[Kevin]

It sounds like you obsess overmuch with power and wealth in those vaunted Southern chapters. My personal view is that I don't give a crap what a member wears so long as he conducts himself according to the very high expectations of his active brothers and alumni. Who cares if he drives a lowered Honda? Who cares if he shops at certain stores in the mall? Those are utterly stupid reasons to consider oneself better than another person. Hair gel? Are you kidding me?

For all your hoity-toity holier-than-thou-ness, you seem to forget that part of having class is being able to not judge a book by its cover.

I guess you're a-okay with a serial rapist in your house so long as he only wears the pony, and other similar brands, wouldn't disturb his well-kept mane with any sort of artificial product, only drinks the finest single malt scotch whiskeys, and drives a late-model BMW and has an allowance from his parents which is high enough to maintain a fratty lifestyle?

There are excellent chapters nationwide. My own chapter is pretty southern-oriented, and yes, image is something we are conscious of (as like it or not, that has a direct effect on the overall success of your operation). I think, however, that our primary criterion in membership selection is character -- definitely not wealth or upbringing, and we do quite well.