See that is the thing I don't agree with. I do agree with not wearing letters at like political rallies and the like. But I never understood the no wearing letters while drinking or smoking or what have you. Depending on the size of your Greek System, people might already know you are an ABC. You should just refrain from doing stuff that you wouldn't want reflected on your organization to begin with.

Agree or disagree, people should go based on the protocol and traditions for their GLO (and, as I said before, know when something is just a chapter tradition) and not to consider what other GLOs do.

Also keep in mind that such protocol and traditions for some GLOs are intended to apply long after your collegiate years are over, when you're in environments where everyone knows you're an XYZ, and in environments when no one knows you're in XYZ.

I agree with you that people may already know who you are. Even at such a big university as Penn State, people may already know that this guy belongs to XYZ fraternity and that girl is a member of ABC sorority. I can see not wanting to get out of hand and making a fool of yourself (and possibly your organization) but, if you are out at a local eatery and they serve alcoholic beverages (think Ruby Tuesdays), I never understood why you couldn't possibly have a frozen drink or something with your dinner.

I guess the rule was made to take care of people who couldn't quite limit themselves to just one or two drinks while out in public in letters.

I know that my chapter didn't have a problem with members wearing letters to political rallies. They just could not violate HQ protocols by speaking to any reporters/camera crews what have you. We couldn't do letter writing campaigns mentioning our org. either. It's a decent balance because you can be political but you can't speak in a way that appears to be representing the group. It works out okay.

:rolleyes: Jesus, whatever happened to being pleasant?

I didn't miss your point. I explained the difference between your "point" and the one I'm making. I also explained that campuses differ. Politics might be "as important", but they are simply not the same thing as religion. I do not believe it is unreasonable for a chapter to ask that letters not be worn to political rallies/conventions/etc. Full stop.

(By your logic, smoking should be allowed in letters, too. I know plenty of people who put their nicotine fix in the top two of their priority list, especially during stressful times. Certainly higher than politics and probably religion since many people do not participate in organized religion. I don't personally care about smoking, but it's a common and widely accepted rule among sororities that drinking/smoking are not allowed in letters. I smoke. I drink. I just change shirts...even as an alum.)

No, it isn't.

We've all expressed our opinions on the original topic, but it's really dumb to actually debate the intricacies of this topic with members of other GLOs. Do whatever your GLO policies and traditions encourages. Simple and plain.

I believe you're wrong.

Well, that's it folks, apparently the thread is over. :D

But your stupidity is just beginning.

But, as I said, "it's really dumb to actually debate the intricacies of this topic with members of other GLOs. Do whatever your GLO policies and traditions encourage. Simple and plain."

In her defense, she may be talking about specifically NPC organizations. I'll admit that prior to joining GC, I had also believed it was against sorority rules for EVERY sorority (and even fraternities). That's the problem. I feel like I got so much more Greek knowledge from coming to this site and being a member for so long, regarding policies of other organizations (even checking out the beautiful badges and what they can and can't do for them-thanks to the badges thread). Don't get me wrong. My sorority taught me so much about Greek life but, I feel like as an Alumna, I have learned so much more. I would figure that's what she was talking about. That's just my thought.

Then Alumyum should specify.

Interestingly enough, I can't speak on the smoking and drinking in letter practices of other NPHC sororities (beyond what individuals and particular chapters do).

But even NPC organizations do not make the smoking stipulation, and in many NPC organizations, stipulations like this appear in chapter bylaws.

For my chapter, according to the bylaws, I could not smoke without crossing my legs and had to hold the cigarette in my hand the whole time rather than hang it out of my mouth. No joke. No mention of whether or not I was allowed to smoke with my legs crossed and the cigarette in my hands if were wearing letters.

Debating rules like this makes no sense. If an org has a rule, nationally, then they do, and if they do not, it's just up to the chapters to decide what's best for them. End of story. Expecting every other org to follow your chapter's rules is stupid.

I think the point that these are often chapter rules is important here, you're not just arguing with every other org, but within your org as well.

It's silly.

Begin and end post here.

Damn, I should've QFP. :confused:

I tried but was too late.

Stupid PNM is stupid.

You are being very rude DrPhil, I am not in a sorority yet but I know girls around here aren't allowed to wear letters to drink even when it is the pledge class going out together.