Quote:
Originally posted by TKE209Sweethrt
I don't know about this..if I was given letters after I accepted the bid..heck..I would have either thought, "Dag..they must -really- be needing members.." or "Heck no I'm not going to wear them, I'm not truely a member."
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Both those statements are ridiculous to make. My own chapter had 67 active brothers and 17 other pledges when I joined, my chapter didn't
need members at all. I know there are plenty of other chapters out there who are large and don't bat an eye when a pledge wears letters.
As for the not truly being a member, that is true (I agree pledges are simply provisional members) but you are still a representative of your cahtper during that time whether you like it or not. Your actions have very real consequences for those who are affiliated with you. In the eyes of many other people you are a part of that organization no matter what you official status may be.
I would like to say for the record that I don't oppose not wearing letters for hazing reasons, just because I think that it is a pretty superficial thing. As I said before the letters are only important because of the meaning you place on them, and the principles that they stand for. To say that a pledge cannont share in that creation of meaning while they are on their way to becoming enlightened to me doesn't really have a solid foot to stand on. Above all, I think that pledgeship should be a trial to develop you into a productive member, one who is ready to fully comprehend the importance of the ritual, rather than a test to see if you can wear the external symbols of the group. Again I can't stress teh superficiality of this all in my mind.
I would also like to add that I think 33girl (as usual) made an excellent poitn in saying that a lot of this depends on how things are done at your school.
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