They would be lovely - and better protected -in a shadow box with a tarnish resistant cloth as background. Grandmother's crest pin could be there with the rest of the family to be remembered by one and all. JMHO.

eta - Ye gods, what in the world does multiple sclerosis have to do with it?

Yay! WhiteRose wins! So sorry for all the drama. I thought the original ? was clear, but I guess not. I just wondered what this DG pin was for. It is obviously now almost 100 years old. My GM is long gone and I can't ask her, thus I ask the next best wise source, GreekChat! :)

SWTX Belle, I am not going to bust my brother's chops over his wearing this pin, not the regular DG initiation pin, but the crest on black onyx rectangle, as a tie tac. He has MS and his life is hard. If this makes him happy, fine. I am sure there are many dissenting opinions about the correctness of this, including my own, but sometimes I believe the concept is larger than the rule. I am glad he is happy in the memory of my GM's college/sorority life, as am I.

Swarmina: Getting back to the original question, I think that MIGHT be a scarf pin of some sort. As pointed out earlier, it might also be a lapel pin, but I do remember one of my great aunts having a similar pin (not with the DG or any other crest, but with some art deco type design) that she used as a scarf pin.

what's an OP? I am feeling objectified! ;)

I have searched in vain for a post requesting that you "bust his chops". I am sorry for his medical condition. Whether or not it him wearing it is correct is not a subjective question - it is determined by the organization that owns the crest. I knew what you were inferring - my point is that there is no logic in throwing his medical condition into the discussion. It is not relevant. There is, to the best of my knowledge, no medical exemption to copyright or other laws.

Officer - I have pulled you over because you are speeding.
Speeder - But officer! I have multiple sclerosis and my life is hard!
Officer - Oh, well in that case, never mind.

I would hope that his memories of his grandmother are not dependent on one piece of jewelery, or that if he chose not to wear it he would somehow be dishonoring her. There are no crest police who are going to break in and arrest him, even though the design is copyrighted. It is still an objective fact that by wearing it he is flouting the very organization that apparently meant so much to his grandmother.

Original Poster

And while I understand that he and you think he is honoring his grandmother, as a Delta Gamma I can assure he is not. I am not trying to "bust his chops" but rather request politely that he not dishonor my and your GM's organization by wearing something which he has no right to wear. You could simply say to him - you know, Joey, I found out that only initiated members of DG are allowed to wear their badge or crest. What's some other way we could display this item?"

As much as my late father's membership in ATO is a source of pride, I would never presume to wear their badge or crest as a way to honor him. There are other ways I can do that without violating their regulations.

Having a hard life or a difficult medical diagnosis doesn't give you carte blanche to do whatever you'd like. Don't I wish it did. ;) I'm sorry your brother has been ill, but breaking the traditions of your grandmother's sorority doesn't honor her. I'm sure he thinks the pin is for a man since it does have some masculine appeal, but that was the style in the early 1900s when bar pins and other crest/ COA jewelry abounded. AOII's own president's ring has a similar appearance.

I'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that DG has a policy regarding badge disposition upon a member's death, which doesn't include being displayed by a nonmember. Our rules are that the badge gets buried with the deceased or returned to HQ. Titchou can correct me if DG doesn't have something similar in place.

If this is the case, displaying it isn't the thing to do, either.

He went last night after I spoke with him and buried it at her grave in Denver. Sorry for the offense. Problem resolved. Thanks everyone.

DG does not have a policy beyond what I've stated. Any Fraternity badge or crest that a member or member's family may want to dispose of should be sent to Executive Offices. Otherwise, a display is fine. It's just not appropriate to wear it if one is not a member. I have a personal opinion about what the OP's brother has done with it and it will remain that - personal.

And BTW, my will lays out what should be done with my 2 DG badges.

:confused:

MS doesn't affect your brain and the part of you that can distinguish which is right or wrong, except in the very late stages, which if your brother was to that point I doubt he would be wearing a tie let alone a tie tack.

You do people with conditions such as MS NO sympathy by excusing behavior from them that would not be acceptable from others. As a matter of fact, it's pretty damned offensive. You're turning him into a condition to be pitied instead of a person.

And yes, I DO know what I'm talking about and I HAVE been through this with a family member.

I highly doubt he buried the pin, but as I stated earlier, if you don't like the advice given, stop talking about what you and your brother are doing with another organization's pins.