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well, while i am not anal about what words people use, i do think their is a very big difference between a pledge and a new member. the idea of a new member is that the person is not treated any differently than the members, other than that they can not do besides wearing the badge or other things that require initiation.
also, there is a huge difference in the history and connotation of the word 'rush' versus recruitment. Rush gives the idea that choosing a fraternity or sorority is something people go into quickly with no thought, whereas that may not be the case with most people as it is an important decision. the term rush came from the activity known as flag rush at many schools. it began in the 1880s and continued into the 1960's. At those times, the freshman were required to wear beanies and were hazed pretty well for just being 1st year students. Then at a point in the year, they would have the flag rush where a very small flag was securely nailed to the top of a well-greased pole with the blood-thirsty and abusive sophomores at the base of the pole. The freshman would try to get the flag by climbing the pole, while having rotten fruit, manure and other gross things thrown at them. If, as almost always happened, the freshmen failed to capture the flag, they were required to wear their freshman beanies until the end of the semester and had other restrictions placed on them, like they were not permitted out after a certain etc.
i think connotations are the biggest reason for changing of vocaulary. yes, we do take a pledge and pledge ourselves to our org during our rituals but i think the idea is that we don't have to make people prove themselves by being hazed or doing stupid things to get into an org.
I personally like the term new member. I actually wish groups that hazed would only use 'pledging' because that is what they are making their new members do. i also prefer recruitment because it more acurately describes the process of the fraternity or sorority activily searching out the best candidates for the chapter, not just going out and grabbing whoever.
i don't know, i don't really care what people say, I know what they mean and they really aren't hurting anything.
just my two sense. take it or leave it.
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