and the University of Chicago are currently investigating the matter. The frat also issued a public apology to Becton on their website, while the university’s Associate Dean Eleanor Daugherty wrote a letter to the Sun-Times further distancing the frat and U of C from the incident.
No matter who was the intended butt of the joke, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 11, Mack Julion is not laughing.
“[I]f it was a practical joke from one frat to another and not to the letter carrier, it is still not funny. Is this the way you tease each other?” Julion asked while speaking to the frat’s former president last Saturday. “Is this standard protocol in terms of practical jokes? Is this the way they go back and forth, because it is not acceptable.”
The Chicago Division Postal Inspection Services has launched an investigation of its own, and Becton won’t be satisfied until someone is held accountable.
“Someone had to send an email to order those boxes, and the postal inspector should go after the person who ordered all this stuff,” Becton said. “This is ridiculous that all you can tell me is that you are sorry it happened.”
Nixter
Disgusting. Utterly repugnant frat behaviour.
HirsuteOne
The mail carrier may not have been the intended victim of the prank, but he became a target along with the USPS. Those “free” shipping boxes that were ordered were not free. The US Postal Service paid for those. The are intended to be provided free to customers who use the home/office postage printing feature and carrier pick up service.
miagoodguy
Idiotic behavior by college students (it is not limited to fraternities).
longpastdue
OK let me clear this up real quick. Pranking between fraternities is a long and extremely fun time honored tradition. Ignore the recipient name for a second and think about the fact that this would be an extremely funny prank not to mention completely harmless. Now as for the name itself you have to get the reference. It is referencing a very funny video from Derrick comedy that every fraternity guy in the world has seen. Besides the fact that these guys were supposed to be the but of the joke so you can’t even blame them. People need to get off their high horse this is not even remotely newsworthy.
LubbockGayMale
I know if I was a HR manager in the area, I’d have serious questions about hiring a member of the frat upon graduation. Stupid, yes; drunk, probably; bigoted, definitely!
Dakotahgeo
@longpastdue: You are an arrogant, uneducated misfit! YOUR TIME is longpastdue! You live in a new society where this type of behavior will result in lawsuits and legal monetary fines and punishments. You may want to check yourself in for a mental tune-up before you finish college, much more if you are a daycare dropout! Simply… disgusting! you are!
Merv
@longpastdue: Yeah, humiliating a postal worker just for your amusement is completely harmless. After all, he’s not a real person deserving any dignity. He probably isn’t even a college graduate.
Mitch
As a proud out gay man, Marine Corps veteran, and active member of a fraternity on my campus, I find this type of behavior absolutely disgusting. I want everyone to know that this is not what Greek Life is about. It is about building life long friendships and learning how to be an effective leader within your community.
Actions like this hurt the Greek Life community at-large by lumping us all together when things like this occur. My Fraternity has had chapters mess up as well but we, as a whole, embrace diversity and have a high standard that all Brothers must meet and maintain that ARE NOT based on physical appearances, sexual orientation, or religion but what type of man and student you are.
I cannot speak for those outside of my own Fraternity but this is not the image we wish to have because what is happening is bad apples are ruining something that is truly beautiful and fulfilling for those who are doing this for the right reasons.
hf2hvit
@longpastdue: FUNNY??? NOT. Why don’t YOU pay for those boxes? You are truly one fucking idiot.
Joetx
I’m not surprised. I found every frat rat I met in college to be a d-bag.
Dakotahgeo
@Joetx: I wish I could say that but in the 60s when I went to college, fraternities and sororities were much more intelligent and responsible for their actions, AND they were much more civic-minded! I was never a Frat person but I could support them whole-heartedly and not have to have second thoughts like we have had in the last 15+ years! Hopefully these nimatodes will grow up before they graduate or job-hunt!
longpastdue
@Dakotahgeo: I am amazed at the level of rage there. You know nothing about me but you have made these assumptions and stereotyped me more than the people you are angry at in this circumstance ever did, I would take a long hard look at how you are treating people and ask yourself if that kind of sentiment breeds acceptance or hostility. @Merv: I don’t see how the postal worker was humiliated at all. He was merely doing his job delivering the boxes, was it any more humiliating than if he had been delivering those boxes for some legitimate reason…I think not, the only humiliation he would experience is simply because he didn’t understand the joke until it was explained and even in that case he was hardly the only one and there is no shame in that…and finally@hf2hvit: I am sure the boxes were reclaimed.
manjoguy
What kind of “journalism” is this (i.e., …”their poor mailman”). Is the author saying the mailman had no money?!
Dakotahgeo
@longpastdue: Your type with your attitude are a dime a dozen on the open market of stupid! I seen, heard, and dealt with your kind all my life as educator, Administrator, and Clergy/Chaplain. You are possibly a twin brother to Jimmy Swaggart, James Dobson, or their type. Your simple notes mean… nothing!
Dakotahgeo
@Dakotahgeo: Addendum/Correction: I’ve seen, heard, and dealt….”*
Cam
@longpastdue:
Oh I forgot, this is the part where YOU play the victim isn’t it?
JerryBall
Speaking of frat guys, I think of George Bush a frat guy cheerleader. In Texas I used to see these frat guys passed out lying in their own vomit on the university lawns on my way to morning class. Classy? Disgusting.