quick question for AOIIs!

[AOIIalum]

Well answered again, AOII_LB!

I'm a bit confused as well about why this seems to be such an issue now? I know that SAI is a fellow greek organization, but (and I may offend every SAI, Sinfonian, DO, and so forth members) there is a difference between historically social NPC GLO membership and your organizations. I am NOT saying one is better or worse than the other, not at all. But, these GLOs are different. I'm guessing that when the music-centric GLOs were founded, dual-membership in an NPC or NIC group was not a normal occurrence, and therefore each group's badge requirements weren't a problem. Luckily, in 2003 things are different. It's not as unique of a situation to see NPC members in the music sororities, so I guess this issue would come up from time to time. As members of AOII we are allowed to pursue membership in various service and departmental greek letter organizations, so theoretically this could be an issue for a member.

I think the greater question here isn't why AOII (or ZTA) or SAI do what they do, but how members of each group handle compliance with each organization's badge expectations? Say Annie Active is a member of AOII and a music student. She is invited to join her school's chapter of SAI, and accepts. One day she's getting all dressed up to go to some non-AOII and non-SAI function, so which badge does she choose to wear? That's Annie Active's decision, and it's not our place to tell her which badge to wear or which one is more important (other than ensuring that as a member of each organization, Annie Active knows the proper way to wear her badges!) Both AOII (and ZTA!) and SAI think HER badge is most important. You know something, that's okay. Really, it is.

I guess my question for sairose is: Are you considering dual NPC membership at some point? If so, was learning that other NPC groups require their badge to be worn in the same manner as your SAI badge upsetting to you? I can understand that. I have no doubt that SAI means just as much to you as AOII means to me. You wouldn't want to put SAI 'second' to a NPC sorority, just as I wouldn't put my boyfriend's badge/pin, little sister pin (remember, I'm a 'back in the day' girl!) or other honorary pin equal or above my AOII badge.

sairose, if you aren't pursuing dual membership, may I ask why it seems to be so important to you that AOII changes her long-held policy on how her members wear their badges? If it's none of my business just tell me, I won't be offended at all. I really want to understand the real reason behind this. Right now, I just feel like you're attacking AOII for some reason, and I hope I've just misunderstood that along the way.

Fraternally,
Christin

(Edited because I can't spell 'theoretically' before the 1st glass of Diet Coke!)