The Secret Service and Ritual
 

Okay, I tried to search for this, but I gave up. :-) Stupid technology!

Does anyone know how Greek orgs handle the issue of holding ritual when a chapter member is under the protection of the Secret Service? I was just thinking about it today in connection with the Bush sisters and wondering how Theta handled the situation. I was thinking the Secret Service agents might be able to just check out the room and then stand at the entrances, but then again you never really know when someone inside could turn out to be a psycho.

Does anyone know? Thanks!

Unless the organization is a local, there is more than likely SOMEONE in the SS who is also an initiated member of the national greek org, even if they are not in the geographic area or part of that protective detail. *shrugs shoulders*

I believe the SS don't have to be on their backs 100% of the time. When the Bush twins were caught drinking underage at Chuy's, I think the SS agents were actually outside the restaurant, not inside with them.

Also, I'm sure there is some sort of panic button available for these situations, where if something WERE to go wrong, the person under surveillance would be able to alert the SS. Think about it, if someone's under SS surveillance, the agents aren't going to be in the bedroom while they're having sex, or watching them while they shower. There are a whole slew of situations where a person would need or want to be separated from the SS agents, I'm sure they know how to handle it.

The President, obviously, would be different, but I doubt there will be a President in office AIing into anything soon. :p

I think any chapter that the people needing the SS would be entering would have all its members checked out, as some sort of formal process. And like you said, they probably just check out the location, as they would for any other thing the students were doing on campus: going to parties, to classes, the gym, etc, and then leave. No non-sisters allowed at initiation, secret service included! :)

Off topic, but kinda related...

When I attended the 2001 Convention, we had a Q&A session with the then-Ritual Chairman.

Imagine my surprise when she revealed that anyone can watch the Ritual (not that measures wouldn't be taken to prevent that from happening) -- but what non-members aren't allowed to know is the symbolism behind it.

How is that possible? if they were watching it, wouldn't they get what it was about? Or is this question one of those "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you" sort of things?

That would lead to a bit of high turnover in the SS, I think.

Could it be that people can watch it, but they just can't hear it?

So..they can watch but as long as they can't HEAR what's being said? Wow...that is a big surprise to me too! :eek:

YES.

I should have phrased it differently.

Don't get me wrong, Ritual is performed behind closed doors and no one's ever allowed to watch.

HOWEVER, in the event that a non-member just so happens sees what's being performed, there's no cause to freak out because they haven't heard the symbolism and meanings.

I think the topic came about because someone asked if those performing Ritual were allowed to be seen outside the room in Ritual attire PRIOR to the ceremony.

I hope that makes sense and NO I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.

It makes total sense for groups that might have to use a student center room, for instance. You couldn't expect to shut the whole place down. You'd secure the room, but if random weirdos kept walking down the hall, you didn't have to worry too much.

I'm at a loss for a situation in which this would happen? Someone slacks off locking/guarding the door and a non-member accidentally walks in? In which case they would still probaby hear something...

Forgetting to draw the curtains to the room?

Being a room with no curtains?

We had Ritual once in the Campus Center and even though we thought the blinds were closed, you could still see a little of what was going on from the lower level. Someone I worked with then asked because he thought it was weird seeing a "sea of white".

Ritual being conducted in a student center room with paper covering the little door window from the inside and the paper falls off and someone walks by and looks in.

Been there, done that. :)

A woman from my hometown was a Zeta active when President Johnson's daughter was active. She said they weren't inside during ritual events.