Posting restrictions coming to a GLO near you? - Page 2

IvySpice · #16 11-12-2002, 03:10 PM

Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

They fear that a small amount of negative talk might occur, so they react by obliterating conversation altogether?

The Kappas on this board have done so much to break down stereotypes. My impression of the organization has only improved with every Kappa post I've read. I just can't see how this is going to benefit the organization in the long run.

Ivy

KappaKittyCat · #17 11-12-2002, 03:33 PM

Ok, I'm going to post this because one of my advisors gave me permission to write a little "farewell note" and an explanation. I'm sorry that I haven't responded to PMs. I've just cleared all cookies from my computer and logged off of GC completely so that if I should happen to have the urge to post while I'm reading the boards, the logon screen will come up and this will remind me that I'm not allowed to. This is the first time I've logged on since I changed my signature on the eighth and I'm only now seeing all the PMs. I must reiterate: if you want to contact me, you need to email me because I'm not checking my PMs.

Here's the deal. This is a brand-new issue. We had a Traveling Consultant from Headquarters visiting our chapter last week and she told us that the Fraternity Council has just learned of GreekChat and other such forums. A Regional Director of Chapters was surfing and discovered it. Fraternity Council's objection to GC is that it's not sponsored, monitored, or regulated by Kappa Kappa Gamma. Anybody pretending to be a Kappa could post.

They're not worried about "ritual revealing," but about other negative publicity. They're also concerned that this forum for exchanging ideas could propagate "bad" ideas, i.e. traditions that include or could potentially lead to hazing. They feel that such an exchange of ideas should only go through the Fraternity Council, advisors, Field Representatives, etc. Kappa is very big on risk management. They're concerned about how Kappas are representing themselves and the fraternity online.

Kappa's constitution, bylaws, standing rules, and policies include a clause that only the president of a chapter can make public statements about the fraternity, and then only with the permission of the Fraternity Council. So our TC told us that this has just come down from Fraternity Council, and that I was to pass it along to all the Kappas on GC. Presidents of chapters should be getting emails about it in the next week or so.

Ok, that was my telling y'all what Fraternity Council says. Here's my own opinion, something that in no way reflects the position of my national organization, and a call for help.

I'm really upset about this. GC is a community for me. It's an extented family. I've made some great pals here, helped some people out (I hope) and gotten a lot of help and moral support for myself and my chapter. I've gotten to know sisters through GC, not to mention members of other sororities. Everything I know about Panhellenic I've lerned on here. Before I discovered GC, I couldn't even name any sororities that weren't on our campus. Now I can name all 26 NPC and I'm working on the Divine Nine now. Before, I didn't even know that NPHC existed. I've learned so much. They're cutting that off, and I'm sad.

I'm hoping that this moratorium is a temporary thing that will lift once Kappa has set up someone to monitor these boards, or once it has set up guidelines for posting, or something like that. So, my fellow GCers, I need you. All GC Kappas need you. Here's what you can do. I seem to recall KDonline posting something about KD's having guidelines for how KDs are supposed to represent themselves and the organization on public forums like this. I know that OohTeenyWahine mentioned something about Alpha Gam's monitoring such boards.

If your organization has such policies, please encourage your webmaster (or whoever) to contact Kappa and let them know what you do and how it works. They need to come up with something like this, and soon. The Internet is here to stay and there's nothing we can do about it. It appears that Kappa only sees the potentially bad things that can happen on a site like this, not the good things. So it's up to us to tell them about the good things that happen on GC. This is also a call for everybody on here to think carefully before you post about the way you are representing your organization. As we Greeks know all too well, a few bad apples can spoil a good time for everybody. If there were ever a time to behave online, it is now.

Eupolis makes some good points. He knows of what he speaks. This can be a sticky issue. I am and shall always be a faithful member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, and I will abide by her policies, even if I don't understand why they're in place. No more posting from KappaKittyCat until I'm told otherwise.

I'm sorry if this is a little soapbox-esque, but I'm upset and also in a hurry at the moment. Just so you know, I'm still here. All my contact info is still in my profile, so please get in touch with me if you want to talk about this more. I miss you all already.

Yours in the Bonds of GreekChat,
KappaKittyCat

sugar and spice · #18 11-12-2002, 03:35 PM

I agree with everything posted here. Although this policy obviously isn't illegal, I think it's extremely ill-advised and will just lead to worse public opinion of GLOs in the long run. By the time we're in college we're all more or less adults and should be trusted to represent our organizations well.

If my organization tried to pull something like this, I would think very seriously about disaffiliating -- the sorority is just not THAT important.

Skchickie · #19 11-12-2002, 03:39 PM

what if Kappa members were to continue posting, just making sure KKG isn't in their sig and they're screen name's don't contain kappa? and if they don't reveal their affiliation? I don't see why that wouldn't be allowed.

carnation · #20 11-12-2002, 04:02 PM

I just don't see how a national office can forbid someone from posting on a message board. We do, after all, have the right to freedom of speech. I suppose I can see where they might not want you to use your GLO name in your username but even then--we earned those letters and as long as we don't post something nasty, no one should be able to restrict our posting.

I'd think the fraternities, one in particular, would have a lot more to worry about than the sororities as far as damaged reputations. Mainly all the sororities try to do here is help PNMs and each other.

kappaloo · #21 11-12-2002, 04:06 PM

I agree with the above statements. And I'm just new here.

This is not something people want to hear during their I-weeks!!! I'm sorry, but I'm questioning my pledge to Kappa now. I really love the sorority, the ideals, but if they are going to inhibit my free speech, then I don't know if I want to be a part of that.

What I'm going to do is continue posting until I hear it from my chapter prez. Then I will file a formal complaint, make a new sn with my affilation unknown, and continue posting anyways. I won't mention Kappa, and I won't mention where I'm from (since we're the only sorority on campus!). Then, I'll decide what action to take once my complaint is dealt with.

MoxieGrrl · #22 11-12-2002, 04:14 PM

Wow.....her post made me really sad. I'm going to miss her and all of the other Kappa GCers

33girl · #23 11-12-2002, 04:28 PM

The "Pearls of Wisdom" and "A Torch to Guide You" in, respectively, the AKA and DST forums are excellent guides as to what are and are not appropriate subjects for posts in those forums and in GC as a whole. They also make it clear that anyone who is misrepresenting the organization or perping will be dealt with quickly. I would hope Kappa HQ could accept something similar as an assurance that their name will not get dragged through the mud.

I could probably go on for pages about this issue but I won't. I have read posts from and about KKG's on GreekSource, Kappa Konnections, and GC (not to mention Kappa alums I've met on other message boards who are among the most-respected people in those online communities). NOTHING I've read has made me think of Kappas as anything but classy, positive, intelligent women who love their sorority with everything they have. They've added to and enriched my Greek experience, and to think I and other people will be denied their insight and positivity angers and saddens me.

lifesaver · #24 11-12-2002, 04:33 PM

Kappa really needs to consider this carefully.

The internet is here to stay. Peeps will post, without screennames. It cann all go underground, or stay above board.

Digging your heels in as an org or business never works. Look at the record industry. They have pretty much demanded and sued their way into irrevelance.

Lets work together as a community to find a solution for this.

So dissapointed in a bad decision made by an otherwise great and respected group of ladies.

UDZETA · #25 11-12-2002, 04:36 PM

Being apart of a GLO should in no way effect a member's civil or consitutional rights? Am I wrong on this? I do believe I am right on this one....

AOIIalum · #26 11-12-2002, 04:40 PM

I'm going to miss all of the KKG sisters who've been posting here, especially KappaKittyCat. I hope that Kappa puts whatever she needs into place so that sisters can again post in a public forum such as GreekChat. I hope that they don't have to drop all references to Kappa when they can come back. I like knowing what sorority and fraternity everyone is in. Due to many of the members here on GC, I've been able to get past my own prejudices about some GLOs to realize that we're really a lot more like than different. Having said that, this could be something that we all could have to deal with in the future. As long as we all conduct ourselves as we promised upon our pledging and initiation, we're all going to be just fine.

kappaloo -- Please, Please, PLEASE do not make any rash decisions. I know nothing of the inner workings of Kappa, but I'll trust that this current situation will be worked out. I'm sure that they're not looking to inhibit anyone's free speech but to protect those things that Kappa Kappa Gamma holds dear. Ask your big sister, your New Member educator, your sisters about this and get all of the correct information about the situation.

Hurry back, Kappa girls!
Fraternally,
Christin

LindsayJean · #27 11-12-2002, 04:40 PM

I just don't understand how an organization can think so highly of you that they want you to be a member and trust you with their ritual and call you a sister, yet they don't trust you enough to know good from bad.

We're all adults and don't need people telling us what to read, what to write, what to do. I thought this was a free country??

Lindsay

sugar and spice · #28 11-12-2002, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UDZETA
Being apart of a GLO should in no way effect a member's civil or consitutional rights? Am I wrong on this? I do believe I am right on this one....

The U.S. Constitution does not protect your right to free speech. The only thing that the Constitution does is protect you from the government taking away your free speech -- however, other organizations, like GLOs which are completely voluntary to join, can abridge your free speech as much as they want because they're not a part of the American government.

LuaBlanca · #29 11-12-2002, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by adduncan
I think there should be a way for GC to present themselves as a great "front door" to PNMs and a means of promoting Greek life. This is a wonderful group of people and a valuable display of the conscientiousness and brootherhood that Greek life is supposed to be about! In this day when many Greeks are having a hard time bringing in new members, the *last* thing anyone should do is cut off avenues of communication. Heck, GC is the reason I'm trying for alumna initiation in the first place!

GC is practically THE reason I'm even considering pledging in the future! Everyone here has been so helpful, and has completely changed what I thought Greek Life was all about. Props to all of you! Don't let your organization stop you from helping/talking. You all have respect for who you are, and honor for your letters and what your organization stands for. Even I know you would never consider divulging anything that wasn't proper. An organization should trust its members, just as they trust in it. In this matter, at least, it seems like reciprocation of that trust and honor is necessary.

bruinaphi · #30 11-12-2002, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UDZETA
Being apart of a GLO should in no way effect a member's civil or consitutional rights? Am I wrong on this? I do believe I am right on this one....

I do not believe this is a constitutional law issue. In an individual rights claim under the US Constitution the first element is always State Action. In other words, the Bill of Rights protects people from government. The government is not taking action in this situation, Kappa is and Kappa is a private membership organization.

If this were a government run board and the government said that someone couldn't post here b/c they were a Kappa then the Kappas would have a 1st Amendment claim (among others).