Greek Think: Pledging as a Social Contract?
Reproduced with permission from Howard University Bison Yearbook Office.
Greek Think is for my random thoughts about the status of Black Greek Life. Hopefully, these discussions (Which I encourage people to post back to) can help me find story ideas for Beyond This Place. So please read and reply!
After church today, I went home and began to browse the Internet like I normally do. I was doing some searching for resources to put into my upcoming presentation and remembered a site that was full of controversy and dialogue. Juicycampus.com was introduced to me for the first time last semester and can easily be the quickest way to determine the social climate on any given campus in America AND is also the easiest way to destroy a healthy one. Because the post are anonymous people will go to great lengths to make their opinions heard under the banner of secrecy. I decided to entertain myself and read some of the post, mostly about childish things, but then came across multiple post for a specific University about Black Greek Letter Organizations and the difference between pledging vs. paper. While I refuse to personally talk about that specific topic in this online forum, It did spark some interesting dialogue on this anonymous website. Of course this underground physical and mental obstacle course had been made formally illegal in 1989 after the death of Joel Harris. Although mostly unacknowledged, the practice still continues today. What was interesting was the multiple post for this Universities Greek life openly discussed the difference between pledging and paper and included post from the general campus community and Black Greeks on the campus. “…i don’t get what ‘they went paper’ means?” one user posted. A swift response posted “it means that they just signed some damn PAPER then paid some damn PAPER!!! They don’t know s___ about the letters they wear and did not earn the right to wear em! thats what PAPER means…”. Other posted similar comments citing that somehow the persons involved had to prove themselves in the upcoming semester.
What was interesting to me was the huge stress on specific organizations on campus who pledged and who did not. I wondered to myself, Dang! People are putting out all this supposedly SECRET information out on the Internet for everyone else to read? What happened to discretion? The understanding that what ever happens in the house, stays in the house? What made it even worse was the other BGLO members were happily joining in on the dialogue. Now, I’m not claiming to be an authority in any way, shape, or form on how one should govern his/her organization, but I feel that the spirit of our BGLO founders would question this act. Are we not the SAME Greeks who took a pledge to uphold our organizations principles? I dont remember ‘slander and degradation of Black people’ being in MY oath. Unfortunately, the reality is so much dirty laundry was aired out in the open that it contributes to the NEGATIVE reinforcement that BGLO’s are NOT relevant in the 21st Century. But was the social structure around pledging always this way?
No. The picture above shows the newest pledges of the Alpha chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. (ΖΦΒ) after the first Sunday of their pledge process. These, and similar scenes like it, were the norm under legal pledge lines. There was no question about if someone was paper vs. pledged because they ALL pledged, and EVERYBODY knew it. Does this make it better? I thought about the post made on Juciy-Juice.com (a name given to the site by my Frat brother who said the site was for little children) and why the stigma of pledging was so important to a generation who had never witnessed the social responsibility of openly pledging another. The image above is one of my favorites I found at Howard University this winter. It’s honesty and openness is what has lead me to the theory that pledging, as defined prior to 1970′s, served as a social contract among the Fraternity/Sorority and it’s members. I believe that by having open pledge lines and experiences that the community was able to identify the prospective members and not only give them support publicly and privately, but also hold the current members of that Fraternity/Sorority ACCOUNTABLE for the aspirants well being and personal safety. Does this make it better? Well, when it was legal prior to 1989, there were still incidents of hazing, but I wonder now if new circumstances would allow for different outcomes. I can’t help to speculate on what would happen if those same guideline were true today.
University systems all across America have tightened their policies regarding pledging and hazing. Specifically some believe more so for BGLO’s. As one brother of mine put it, “They’re waiting for us to get caught committing suicide.” Would current cases of hazing cease to exist if the combination of University recourse and public accountability played a factor in how a current members choose to physically or mentally ‘test’ an aspirant for initiation? If guidelines were put in place that allowed for public display of potential members, bringing the old traditions of open air pledging back, what do you think would result in the new found responsibilities placed on the current members? Does this make it better? It would certainly blow up the whole paper vs. pledged conversation, and maybe that would allow us to start being responsible citizens who actually care about our aims. Regardless, the goal would be to get back to the times when our BGLO’s were never questioned, but asked.
Please Note: I am not making a suggestion on how things should or should not be done. I merly offer my thoughts for your consideration and feedback. Please process any of this WITH me: Juicy-Juice, BGLO responsibility, etc. You can reply to this post below by clicking the words “reply”.
Hi Jarrad! Even though I am an alumna of a white sorority and you and I talked just last week about the fundamental differences between white and black Greek life, I see this as one similarity worth commenting on. I was never hazed as a pledge and am very much against hazing, as are theoretically all of the houses I’ve come in contact with, yet many of the Greeks I know who were hazed wear it as a badge of honor. They see hazing as a shared trial that strengthens their bond to the house to which they’ve pledged their loyalty and, indeed, demonstrates their loyalty to the active members of that house. I’ve never been part of a system that did open-air pledging (and I’m fascinated by your description of it), but I think it would be interesting to see how that would play out–for all Greeks, actually. Perhaps if all pledging activities (I hesitate to reuse the word “hazing” with all of its negative connotations) were to take place in public, it would certainly affect the sort of hoops through which a pledge would be asked to jump. This might be a little bit of an extreme solution, but I’m just throwing it out there. Certainly, public pledging and public display of pledges would show a pledge that he/she is always a representative of their given house and should conduct him-/herself as such. Just random ideas. Thanks for pointing me to your blog, and thanks for sharing good thoughts like these!
January 26, 2009 at 4:06 am
Hi Jarrad! Just wanted to let you know that I stopped by and checked your blog out. I am going to refrain from commenting for discretion’s sake, but I did enjoy your post very much.
Post a Facebook status the next time you add something.
January 26, 2009 at 9:53 am
J, like we talked about the other night, we are no longer in the same org’s that our founders were in. The youth/future are coming into power. J Atkinson will probably be general body prez in 10 years…. Maybe lol. But we cannot let people who get beat up in an undisclosed location and then sign a peace of paper and pay their pieces of paper dictate what is real. I was taught that we should be able to do everything with no reservation on those who cannot. But then again my chapter is the ish and is loved by ALL lol. Love the post, Black Greeks should take a one year hiatus, figure some things out then unleash on society a new wave of young individuals ready to change the country once again. A Rebirth iGuess.
Peace.
January 27, 2009 at 7:27 am
Great Post Jarrad
It’s interesting to read this, coming from a multicultural fraternity I am currently seeing my org. going in the reverse direction from open “public” pledge programs to private processes and going underground. Is it a good thing? Not too sure yet, it’s only been recently that we’ve seen many of our chapters make this change so we will see. I think the majority of hazing incidents come from the more traditional Greeks in which alcohol related incidents are the most common theme.
As far being “paper” I wasn’t very familiar with the term until my 2nd year in the frat. Being around for a good amount of time I’ve come to the understanding that regardless of what others refer to you as, it’s what you do for your org and how well you represent your org that matters, not how hard you pledged or what you went through to cross that matters although most of the time the two are correlated.
January 28, 2009 at 8:45 pm
First, I would just like to say what a beautiful website this is. If people don’t already know Jarrad Henderson is a Real dude and loves to speak his mind on Real ISSUES ..shooooot. he’s an HENDERSON! , So this would not of been brought up unless it was a REAL issue and something was itching his brain.
As an adolensce with my Father and Big Ears Brother Jarrad, I was introduce to BGLO’s through a step show Omega Psi Phi was putting on in the great city of St. Louis. The first thing that sruck me was the energy and fire of the steps that was moving the bleachers, the next thing I notice was the sexy woman sitting next to me rocking her Pink and Green jacket and screaming a very loud high pitched sound:). The last thing i notice, was the chant of all the members got together and sung to the crowd(still remebered it to till this day). Back then it was a beautiful thing to see the unity of Black Men in an unorganized and violent part of the city. Now however it seems to just be a popularity contest throughout some schools and means for acceptance throughout others. Faternities to me have always meant much more than that. Getting back to the community, Knowing the history of BLGO’s(Not just yours but others ..Which Jarrad is good atmight i add:p), and also the unity between the BLGO. I know there has to be individuality in the Organizations, but to some people(me in particular) I would like to see the attributes of BLGO’s I remember at the age of 12, then you would have potential prospects that would pledge on the greater good of the BLGO(History, Unity, and Future Purpose) That’s the Organization I would love to pledge to. As a “NON-Greek”(but very complex and complicated individual;) ) I would like to address the following issues I see wrong in Black Greek Organizations. 1. Why does it seem like some Fraternities seem one sided in the members who are in them. Some members I have met love to throw up their sign and be recognized but don’t have the slightest clues of the history of their Organization or how it was started. 2. Why does BLGO’s feel they should only have some events and only on founders week(STOP BEING LAZY,people are interested!!) 3.I love the traditions of BLGO’s, hazing or not.
Last but not least….I would like to end this post on saying what my mentor Jarrad Henderson told me. “If you ever join any fraternity, It’ll be like joining a disfunctional family.” I asked Jarrad, Whats the job of a new comer? To make the family better? He said, “Naw, it’s to be the best member you can be! I love my blood brother!!!
If you would like to answer these questions, emial me. Mr.bryan.henderson@gmail.com
Love you Brother and Keep them on they toes;)
Salami, Eggs, and Bacon..Im oUT!!
January 29, 2009 at 8:57 am
Hey Jarrad. I like your post and especially the open questions. These are a lot of the questions I’ve asked, though I was never a part of a fraternity (at least in name).
My track team got in trouble once (a couple of years before my time) for posting pictures of potentially “dangerous” hazing procedures. I put “dangerous” in quotes because the hazing could have been seen from a few different angles. There were both men and women involved.
I know that sounds bad.
But, in my opinion, the hazing itself was not entirely deviant, though VERY close to the line. The administration, however, placed that line much more conservatively than I do and athletes were dealt the consequences.
Now, I know what benefits a certain amount of hazing can have. I have had my share and have dealt a little myself. But I tell myself I know where that line is. “Good” hazing and “bad” hazing. Easy, right?
Maybe I do, but that’s not enough. One man’s punishment is another man’s revenge.
The problem with hazing is that it evolves. One day you yell at a pledge, the next year you make him do your laundry. He takes that as a green light to abuse his own pledges any way he pleases. And he has the “right” because he, himself, was abused in a way.
This continues through the history of a frat/team/brotherhood/race/species as long as it exists. Hazing, while building understanding and empathy between people, really spreads hate and violence of a psychological, if not physical, sort.
As part of a BGLO especially, I think these are the qualities a fraternity wants to avoid. Now is not the time to create brotherhood by means of demonstrating another’s weaknesses, but by highlighting similar strengths. Show pledges what the brotherhood is about, not how it can possibly destroy them.
I think, that way, you’ll find a more devoted and motivated group of young men who don’t need paper NOR submission to define their existence in the brotherhood to which they truly belong.
It’s a really tough situation to overcome. In the aftermath of that track hazing incident I mentioned, involving black and white members (if that matters), men and women, we were the ones who truly suffered. We had to deal with heightened administration and meetings with the dean over the smallest things you can imagine. We couldn’t do ANYTHING because of stupid things our elders had done.
It’s the future who suffers. Hazing, like discrimination, is a short-term solution. In the long-run, it weakens relationships and presents a false sense of agreement.
In short, I don’t think “paper” is the solution. I think alternatives to hazing are the real answer. Make pledges prove themselves in other ways, ways that cement their devotion to the values of the brotherhood they’re joining.
Sorry for the long-windedness. Peace.
January 30, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Your site displays incorrectly in Mozilla, but content excellent! Thanks for your wise words.
February 6, 2009 at 5:13 am
What’s up Frat-
This is an interesting topic and speaking to old school (Those who Pledged above ground) I have heard numerous stories about their pledge process and it varies for orgs and decade. My friend’s mother who pledged Delta in the early 70′s pledged for a year and stated although she was never “touched”, though she had to work hard for her letters. I have spoken with other women/men in various organizations that will give you different accounts of what it was like for them at that time, they seem to be on the same page as far as what it meant to pledge.
The issue with our generation is that we have a jacked up view of what pledging is and what it means to pledge. People talk about individuals coming through MIP not knowing anything, but you have people who have been on for “months” getting hazed and barely know any info, but claim to be “made” old school. The idea of bringing back an above ground process seems like it would be a great, but could spell danger for any organization, if what hazing means isn’t accurately spelled out for the pledge and the university. For instance, walking in line, taking orders, is seen as hazing. Also laws would need to be put in effect that will hold the individual who is pledging more accountable for the willingness to participate in said activities. People are now using fraternity/sorority lawsuits as a get rich quick scam. Fraternities/Sororities also would need monitor pledge activities a lot closer than before to minimize hazing risk. I believe it will never be like it was, but be nice to have something better than what we as the NPHC have now. If an above ground process was brought back, do you think that would cause more division between BGLO members who didn’t have that and those that did?
February 14, 2009 at 2:41 pm
What year is this picture because the woman in the backround looks like presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm for some reason. I’m sure i am mistaken but just wondering.
February 19, 2009 at 9:55 am
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March 7, 2009 at 9:02 pm