Wood: the "feeling of brotherhood"

hoosier · #1 09-30-2004, 02:19 PM

I think these quotes from the Alpha Phi Alpha forum are trying to rationalize the beating of pledges, public humiliation, and personal servitude. As long as chaptpers continue to think this way, our days of bad publicity churn on.
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The Revolution is late. We shoulda revolted when the legislators around the country first began defining hazing from only European perspectives. By this I mean things such as: (1) illegal assembly, (2)requiring/forcing prospectives to cut their hair, walk in line, dress alike, do errands/favors for members, and finally exercising. Each of these contribute to the building of character-of those that will become the chapter. They should never have been perceived as acts of hazing. Almost every tribe of people on the continent of Africa has some form of Rites of Passage, and many of these things I've listed are parts of many of them. Therefore; based on this fact, Brothers of EVERY Afro-centric fraternity should have REVOLTED when the legislators first began regulating pledging. Pledging has helped many a person discover themselves by forcing them to boldly face perceived limitations. For many people, it was the beginning of maturation. If the act itself is sooo harmful and wrong, why then does the military continue it as they do without assault from our lawmakers?
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OA I agree with much of your comment. Fraternity no longer builds the bond of years ago partly because of the fear of law suits and partly because of the specific design of in-take. I often wonder why many Brothers don't become active with grad chapters. IMO the link and feeling of brotherhood at the collegiate level did not build the hope, joy and love of Alpha. What would really be radical is for all members of BGLO continue to uphold the promises and commitments when we first crossed. After all, we are only as strong as our weakest link.
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I will catch my brother's slack and share the pain as we take the wood of hood in search of King Solomon's temple!!!
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Hotep Brothers. Help please! Bro. Original Ape I am going to report you to you know who! That is right! I am going to call N-t_on-l_s because you STOOD ME UP and made me go through that newspaper I-P_-S-I_N all over again! I am not gonna quit though, because I was always told by my elders that "Alpha Wood is Good" along w/the theme "Have Wood Shall Travel!" I am a Deuce Quas and believe you have something against me for being a TWO! Bro. Original Ape, "dat ain't wryte!"

DeltAlum · #2 09-30-2004, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hoosier
I think these quotes from the Alpha Phi Alpha forum are trying to rationalize the beating of pledges, public humiliation, and personal servitude. As long as chaptpers continue to think this way, our days of bad publicity churn on.

While I don't agree that hazing is necessary to promote or strengthen brotherhood, I hardly think that A Phi A members are alone in the beliefs expressed in the post.

As wrong as I consider them to be, I'd venture to say that there are members and chapters in any fraternity who would agree with the posters.

LXAAlum · #3 09-30-2004, 03:26 PM

I'd venture to say that there are members and chapters in any fraternity who would agree with the posters.

I love what I heard from the Director of Sigma Nu years ago on this subject is a great argument to make: If you think that paddling or other forms of hazing are so great, and so effective, why don't you advertise it? "Come join our chapter: we'll beat the crap out of you!"

Oddly, no one has ever taken him up on that idea.

I wonder why...

Firehouse · #4 09-30-2004, 03:55 PM

Don't be too sure no one has. In fact, I have some published rush books - among them one from Beta at Oklahoma State and one from Phi Tau at Purdue that proudly show multiple photos of members being paddled by other Brothers (one assumes at initiation). These are from the 1980 or early 90s. The Phi Tau book even showws them paddling Little Sisters (!). I am not making this up. My point is that many places view hazing much like the top post from the Black Fraternity members. And yes, they DO advertise it in one form or another. Especially in the midwest, there are members of IFC fraternities who will argue with you about "exchanging licks" with your big brother.
I never paddled or was paddled in college, although we did haze then. Never understood paddling. But there are lots of people who support it.

WyoAlph · #5 09-30-2004, 04:41 PM

of two brothers running around the main floor of the chapter trying to smack each other with paddles for their birthdays. They were just messing around and both are clearly smiling in the photos, but I intentionally left them out of our recruitment materials because I didn't want anyone getting the wrong impression and thinking we OK'd hazing.

Senusret I · #6 09-30-2004, 05:18 PM

Tom Earp · #7 09-30-2004, 05:40 PM

Glad you did Firehouse.

Whether it was done in fun or even if no paddleing was done, it still shows the wrong conotation for Greeks. Remember, that is what most people think that All Greeks do, not the minority of Greeks.

Not to stir up bad memories, but doing Black Face was done in fun and look where that led!

A mark on all Greeks.

Does anyone really think that being a NIC, NPC, or NHPC makes any difference, we are all eyes of the civilians Called Greeks.

Hope I got all of the right Letters correct!

PHAShriner/1906 · #8 09-30-2004, 05:41 PM

Bro. Senusret, you and I both know that us SONS of Black and Old Gold have not advocated what is being stated with regards to wood.

Senusret I · #9 09-30-2004, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom Earp

Does anyone really think that being a NIC, NPC, or NHPC makes any difference, we are all eyes of the civilians Called Greeks.

Hope I got all of the right Letters correct!

No, you have NOT gotten all your letters right, and you have ALWAYS misspelled NPHC! If you can't get it right, just stop saying it all together.

PHASHriner, I know that, and you know that. APhiA has a public forum, and if Hoosier wanted to say something, he could have posted in OUR forum.

But F'em, I've been ignoring it for months.

The Original Ape · #10 09-30-2004, 05:56 PM

to think what you will. I suggest you read my post again. Hopefully, you'll discover that it DOES NOT promote hazing; it does, however, promote some of the parts that occurred in the healthy and productive days of pledging.

Tom Earp · #11 09-30-2004, 06:16 PM

Thank you again for your corrective statement.!

But, what does that have do do with showing giving Wood?

If giving wood is paddleing then so be it!

Does that make Men out of Boys who come from H S to join a Fraternity of Men?

It is all Greek To Me!

PHAShriner/1906 · #12 10-01-2004, 04:58 PM

Hotep Brothers. HARK! I have read WISDOM posted by two ALPHAMEN! Let me put down my Red Bull that I am drinking before I head off to my Aikido class. Man, us Alphas are some bad dudes! Senusret, you and Original Ape make this here ALPHA realize how special we truly are. OUR insight and bond cannot be experienced by SONS, DAUGHTERS, NIECES, NEPHEWS, FRIENDS, and even ENEMIES. Remember, "we ain't heavy we brothers!" Ptah Hotep!

The Original Ape · #13 10-01-2004, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PHAShriner/1906
Hotep Brothers. HARK! I have read WISDOM posted by two ALPHAMEN! Let me put down my Red Bull that I am drinking before I head off to my Aikido class. Man, us Alphas are some bad dudes! Senusret, you and Original Ape make this here ALPHA realize how special we truly are. OUR insight and bond cannot be experienced by SONS, DAUGHTERS, NIECES, NEPHEWS, FRIENDS, and even ENEMIES. Remember, "we ain't heavy we brothers!" Ptah Hotep!

Munchkin03 · #14 10-01-2004, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Senusret I
No, you have NOT gotten all your letters right, and you have ALWAYS misspelled NPHC! If you can't get it right, just stop saying it all together.

He knows perfectly well what it is. It's a form of disrespect.

You can blame it on that old debbil moonshine...

southernelle25 · #15 10-03-2005, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WyoAlph
of two brothers running around the main floor of the chapter trying to smack each other with paddles for their birthdays. They were just messing around and both are clearly smiling in the photos, but I intentionally left them out of our recruitment materials because I didn't want anyone getting the wrong impression and thinking we OK'd hazing.

So, you actually think 'hazing' is the idea that would come to mind... I can think of something a little more disturbing. Two words: Abercrombie - Fitch.