Secrets

Jilly · #1 06-19-2002, 08:09 PM

I am a member of the Alpha chapter. After spending some time looking at post on here I get the felling information our chapter holds dear is not a national thing. Some of the items discussed here such as our song and our mascot's name are things our chapter protects. In some ways these post ruin our traditions. I would like to remind you all if you post on here it is an open forum. I was also wondering if you all did not see these things as personal to the sorority. Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks
Jillian

Allie · #2 06-20-2002, 05:08 AM

Here are my personal thoughts on it...

The things discussed here are only things that the MC's are taught. It would be the same as if a girl went through her MC period and for some reason chose not to activate as a Sigma Alpha member. The things discussed here are also to help each other, like sharing what are chapters do, finding info and items, etc.

Most GLO's post there history on their national webpages about founders, etc. So in no way is that really different either (at least to me) We NEVER discuss ritual, or any of our ceremonies, either.

Jilly · #3 06-20-2002, 07:33 AM

Thank you Allie for your reply. I would like to make some comments towards that. While it is true most of the stuff is thing an MC would learn, an MC is a person who has shown interst in our organization. It is our job to educate an MC. That is not the case for this forum. Any one can come read this. Do you want everyone to know our song???? I personaly hold that song dear to my heart and would never want other sororities to have it. I dont think our history should be secret, and by no way included that in the things i brought up. But also there are things I have seen that I know our chapter personally does not tell the MCs until Inspriation Week, but now they know before hand and kill the tradition. I dont know if it is because we are Alpha and have many more traditions.
Thank
Jillian

sus · #4 06-20-2002, 06:30 PM

I tend to agree with Allie. I don't think I've ever seen anything posted so far that I would consider too private for the message board. However, I'm happy that our moderators have the ability to delete any messages that they or the National Board may feel contain information that should not be shared here. Some things (like our ceremonies) are very private, so I would be sad to see those details posted here. However, the song lyrics that were posted are public information that were found elsewhere on the web and not even the exact lyrics we use. It's good to be reminded every once in while, though, that this is a public forum and there are A LOT of things you may not want to post here including personal info, private traditions, etc. Thanks for the reminder!

eerinm · #5 06-21-2002, 12:07 PM

I am sorry if I offended anyone by my post. I have since deleted my message. I was just trying to help out others that were interested in finding out about a recording of the song.

TigerGirl52 · #6 06-21-2002, 12:26 PM

Jilly--

I'm gonna say that I have to agree with everyone else. I know that I've never personally posted anything about our ritual or anything that only activated sisters should know. I think this board is a great idea. I know I've gotten many great ideas and helpful hints since I've been here. I know you're concerned about us releasing information on here that is discussed in our MC program. You're worried that people who aren't MC's will be privy to that information. I see it as a double-edged sword. Yes...people outside of our organization can come into our forum and see what we post just like we can go into their forums and see what they post. No organization on this message board is safe. But then again....what if a potential member visits this board looking for help and seeking answers and we don't talk to her because she isn't a member yet. We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot as an organization if we didn't come on here and talk about what each individual chapter does or just come here and promote ourselves. I hope you'll begin to see that the members of Sigma Alpha who utilize this board hold dear all of our rituals and traditions. I know that none of us would ever dream of divulging anything that we as sisters hold near and dear to our hearts.

Sisters,
Allison

RRRastani · #7 06-21-2002, 04:06 PM

I want to thank all of you for your interest in this subject and discussing it frankly with one another.

In my opinion, things aren't always black and white. Discussing items such as songs we may sing and our mascot are grey areas, and we've allowed those items to be discussed here. However, discussing ceremonies, rituals, and things divulged within them are definitely not to be discussed here. They can however be discussed on the Delphi Forum, where we have a private web page. I challenge you all to get involved with that forum as well (simply email me at rrastani@hotmail.com and I'll set it up). In the future, we can try to discuss the questionable items (such as the song and mascot) on that forum.

Sisters,
Robin

Jilly · #8 06-21-2002, 11:34 PM

Thank you Robin for your reply. I think the other forum can be a great resource just like this one is! I was never trying to point fingers at anyone, I was just stating how I felt. I would also like to note that i never said anyone talked about a ritual or ceremony, I felt like thoes words we put in my mouth because each reply mentioned it One last point was that brought up was that websites have the history on there and I totally support and expect the history to be there! But to make my point more, on none of the websites does it mention our song. I am excited to join the other forum to talk about traditions and what not! . Hopefully the other forum can help define the grey areas! Thank you to all who expressed their opinion.

AlphaAlum · #9 06-24-2002, 08:46 AM

I was not on GC Thursday or Friday so I missed the whirlwind of messages that Jilly's post resulted in. I feel the need to stick up for her since I too was once in her position, an alpha active.

The Alpha chapter takes things very serious. I know that the song is public and that it does not seem like a big deal to post it but at the same time alpha does not sing that song anywhere except the alpha house. The idea of anyone at Ohio State hearing and knowing our song make me queesy too. But also remeber how hard it was for any of us the find the song outside of SA in the first place.

I know we tend to feel like it is just us here but I still remember my surpise when that Sigma Kappa posted a reply or further back when that reporter wanted a tell all expose on sororities.

I am sure Jilly did not mean to cause any hard feeling, if she did. I really enjoy reading about what everyone is doing this week and what else is happening in the lives of SA's around the nation but I agree with her on keeping traditions a secret even if that are not completely a secret. I will be signing up for the top secret chat and I hope everyone else here does the same.

KEEP CHATING!!!