[SurfinDBeach]

There's no doubt that us National (International) fraternities have benefits from being just that...

But it makes me wonder if the national councils (including Panhellenic) get way too overboard and power-happy with their strict regulations?

Perhaps it's necessary to uphold the politically correct, P.R. minded image (I would know, i'm a P.R. major), but when I see the ADDITIONAL freedom that CULTURAL Fraternity and Sororities have in comparison, it makes me wonder if our councils are going overboard...

And YES, I am talking REAL... I'm talking about risk management, the definitions of hazing, etc...

With the regulations now, the Greek systems, ESPECIALLY the Panhellenic sororities, don't resemble the traditional greek systems at all anymore...

In one case, a friend of mine a member of a prominent sorority (will go unnamed obviously) here told me she didn't know the Greek alphabet because they couldn't be taught it (it was considered hazing).
No one can be called pledges anymore, because it's considered Hazing...

I've heard of parts of traditional initiation rituals being TAKEN OUT in the presence of advisors, because however innocent it is, it's considered hazing...

Don't get me wrong, I understand the P.R. campaign... I understand the negative connotations of some parts of traditional greek systems...

BUT PEOPLE, it's getting ridiculous... Almost like all the tradition is being cut out... And i'm not talking about the hard stuff that used to be present, i'm talking about just learning the alphabet or telling a candidate what to do in public... Or leaving a part of a ritual in - not taking it out because it required someone entering the room with her eyes covered...

Yes, I know men are more laxed with their regulations in general, but sororities included, it's getting overboard...

When I see a national latino fraternity able to march their "pledges" around at a homecoming celebration, locked back to chest with uniformed hooded sweatshirts, and screaming chants in unison (not to mention standing locked and still in the scorching son for hours in front of the whole student body), I wonder...

BECAUSE i'm dang sure that if one of us Traditional national fraternities did that, we'd catch immediate flack from EVERY level - top to bottom...

Just a thought...