Serious Matter

[W.T.B.3]

Hello Sorors,
I just wanted to get everybody's opinion on the topic of Hazing. In our organization there exist a strong movement to completely wipe out the practice of Hazing. We all know the stiff penalties which will be enacted if any chapter or individual is found guilty of this practice. Even with such sanctions a lot of chapters still take the risk of hazing potential memebers because they find it a necessary part of the intake process. My question for everyone is do you find that those sorors who pledge view themselves differently from those who did not and if so how? My other question is do you feel that this difference causes a separation among sorors?
I hope my questions aren't too vague. As we all know this is a public forum and I tried to be as discrete as possible.
Sisterly,
W.T.B.3

[SkeeWee14]

Hello Soror,
I personally do not agree with hazing at all! I don't see how beating someone down and degrading them in any way is going to make them learn their history. It also does nothing to promote unity (in my opinion) among sorors. Nobody on my line was hazed in at all and we know our history forward, backwards, and up-side-down. It did not have to be beaten into us because AKA is what we wanted and we knew what we had to do to achieve it. I also believe that hazing brings on a big and unnecessary risk to a chapter and the sorority in general. I don't think that hazing is worth jeopardizing the organization and what we have committed ourselves to doing in the community. I do feel that sorors who were hazed tend to look down on sorors who were not or who went "paper." I also feel that sorors who were hazed seem to think that going through that will make them a "true soror." WHATEVER! That to me is very sad simply because we do share the same beloved letters regardless of the route taken to get there. We are also expected to work together for the good of our community. There is no room for separation in Alpha Kappa Alpha! Together we stand and divided we fall...I'm not into falling. Like I said, I along with my line sisters were not hazed but at the same time we did pledge. We pledged our soul, love, time, and dedication to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and that is what makes a "true soror."

[This message has been edited by AKAtude (edited April 17, 2000).]

Hi Sorors,

I am new to the chat room and intend to stay. This reply has mixed thoughts just like most of us older sorors(spr-88). I am partly in agreement with GD; as long as no physical contact takes place. The mind games and thought prevoking task that were given to a line showed how we would work as one and to use common sense.
SKEEE-WEEEE!!!!
ANGEL

[This message has been edited by AKAtude (edited May 31, 2000).]

Sorry Soror I inverted the letters. I meant DG Discogoddess .

[Taykimson]

I've thought about this a lot especially given I went over Spring 91. I ask myself, if I were appointed to institute a new process what would it look like? How would I protect Alpha Kappa Alpha from those who will not abide by the rules? I have yet to come up with a good solution. How would you change the process? We should come up with viable alternatives that will keep the tradition AND protect the Sorority and present these ideas to our leaders. When the light bulb finally goes off in my head, that is what I plan to do. Otherwise, we will have to live with the current system. Which in my opinion is not that different than the old one. A date has shifted...and that is about it. Everything else is the same.

[AKAtude]

Sorors,

I think it is great when someoone posts a thought-provoking topic. However, please, please, please be mindful of what you include in your posts and replies. I can't stress this enough. I know that some of you just crossed, but you have to make an effort not to include information that should not be shared whether in whole or in parts. Always keep in mind that anyone can read our posts. If in doubt, leave it out!

Soror SkeeWee14,

I had to edit your message just a bit. If you need to know why, send me an e-mail.

[Discogoddess]

As someone who was made in the days when pledging was allowed (not hazing; it's never been allowed), I think that engaging in uplifting and learning activities with your line sisters while on line is a good thing. I was sad to see these type of POSITIVE (not hazing) activities go away. I still believe that these things are helpful in building sisterhood BEFORE entering the sorority, and establish a foundation for life and work once in AKA.

The point of such activities was to not only "prove" oneself and one's devotion to the sorority, but to understand exactly what kind of organization one were getting herself into and be ready to serve. Kind of a separating the wheat from the chaff sort of thing. It also helped build sisterly feelings toward line sisters.

Unfortunately, hazing often produced the opposite: lazy people unwilling to do much other than wear letters, and scarred people hurt by the cruelty inflicted on them by their "big sisters." Some of these folks insisted on perpetuating that same pain on others once a new line was being formed.

I don't think that hazing, especially among women who claim to be sophisticated, educated, and ladylike, is at all proper. Due to hazing, pledging activities have been drastically curtailed in an effort to stem the tide of violence and litigation. It has pushed out the good aspects of pledging with the bad. However, the current law of the land has its challenges too and helped create this foolish "real" or "paper" debate.

But, the majority rules in our organization, and we must obey her rules and laws. Sorors who want to change them must work within the system to affect that change, or else risk losing not only their own individual rights and priviledges in AKA, but that of the whole organization.

Just as an aside, I'd be really bemused if anyone IN FAVOR of hazing responded to this post!

So sorry for the long post, sorors and friends! I'm passionate about this subject.

DG

[tickledpink]

Someone posted a similar topic in the general forum (I think it's under "...Hazing") on one aspect of hazing called "Wood". It was very interesting to see posts from people that actually felt that beating someone brings unity and proves you're "real". I think my sorors will agree when I say that the reason that we are AKA's is because we truly loved her long before initiation. Personally, I have yet to see any scientific studies stating that one's dedication to an organization is in any way linked to the tenacity of one's rear end... I'll end on that note.

[pinkice9]

Originally posted by W.T.B.3:
Hello Sorors,
I just wanted to get everybody's opinion on the topic of Hazing. In our organization there exist a strong movement to completely wipe out the practice of Hazing. We all know the stiff penalties which will be enacted if any chapter or individual is found guilty of this practice. Even with such sanctions a lot of chapters still take the risk of hazing potential memebers because they find it a necessary part of the intake process. My question for everyone is do you find that those sorors who pledge view themselves differently from those who did not and if so how? My other question is do you feel that this difference causes a separation among sorors?
I hope my questions aren't too vague. As we all know this is a public forum and I tried to be as discrete as possible.
Sisterly,
W.T.B.3

I think some sorors that let the sorority make them feel better about themselves it they took wood. Pledging is fine but, wood should not be used when teaching someone how to be a good sister. That is what pledging is supposed to be all about and so many people have abused and lost that message. Our founders did not take would they planted Ivys and we should find a better way to pledge than with wood.

pinkice9