It was all Greek to me....

[fantASTic]

This article is interesting, like I said before...but y'all's comments are even more interesting. If this was an NPC chapter, I would not be surprised to hear, "That chapter should be shut down", or maybe even "That chapter has closed already due to lack of members/national intervention/school kicked them off campus." Instead, I hear you all saying, "She should stop complaining. It's her own fault for not having her heart in it when she first joined."

I'm not saying this because I think that you all support hazing or are hazers. I'm saying it because it really IS interesting that theres such a big shift in opinion between BGLO members and NPC members.

[knight_shadow]

^^^ I think there's an issue because she's just whining. She joined a chapter for the wrong reasons and continued on when "she knew things were bad." Because of her negative experience, she's denouncing all NPHC organizations. Then, in her next breath, she claims that she understands the importance of these organizations.

She needs to step off of her soapbox and keep it moving...

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

^^^ I think there's an issue because she's just whining. She joined a chapter for the wrong reasons and continued on when "she knew things were bad." Because of her negative experience, she's denouncing all NPHC organizations. Then, in her next breath, she claims that she understands the importance of these organizations.

She needs to step off of her soapbox and keep it moving...

I read the article and don't see that she's denouncing the NPHC at all. She's merely calling out the practices that she experienced in her org and didn't like. Some quotes:

I try not to let my experience sour me on the organization because Zeta Phi Beta is a great and important group historically and I know a lot of women feel strongly about it.

You didn't have to come from perfect breeding or be light-skinned to be a Zeta. It was supposed to be about finding what was best in the heart of black people and shining a light on it.

All four original black sororities had similar goals. Education would be salvation of the black race. It was the same for the four original fraternities. We would be both Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois and we would lead ourselves out of the wilderness.

Even this passage, where she critiques her chapter, she admits it was less the undergrads in the chapter but the lack of oversight and direction that made her experience less than what she wanted:

My sorors weren't bad people. They were just kids and they acted like kids. Anyone who's ever read "Lord of the Flies" knows how quickly youth can deteriorate into destruction without some adults officiating. When I graduated the older grad students in the chapter who'd gone through the worst as freshman wanted the chapter to give up the six-week pledge process and start following the national guidelines. She was so proud of this because she wanted the experience to be what the founders intended. But she was heading off to start her adult life and her words fell on deaf ears to the girls below her. They liked the "old way" of doing things. It was what had been done to them and it was more "fun." They liked wearing the t-shirts and dancing and the parties and six-weeks of pledging and superficial charitable efforts that gave them feelings of legitimacy.

I don't know. I don't get mad when people write similar things about NPC chapters. In fact I admit that a lot of NPC chapters don't live up to or flat out ignore the ideals of their org. I was lucky to have a different experience. But I know plenty of NPC alums are disillusioned about such things. I actually found the article balanced, and it was interesting to see an NPHC perspective like this. While she may have some facts wrong (oof, wrong sorority for Eleanor Roosevelt), she obviously has a strong sense of the values of Zeta specifically and the history, legacy, and values of the NPHC generally even if she doesn't really have great memories herself. And she seems to really admire the experience that her mom had.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

^^^ I think there's an issue because she's just whining. She joined a chapter for the wrong reasons and continued on when "she knew things were bad." Because of her negative experience, she's denouncing all NPHC organizations. Then, in her next breath, she claims that she understands the importance of these organizations.

She needs to step off of her soapbox and keep it moving...

This is what I have a problem with. If she was so above these antics and found them deeply troublesome, why would she continue with the process? I think people change their minds about what they feel is right and wrong at different times in their lives. And it's okay to change your mind but it's not okay to publicly denounce what you once took part in and agreed with. That's my issue.

And what about all the things our orgs are doing currently to combat hazing incidents? You never hear anything about that but the truth is that members are being thrown out of their orgs (something that was never done in the past) for intake violations left and right. More and more members/chapters are not pledging at all and grad chapters have gotten closer to their undergrads, establishing mentor programs and relationships. All of this is going on but you never hear about it, only the negative.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

I read the article and don't see that she's denouncing the NPHC at all. She's merely calling out the practices that she experienced in her org and didn't like.

She's denouncing the NPHC all over that blog, especially in the comments section where she says that she tells people "DO NOT PLEDGE A SORORITY."

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

I don't know. I don't get mad when people write similar things about NPC chapters. In fact I admit that a lot of NPC chapters don't live up to or flat out ignore the ideals of their org. I was lucky to have a different experience. But I know plenty of NPC alums are disillusioned about such I actually found the article balanced, and it was interesting to see an NPHC perspective like this. While she may have some facts wrong (oof, wrong sorority for Eleanor Roosevelt), she obviously has a strong sense of the values of Zeta specifically and the history, legacy, and values of the NPHC generally even if she doesn't really have great memories herself. And she seems to really admire the experience that her mom had.

Well...good for you and that's all I'll say about that.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

This article is interesting, like I said before...but y'all's comments are even more interesting. If this was an NPC chapter, I would not be surprised to hear, "That chapter should be shut down", or maybe even "That chapter has closed already due to lack of members/national intervention/school kicked them off campus." Instead, I hear you all saying, "She should stop complaining. It's her own fault for not having her heart in it when she first joined."

I'm not saying this because I think that you all support hazing or are hazers. I'm saying it because it really IS interesting that theres such a big shift in opinion between BGLO members and NPC members.

I agree with you. I was reading this like, OMG! They need an adviser to step in and assist ASAP! Not, this woman did something bad in wanting to join. But obviously there is a difference in opion between the two Councils and their operations. I totally respect both and personally do not think less of the writer or her org.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

This is what I have a problem with. If she was so above these antics and found them deeply troublesome, why would she continue with the process? I think people change their minds about what they feel is right and wrong at different times in their lives. And it's okay to change your mind but it's not okay to publicly denounce what you once took part in and agreed with. That's my issue.

What about the "God saved me and now GLOs are the devil and I can prove it because they reference satan in their rituals...and I was a heathen as an undergrad so I participated in sex parties and put pledges in the hospital but I want to blame the frat for making me do it...but I was really just a heathen back then with or without the frat" people?

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

What about the "God saved me and now GLOs are the devil and I can prove it because they reference satan in their rituals...and I was a heathen as an undergrad so I participated in sex parties and put pledges in the hospital but I want to blame the frat for making me do it...but I was really just a heathen back then with or without the frat" people?

Oh yeah I just love the heathens turned holy rollers, I just love them!

[DSTCHAOS]

I would've "respected" this idiot's opinion more if she had not made this about Zeta or her chapter. Was that her photo she posted with her eyes blotted out? I think those who know, already know who she is and what chapter she's talking about.

I think all anti-GLO rants are dumb but they are more tolerable when they don't appear to single orgs out or get too detailed.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I agree with you. I was reading this like, OMG! They need an adviser to step in and assist ASAP! Not, this woman did something bad in wanting to join. But obviously there is a difference in opion between the two Councils and their operations. I totally respect both and personally do not think less of the writer or her org.

NPC vs. NPHC? Apples vs. Oranges? Some of you need to stay in your lane...for real.

[DSTCHAOS]

<----is glad that she isn't the one who had to say it

[neosoul]

right on rhoyal tempest!

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

I would've "respected" this idiot's opinion more if she had not made this about Zeta or her chapter. Was that her photo she posted with her eyes blotted out? I think those who know, already know who she is and what chapter she's talking about.

I think all anti-GLO rants are dumb but they are more tolerable when they don't appear to single orgs out or get too detailed.

EXACTLY. She could have written that article an entirely different way. No need to mention Zeta especially since she knows that there are thousands of members and hundreds of chapters that hers does not represent.

[DSTRen13]

So, if we're going to make this some sort of NPHC versus NPC thing, maybe someone could tell me ... would NPC members *really* be okay with, for example, some random blogger getting on the Internet and saying that she had been a Phi Mu, that the sisters in her chapter (giving enough details to identify said chapter) had been more crude and less intelligent than herself, and going on about how she had been hazed and hadn't ever really wanted to pledge in the first place, then goes on to encourage everyone to avoid the NPC altogether?

I just don't get it, but if that really would be fine with you all, okay.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

So, if we're going to make this some sort of NPHC versus NPC thing, maybe someone could tell me ... would NPC members *really* be okay with, for example, some random blogger getting on the Internet and saying that she had been a Phi Mu, that the sisters in her chapter (giving enough details to identify said chapter) had been more crude and less intelligent than herself, and going on about how she had been hazed and hadn't ever really wanted to pledge in the first place, then goes on to encourage everyone to avoid the NPC altogether?

I just don't get it, but if that really would be fine with you all, okay.

I don't think it would be okay with the ones who typed in this thread but, as far as they are concerned, the problem would lie with the chapter and not the blogger. The issue would be with having a chapter where the big sisters are "dumb" and unladylike because it's a sign that recruitment is failing and women do not want to pledge the chapter. Therefore, the chapter is poorly representing the organization.

LOL...although I can see their take I also don't care how this would pan out in the nonNPHC world.