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To alter the original question a little bit, I wonder if HQs would want to know if chapters are valuing something (i.e. hazing) as the connective tissue between brothers instead of the ritual. While neither shiner, bows, nor elephant have confirmed that their chapters value hazing in that manner, they have implied it. If that's actually the case, I think it's very unfortunate and unfair to the new brothers. Not just from a hazing POV, but from a ritual-valuing POV as well.
Perhaps I'm being overly ritual-sensitive; I'm a ritual-hugger so to speak. I LOVE my ritual and what it stands for. But, more than that, I love the fact that it is that ritual which binds me to KDs everywhere; it has for the past 100+ years, and it hopefully will continue for another 100+ years. I'd feel like I missed out on something if my chapter had valued the pledging process/hazing as the tie that binds me to my sisters, because it is our ritual that serves that purpose.
Am I being naive here? I thought one of the purposes behind having an HQ was to ensure that new brothers/sisters are connected, regardless of the chapter, by a common thread. After all, it is HQ that supplies ritual equipment to each chapter. I imagine one of the reasons for that is to make sure that all chapters experience a very similar bonding experience -- RITUAL.
I'm sorry to go off like this, but I think HQs would definitely want to know if this is going on. Again, not just because it involves hazing, but mostly because it places something chapter-specific above the ritual (which is supposed to be organization-specific). Does that make any sense?
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