ALL sororities have anti-hazing policies. Hazing is NOT something that is written into rituals or activities. If your friend was hazed, then maybe she should have reported it. It IS illegal, it IS a crime, if she didn't want to do it, she didn't have to. I'm not saying that it was right or that she wanted it, but there are options. If a chapter is caught hazing, they will lose their charter and action will be taken. I personally think that action SHOULD be take against the chapters and people who practice hazing.
I do not support hazing at all, but I do think that the anti-hazing policies have gotton way out of hand. It is rediculous that you can't have a FUN scavanger hunt. It is rediculous that you can't call someone a pledge (that is what they are doing "pledging" a sorority--it is a priviledge not a right). It is rediculous that a "new member" can't wait till the end of the semester to find out who their big sister is. HOW is that hazing?? Next it will be dues. It will be fundraisers. Anything and everything will be considered hazing. Formal rush will be hazing eventually. All the traditions of our sororities will go down the tubes. A lot of greek organizations have been around for 100 years or more. If we were "bad" I don't think we would have lasted this long.
Hazing IS in the minority. It doesn't happen to every person on every campus. Don't judge the greek system by the few bad apples. Greek systems bring a lot to schools. On MANY campuses, there wouldn't be homecoming, athletic support, student government. . .our number one priority IS community service and our national philanthropies.
Joining a sorority does NOT mean instant friendships. You have to earn that respect from the sisters. You have to prove that you will be an asset to the sorority. Once you have proven that, you will gain respect and friendship will follow. Do not misinterpret support and respect for friendship. In most cases, you will not like or agree with ALL the sisters in a sorority, but you will hold respect and support for them because they have achieved and done the same things as you and they are your sister.
I also want to know how many articals have you found 100? 200? It's terrible that there are that many deaths and trials and so forth due to some idiots that happen to be greek. Those people give greeks a bad name. It is truely the minority though. 100-200-300 cases out of MILLIONS of greeks in the world. Greeks for the most part are not bad people. I'm not trying to justify those cases, but you can't just look at the bad in order to make an educated guess about the greek system, you have to look at the good as well.
Mikki
Delta Zeta Alum
Kappa Mu Chapter
Sigma Alpha Iota Alum
Eta Tau Chapter
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--Julia Roberts
(Steel Magnolias)
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