Quote:
Originally Posted by bIueangel
(Post 1407212)
Thanks for your response.
Don't you think that rather than sarcastic and digging remarks, someone should have just said something like, "This is information that is only revealed to the initiated members of the organization."? That would have been the end of it. Instead, she probably thought that if she asked in a different area of GC, she might have gotten a serious answer.
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I think that several people did make this clear when she posted it the first time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bIueangel
(Post 1407212)
How can you assume that the OP knows enough about OWT not to ask about it? I went through rush and didn't know anything about fraternities or sororities. I also asked an inappropriate question. But the difference is, it was answered politely and tactfully. I knew sororities had SECRETS, but I didn't realize the symbols on the crest were secrets. We don't know where the OP heard the term OWT. Maybe she read it on the internet somewhere. We do not know.
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Since she did not elaborate as to why she wants to know, you are right, we do not know where she found it. However, she does know that it has something to do with a fraternity and should have realized from the first thread that she started that it may be secretive. When someone asks "What does Quota mean?" it is answered. When someone asks "What does AOT mean?" it is NOT answered. She was not immediately answered. She should have cut her losses, apologized for the misunderstanding, and read the post about Newbie Mistakes. She is now attempting to have sorority women effectively fill out her membership application for her. I'm not even going to touch on the hundreds of ways that is wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bIueangel
(Post 1407212)
I'm sorry that you were taught that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I don't mean that in a sarcastic way, I truly mean that because that kind of thinking can come back to bite you in your life.
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Please elaborate. How will it come back to bite me later in life? I don't go around hurling insults just because I was taught that. The spirit behind it is not to let something negative that is spoken or written bother me so bad that I can't function clearly. The point is that I don't give a flying flip what someone that I don't know thinks about me. I don't know their values and don't know their priorities. That's not meant to be negative, it just means that I value the opinions of my friends, family, and people I trust more than I value the opinions of someone I've never met, probably won't ever meet, and don't know if I have anything in common with. Again, I use that phrase as a defensive technique to not let stupid things consume my existence - not as an offensive tactic to have an excuse to be mean to others. And I don't see anything wrong with that. I don't go around saying to myself, "Damn, I wish someone I don't know would make me mad."
Quote:
Originally Posted by bIueangel
(Post 1407212)
It is well proven that words can and do hurt people. Why do you think there are laws against libel and slander? Perhaps you do not offend easily, but many people do. Do you think that because you do not offend easily is an excuse to be accepting of those who intentionally attack and offend others with words?
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My VERY limited knowledge of laws against libel and slander are that they are in effect for protecting people from having their income and livelihood affected by blatant lies. I cannot go around saying something like "Hollywood Actor X rapes goats" unless I have some serious proof. Something like that would prohibit Actor X from getting a job or being able to function in society. Calling someone a dumbass is an opinion and cannot be proven to detract from that person's pursuit of happiness. I really don't have legal background in this issue, but if it's not that way, it's stupid.
I know that words hurt people. When spoken by someone that is loved or cared about, words can hurt. And they would hurt me. That's my whole point. I can't be hurt by someone I don't know. I'm stronger than that. Someone could come on here right after me and tell me that I am the biggest idiot pile of crap to ever hit GC, and it wouldn't bother me, because I don't know him or her personally. However, if my husband said that, I wouldn't like it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bIueangel
(Post 1407212)
I'm also sorry that you don't think it's a big deal to be "cruel" to others. It is indeed a very big deal. Additionally, don't you think that being cruel to others reflects poorly on Greeks in general? This type of behavior just reinforces all of the bad stereotypes about fraternities and sororities.
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One could also argue that the responses you think are cruel are funny to others. Or informative. It's all a matter of personal perception. You perceive them as cruel. Others don't. That doesn't make one person right and the other person wrong. They're expressing opinions. I doubt that anyone has read something on GreekChat that has hindered his or her decision to participate in recruitment. And if so, then that person is entirely too shortsighted and closed-minded to belong to a GLO. We all make it perfectly clear that our opinions expressed on this message board are NOT the opinions of our organizations or its members. So therefore it should be taken away that not every single person wearing Greek letters would react in the same way to a question. There are people in my sorority that I think are not nice. There are people that I work with that I think are not nice. There are people in my church that I think are not nice. Do I dwell on them and let them lessen my experiences in life? No!! I just refuse to let the negative bother me! The more attention it is given, the more it feels the power that it has over me.
Greek life is not all hearts and flowers, and if we continuously edit our opinions and censor our members to make it look like hearts and flowers, we are doing potential members a disservice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bIueangel
(Post 1407212)
You suggested that if I think this is a hostile atmosphere that I have no obligation to continue reading. I disagree. If I ignore the behavior then I am just as guilty as those who participate in it.
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And that is your opinion that you are entitled to. What other guilty behaviors and atrocities in life and in the world to you feel compelled to not ignore and therefore direct your time and energies into combatting?
I do not mean this rudely, but I suggest that perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere or to PM rather than continue to intrude on Omega Psi Phi's forums. I have no problem with the discussion, but they may not wish to host it.