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Ok. I definately understand when you say that the problem is with a non-brother commenting on something that they don't fully understand. And I do agree that going through the pledge process for yourself is something completely different than coming from a family that is Greek. But, when I re-read the posts thinking I might have missed something, here's what I got from it:
ORIGINAL POST: Does anyone else call the pre-brothers new members or is pledge the most common?
Yes, this is posted under an Alpha Phi Omega forum, but it does not distinguish to whom the writer is posing the question. To assume that the writer is questioning the brothers only is like putting words into their mouth that they might not have intended to be there in the first place. So, that said, a person interested in going through a process to recieve new membership, posts a reply that many brothers agree with, but disagree with because of her status.
EDITED REPLY: I am a STUDENT and this is how I see it.
You are a pledge b/c you are pledging your dedication to this fraternity - you become a "new member" when you are initiated. For those who are familiar with BGLO its called "Crossing the burning sands" or "crossing" for short. B/c you are no longer just a regular student, you have crossed over into a new idenity and a new life now
Now, most of us who aren't trying to be contrary to someone because they aren't a brother, can find truth in this statement. Maybe others were confused, or better yet unsure of how to respond to the accurate depiction of a process that many of us went through because the writer of this response isn't a brother, but it is a valid response nonetheless.
POST: That might be how your chapter rolls, but that's not how I roll, and I can and will comment about it.....
If you can comment, why can't PrettyKittyJ?
POST: I am not one of these Brothers who believes in putting pledges BELOW Brothers, but no, you're not my equal when it comes to the knowledge, history, traditions, and even sociology of this Brotherhood. Certain things come with experience -- trial and error. Hell, that's the point of being a PLEDGE before you are a Brother.
This is EXACTLY the point PrettykittyJ was trying to express to you! She meant no disrespect by the post, and in all honesty, I did not sense an arrogant tone with her words. But when her words were taken out of context, of course they are going to be choppy and arrogant.
POST: NO, you have NOT begun a new identity simply because you become an APO Brother. My life was enhanced, I had increased responsibilities, and I had a slew of new obligations.....my life was different, but I had the same identity.
Maybe you should ask PrettyKitty, but because we've already spoken about the "identity" in her post, I know that she didn't mean "wow, I'm in APO now, I am somebody completely different than before I pledged." she meant that with the letters Alpha Phi Omega or whichever letters someone is trying to obtain, there comes a certain responsibility to those letters. If you haven't changed by your pledge process, I feel sad for you, because the whole process is designed to make you think, to make you look inside of yourself and to gain knowledge through experiencing something you may not have done. ou grow. Through knowledge is growth and through growth is the ever adapting identity.
I'm not trying to make anyone defensive, or anything like that, but if this is an open forum with adults that should be able to converse without attacking someone....I still on't understand why there is a problem if everyone's in agreeance with the word. Oh, and since we are being catty-- there is no need for PrettyKittyJ to have her girl "back her up" especially when her word is valid. I'm simply an advocate of people being able to express their opinions WITHOUT being attacked. The problem is, PrettykittyJ sees where you are coming from, you just refuse to see that she's on your side.
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