Just randomly Tom... Since you mentioned charters being taken away and hurting the organization... I went to a party at the LXA house in Berkely last weekend and I must say all the brothers I met there were a credit to your org. they were very cool and made sure that everyone was having a good time and took their risk management seriously and had wristbands and guest lists and all... (as Berkely is required to do) so no need to worry about that chapter I would say
Also to add onto why we have secrets... it is the secrets that tie us all together.. that is the stuff that has been passed down for (for most NPC orgs) practically 100 or more years... it helps ground you in the fact that this org. is bigger than you and your chapter sisters or brothers... it is something that binds you to people across the country and it binds us to the past sisters or brothers of our organization. it is amazing to be sitting in on a ritual and think wow... I'm saying the same words/ doing the same things, whatever it may be, as the women 90 years ago just reminds you that you're involved in carrying on something so big and outside just you and it's neat to think that other people who you may never neat will continue on these traditions as well.