Since it's causing problems within the chapter, could your sister seek help from her Nationals? They could help them either mitigate and come to a compromise like wearing the colors but not letters. or they might be able to look deeper into the bylaws and see if there's something hidden in there.

i wish her sisters would be more understanding. politics is such a touchy subject for most that it's almost like mixing business and pleasure.

That's an interesting suggestion. I don't know about other GLOs but Delta has chapter advisors and regional directors (and other local and regional components) in the "chain of command" so that such relatively minute matters won't reach the National level.**




**Unless it became a concern across chapters such that a national statement and/or mandate must be made. That is why we have policies and procedures regarding symbols and are told what we can and cannot do in reference to such things as politics.

That really is the best way to proceed, rather than this foolishness of not wearing letters "in a disrespectful way" or whatever other superduper vague language is in most national NIC/NPC policies. Obviously a sister who thinks her candidate is the greatest thing since sliced bread isn't going to regard wearing letters while she passes out his fliers as "disrespecting" them.

Unfortunately, the OP's sister has already put herself in a very unpopular position and calling in nationals would likely just make it worse.

Unfortunately, the OP's sister has already put herself in a very unpopular position and calling in nationals would likely just make it worse.[/QUOTE]That is true. This topic is tough because I know I don't like it when I feel my frat or letters are being represented negatively. Like, we don't drink in public while wearing letters. And I know how I feel when a brother or sister does it.

I hope she finds something in the bylaws that will work on her side.

That is true. This topic is tough because I know I don't like it when I feel my frat or letters are being represented negatively. Like, we don't drink in public while wearing letters. And I know how I feel when a brother or sister does it.

I hope she finds something in the bylaws that will work on her side.[/QUOTE]

Or she could just push for a new addition to the bylaws or code of standards for her chapter when they come up for review. If she's not the only one feeling this way the chapter might as well at least have a discussion on whether it's necessary to address letters-politics in their bylaws so that their bylaws committee can decide whether they need to start looking into a way to solve the problem or not. That's what I would do...as far as I know the chapter I belonged to didn't address politics, but situations where it would apply are probably few and far between so there's no need to add a bylaw, but on campuses where this situation will probably be repeated frequently the chapter should at least gauge the general feeling on the subject. It could be that only a couple of people are offended and then they might just have to suck it up, but if a large portion of the chapter wants to keep politics away from letters, it's time to find a solution.

The problem with associating letters with politics (whether directly, as in "XYZ supports candidate A, or indirectly as in Suzy Sorority has a formal t-shirt with her letters on at a political rally) is that "negative" is relative. I don't want my letters associated with any extremist views on either the right OR left, but I have sisters both collegian and alum that do have pretty extreme views and wouldn't view such connections as negative. I would be offended if my letters were associated with an event to support the banning of gay marriage, but some of my sisters would be just as offended if I wore a lettered shirt to an event supporting gay marriage. THAT's why it makes sense to me to just say no across the board, especially in chapters where members are very politically active and are noticing hurt feelings and resentment all around.

Or she could just push for a new addition to the bylaws or code of standards for her chapter when they come up for review. If she's not the only one feeling this way the chapter might as well at least have a discussion on whether it's necessary to address letters-politics in their bylaws so that their bylaws committee can decide whether they need to start looking into a way to solve the problem or not. That's what I would do...as far as I know the chapter I belonged to didn't address politics, but situations where it would apply are probably few and far between so there's no need to add a bylaw, but on campuses where this situation will probably be repeated frequently the chapter should at least gauge the general feeling on the subject. It could be that only a couple of people are offended and then they might just have to suck it up, but if a large portion of the chapter wants to keep politics away from letters, it's time to find a solution.

The problem with associating letters with politics (whether directly, as in "XYZ supports candidate A, or indirectly as in Suzy Sorority has a formal t-shirt with her letters on at a political rally) is that "negative" is relative. I don't want my letters associated with any extremist views on either the right OR left, but I have sisters both collegian and alum that do have pretty extreme views and wouldn't view such connections as negative. I would be offended if my letters were associated with an event to support the banning of gay marriage, but some of my sisters would be just as offended if I wore a lettered shirt to an event supporting gay marriage. THAT's why it makes sense to me to just say no across the board, especially in chapters where members are very politically active and are noticing hurt feelings and resentment all around.[/QUOTE]I agree that a change in bylaws would be best but in the event that the bylaw isn't passed a compromise should still be made among the sisters.

OMG PEOPLE FIX YOUR QUOTE TAGS.

I agree that a change in bylaws would be best but in the event that the bylaw isn't passed a compromise should still be made among the sisters.[/QUOTE]

Definitely. I guess my point would be that the sister that is offended should at least bring it up to the chapter council and then if they think it merits discussion with the chapter that's what they should do before contacting anyone outside the chapter.

FIX YOUR QUOTES, ALL OF YOU!

LOL.

(I was going to mess up the above quotes but messed up quotes are too annoying to do on purpose.)

In the end, is it really worth continuing the fight to stop sisters from wearing letters where they see fit? Is the complaining sister actually feeling any negative consequences from the event in question? If not, it probably wasn't big of a deal as she thought it was. In the end, she doesn't own those letters any more than the other members of her chapter. She can choose to bring it up again, but she already brought it up once, and the other members didn't side with her. Voicing her concerns again may sound like sour grapes.

I disagree that wearing your letters to a rally or when handing out flyers implies that the organization supports the cause. I saw plenty of letters at Obama rallies during the last election season and the only thing I thought was, "Typical, liberal college students."

And by the same token, those sisters don't "own" the letters more than she does, just because there are more of them on the same "side."

Hence the sense in a blanket ban if this is a constant issue in a chapter.

That's true, but if you start banning what every sister wants to do in her letters, it starts to get a little ridiculous. Who is to say what is or is not appropriate. If someone is not breaking the law, being socially unacceptable or breaking pre-existing chapter rules, the complaining sister is pretty much screwed. It's pretty hard to make a new blanket rule/ban if no one is ready to vote one in. I don't see a ban being put into place by inter/nationals, either, if there isn't already one there, either.

Well, as I said, it would be something for the chapter to discuss, and then decide whether or not to draft and vote on an addition to the bylaws. I never suggested this for nationals or internationals.

that jacket with the letters on is the only weather-appropriate thing you have at college.

Who are you responding to?

The same thing my cat stares at on the wall before bolting out of the room?

SPIRITS!