[EE-BO]

I read the article online when I first saw this post, and got my magazine today which gave me a chance to sit down and read the article through a couple of times and give it more thought.

What strikes me most immediately about this article is that its quality, logic and presentation is not up to the level of the fundamental change it purports to discuss.

Quite simply, while it reads nicely and has lots of historical references- it is certainly not prepared and presented at a level appropriate to the sort of major philosophical change it seeks to promote.

That means one of two things in my book. And this is conjecture to some degree- but if someone comes at me with a big idea I expect a presentation to match!

1- It could indicate there has not been a proper consideration of the implications of what is being proposed. I do not think that is the case here.

2- It could mean that the author has a purpose in mind which he is reluctant to state openly since he is aware of the reaction it would provoke.

I think #2 applies here.

The most troubling part of this article to me, and the one that gives away the real intent in my view (meaning- Coramoor, you are on a good track), is the section on page 18- last 2 paragraphs.

I have received numerous reports from active Betas about going to GF for various trainings and seminars and being "lectured at" by non-Betas who run the events.

These guys are amazed at that.

It is partly the lecturing aspect on "how we should be", but the big question all of them are asking is, "Why does General Fraternity feel the need to have a non-Beta help me be a better Beta?"

The guys will go on to say the program they attended was a great and worthwhile event that had meaning. And eyes light up when they talk about visiting various rooms at our GF which are reserved for brothers only.

The real love and inspiration they bring home seems to be what they learn about Beta from Betas- NOT the lectures they are getting from non-Betas.

The penultimate sentence of the penultimate paragraph on page 18 of our magazine makes an astonishing claim as follows, "This relatively new addition to the Beta family [Friends of Beta] has helped many chapters reach new heights..."

Forget all the references to history and general and repetitive commentary- how about some solid support for that pretty strong statement? That is a very major assumption, and one in which I place no value whatsoever based on personal experience as an active AND an involved alumnus.

The value of outside input in some forms is quite obvious. If someone of another GLO were to post here asking how to do a fundraising for a new house- I think I and many other Betas could offer a world of advice.

But that is guidance on the conduct of business affairs common to all GLOs.

It concerns me greatly to see a proposal to move in the direction of divulging all our secrets in an attempt to get non-Betas to help us be better Betas.

Let's face it, a lot of fraternal ritual is already in the public domain. That book "Pledged" decided to take a swipe at sororities by publishing many sorority secrets.

But reading that one comes to realize that each of our secrets and principles are very much similarly aligned in nature and intent. How could they not be? After all, we all seek to provide the same thing to college students looking for something more in their college days and lives after.

So the words being revealed is not the real point here. The real point is having something that one must attain- and the power such things have. The words themselves are only meaningful to the extent of the reader. It is the experience that matters- and this article seeks to take away that experience.

This article is focusing on the mechanics of our secrets- on the mundane reality of words and principles and how they are spoken about.

This article laments, by strong implication, that guys cannot recite back certain parts of our own obligations or other texts along the same lines.

Never mind if a Beta lives a good life and is a good brother to his chapter even if he remembers nothing of the specific words he once spoke.

It is the same sort of fundamentalism that has plagued religion for centuries. If one takes the Bible literally and then memorizes it, one has merely memorized a text- and will then apply it within the confines of his own prejudices and personal beliefs, never once truly thinking about it or allowing its subtle awe to subconciously have a lifetime's impact. Self-righteousness and judgment take precedence over brotherhood and inspiration in this line of thinking.

As a damn fine brother of this fraternity put it to me recently, "If we need non-Betas to inspire and instruct active members when they go to General Fraternity, something is seriously wrong with us and how we are passing on our own legacy!"

For all the quotes and history in that article, I have one quote in response- and one that no Beta ever forgets. One quote that sums it up perfectly and gets beyond these mundane matters of memorizing words and babysitting the very young men we have chosen to carry on our legacy supposedly on the basis that we trust them,

"THE FIRST MARK OF A BETA SHALL BE HIS BETA SPIRIT"

Try putting that in a training manual for a "Friend of Beta" to explain to a room full of new initiates.