The attempt to link secret organizations to cult activity is nothing new. People are always afrad of what they don't know. There have been several movements in the history of the US to try to out secret societies.
If you think the greeks have a bad rap, the Freemasons have gotten the worst, as they are probably the most well known secret society in the US.
Often it's fundamentalist religions that appear to fear secret societies. I have a cousin who dabbled in fundamental chrisitanity about 6 years ago and the ladies praying over him actually made reference for god to "forgive him" that his grandfather was a mason. After I asked them what it was about and they gave me an explination about the "no other god before me" business that we've heard ad nauseum before. Someone once told me that Catholics felt the same way, but that was fourth or fifth hand. Anyway, I cannot attest to the validity of that information. Then of course, people once thought JFK would be a puppet to the pope, so what have you. I am sure it runs pretty stong in the fundamentalist communities. You never see presbyterians, epospicals, methodists, or baptists going off on secret societies. If you were REALLY interested in researching this, you could email the major demonitations for a statement of policy on the subject. I am going to ask my rabbi for some info on the subject.
Short of a gallup poll or something, no one would have any way of estimation, much less knowing how many people feel this way. You have to remember, that the internet is the ultimate soapbox of free speech. When people don't feel their message is getting out there, often the internet and new forms of media become a virtual bully pulpit for them.
Colleges and Universities that are attempting to "reign in" GLO's are doing so in an enviroment of a litigious public. Hazing, Alcohol abuse, and discipline issues are the main reasons schools are taking a more proactive role. Do an on line search on the subject, you'll be hard pressed to find one instance of school intervention in a greek system because of suspected cult activity. So frats and sororities havent really earned such a reputation. It just might seem that way. In the SHSU instance, I haven't seen any mention on the part of the university, state, local or federal officials of cult activity. That might change, but as of now, the articles deal strictly with the alleged rape and alleged hazing.
DISCLAMER: This email was an honest attempt to help PhoenixGrad get another viewpoint on the subject. It is not an attempt to begin a flame war. This is just my opinion and observations, which I am entitled to. I will not respond to flames, or hate mail.
God I hate that greekchat.com has come to where I need to post that.
[This message has been edited by lifesaver (edited October 16, 2000).]
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