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Speaking as an individual who was a delegate at last year's convention, I will agree that while in name our undergrads run the show, the reality is that the gray-haired ones in Ohio do. Did the undergrads elect Tom Purinton president of the General Fraternity last year? Yes. Was there any alternative, any debate, any other name brought forward in consideration? No.
You can make a lot happen at the General Convention. However, assuming you can mop up everything in the 4 days you're there, who is running the show the other 361 days of the year? That's right, the guys in Oxford. They continue to test their own individual bounds, and until the General Convention steps up and says "No, that's too far", nothing will change. You won't see the board of trustees disagree with what's going on.
Is hazing a good thing? Not really. Should the general fraternity endorse hazing? No. Should the general fraternity punish hazing? Sure. They have to cover their own backsides. But we're in a fraternity, where the undergrads define the chapter, not the national organization. It makes me sick that people are trying to homogonize Beta. Further, there's an amendment to the Code which is going to be proposed in Toronto, basically saying something along the lines of "Beta won't discriminate based on race, ethnicity, creed, religion, etc." Let's be honest, we should be exclusive. Take the best people as you define them. Every chapter has their own arbitrary factors for determining who gets a bid, some even being as paltry as looks or popularity. Do I have a problem with how any chapter picks their pledges? No, I'm not in their shoes, I don't know who or what is best for them. Discrimination is bad, but we're letting people into a very exclusive club here, you can't just let anyone in.
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