Frowned or not, these sorts of things happen. I think it comes partially from the NPC/NIC tradition of joining your first semester/year of college. People change a lot over college, so the things that were hammered into them as being "really important" when they joined their freshman year may, like so much else that was really important freshman year, seem not as vital by the time they reach their later years. I'm not justifying this, but it happens.

Also, many fraternities, in particular, are very different beasts now than their original founded form. Many members may not associate or connect their fraternity/sorority experience, as they personally experience it, with the things that some guys sat down in the 1840's and thought up.

Besides, suppose someone reaches their senior year and can't remember (or pretends not to remember, to seem cool and tough) their founding principles. What are you going to do, grill them? Kick them out? How would you even find out that they can't remember all 15 founders' first, middle and last names? Remembering and treasuring the traditions of an organization can be encouraged, but the decision eventually comes down to the individual, sooner or later.

--

As to why people like sasquatch don't really identify as strongly with their national fraternity as their own chapter: many fraternity men disagree deeply with the current policies of their national organization, and the way that the national organization chooses to interpret their founding values. I could go into details, (mostly from other organizations besides my own, for the record) but I'll refrain.

Also, on a more personal note, it may sometimes be easier to feel proud of your undergrad chapter than the national fraternity. National fraternities (and sororities) are such great sprawling organizations that someone's bound to do something stupid while associated with your letters, like encouraging their brother to drink himself to death on his 21st birthday, or sexually assaulting a stripper (although they were later exonerated... kind of), or getting liquored up and trashing a hotel room in Colorado.

Now, how about those biggest rush mistakes? ;)

Yes.

The rules yes, you probably are following all the correct rules and procedures, unless of course you are bending the pledge period. I do not personally have a problem with it, but IMH would not be too happy about that one. But I do not think it is the policies so much, as some of the programs that IMH has put into place would be detrimental to bigger universities, but work really well for the smaller universities. Each university has to adapt which programs are going to work best for them and execute them. I hope this all makes sense.

I don't think that's an exclusively male thing...or an exclusively NIC thing, by a long shot. However, I think that you can state it that way without saying "my only brothers are those from my chapter." That's kind of like saying the only Americans are the ones with the same political views as you.

A person might be displeased by some of the things their current national board is doing, or bylaws that were passed, but the more you distance yourself from it, the less likely you will be able to turn it back around to where you think it should be.

The implementing of standard pledge programs and the like is due to two things: 1) our litigious society and 2) there are just plain fewer people volunteering full time. You can't vet everyone's pledge program when you don't have the man/womanpower to look them all over. It's just easier to tell everyone to do the same thing. We used to be local diners, now we're McDonald's.

Hahaha!

"I bent my wookie."
/hijack

What? Oh yeah.

LOL.

Ummm, don't wear plaid and stripes together? :)

I wonder if he knows it bothers you and does it on purpose to rile you (and others?) up. I know plenty of people who say or do provocative or irritating things because they love getting a reaction out of someone.

And good for you, SECdomination, for being able to support your brothers who like the Obama guy. Don't let him get to you!

You should probably bust out the Tabasco sauce, bottle caps, and bows and toes.

Rut roh. Another bows and toes reference.

Gotta throw it out there every once in a while.

You bid an Obama activist???

Take your charter outside and burn it as quick as you can, just cut your losses.

dude, just get a George W t-shirt and wear it around him constantly. this could be fun.

I would be offended by that tie too, not for the Obama factor but for the tacky factor. That's kind of the guy equivalent of the sweatshirts with the cats walking toward you on the front and the cat butts on the back.

Nothing wrong with being liberal, but dressing tacky while representing your fraternity is a different story.