Some girls will do anything...

[DaysWithoutEnd]

CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/04/13/sorority.blood.lies.ap/index.html)

Sorority women told to lie to give blood
Tuesday, April 13, 2004 Posted: 7:34 PM EDT (2334 GMT)

COLUMBIA, Missouri (AP) -- The national office of a sorority whose members were urged to lie about their health to boost turnout in a competitive campus blood drive apologized Tuesday.

In a statement from its national office in Colorado, Gamma Phi Beta said it "regrets the e-mail sent regarding mandatory participation in a campus-wide blood drive and apologizes to the community, the Red Cross and campus."

The American Red Cross tells those who are sick or have recently received tattoos or piercings not to donate blood, both to protect the health of donors and to lessen the risk of transmitting diseases to recipients.

But sorority members at the University of Missouri-Columbia -- a school that once set a world record for blood collection -- were urged by a fellow member to lie about their health.

In an e-mail sent last Tuesday to about 170 members of Gamma Phi Beta, sophomore Christie Key, the chapter's blood donation coordinator, wrote: "I dont (sic) care if you got a tattoo last week LIE. I dont (sic) care if you have a cold. Suck it up. We all do. LIE. Recent peircings (sic)? LIE."

She added: "Even if youre (sic) going to use the Do Not Use My Blood sticker, GIVE ANYWAY." Donors who have second thoughts at the donation site can discreetly attach a sticker to a health questionnaire indicating their blood shouldn't be used.

In her e-mail, Key wrote: "We're not messing around. Punishment for not giving blood is going to be quite severe."

Key declined to comment Monday and referred questions to Gamma Phi Beta's chapter president, who did not immediately return a call.

[72valiant]

morons. hope they all grow up to be career women that never have kids.

[aqualou]

I LOVE IT!
Give until it hurts someone else!
Take one (or give one) for the team!
Gamma Phi Beta gives the most blood! (to biohazard bags)
Is this school spirit or what?

[JSpaceman]

C'mon, they're sorority girls- they're used to "doing anything!"

[Nepenthean]

I just smell a whole lotta STUPID -- no spirit though.

[Fourthisto]

This is the lamest possible outcome from a sweet thread title like this. What a waste.

[classicgrrl]

group think at it's finest.

this is what happens when you pay for your friends.

[tobedawg]

like oh my gawd.. i was supposed to like give blood??

[DaysWithoutEnd]

There will be serious consequences if you don't!
No more gold stars! No board bash! No spam!

[mistergugi]

"even if you have herpes, give blood! even if you are HIV+, give blood!"

sorority girls are entertaining, at least.

[P.O.D. Warrior]

Originally posted by JSpaceman
C'mon, they're sorority girls- they're used to "doing anything!"

LOL! Indeed. Another reason for me to hate "Greek" life.

[ApplesauceDave]

And the whole time, I thought this thread was about hookers...

[Duemellon]

Originally posted by ApplesauceDave
And the whole time, I thought this thread was about hookers... The way the posters are talking about them, they are hookers who work pro bono.

[RedWoods]

Originally posted by P.O.D. Warrior


LOL! Indeed. Another reason for me to hate "Greek" life.

Back in college i was pretty active in the fraternity scene and played football. That alone kept more then a few people who would have been my friends to sadly keep themselves at arm's length. People bitch and moan about racial and sexual sterotypes, but are awfully quick to jump on the "you pay for your friends" band wagon (and yes, i realize there is a certain degree of "apples and oranges" at play here).

Now, I realize athletes, fraternity and sorority members do lots of dumb stuff. College kids do lots of dumb stuff, they are just that much harder to categorize. Of course, I went to a smaller institution better know for its academics then its sports or social life. And i know the world is an entirely different place at many state schools and the like (in fact I would have never joined our chapter at OSU, for example). However, not every group is like the one highlighted in the article.

I believe so strongly in the values that my fraternity represented, that several years later I have returned to serve as an alumni advisor. Do i have to manage a certain amount of stupid behavior? Yeah. Do my friends who are RAs have to manage stupid behavior? Yeah.

My group of men completed 35,000 hours of community service (under their own volition, not as legal sacntions mind you and far more then either of the two philanthropic based fraternities on campus) this past year. Thats 10 hours per week per man. They are leaders on campus and have strong academics.

I know that fraternities do a lot to strengthen stereotypes, and that saddens me. But, you should know that a lot of chapters out there are working hard to change that perception.

I know i'm not going to change the minds of people who've had shoddy experiences. I know I would never have joined OSU or OU's chapters of Delta Tau Delta. But I also know what my chapter has done, and I'm proud of it.

[72valiant]

rw, you were a frat boy?! oh, the shame. i just don't think we can hang anymore.





[that was sarcasm]

[DaysWithoutEnd]

Originally posted by RedWoods
My group of men completed 35,000 hours of community service (under their own volition, not as legal sacntions mind you and far more then either of the two philanthropic based fraternities on campus) this past year. Thats 10 hours per week per man.

I was a member of our campus Habitat for Humanity chapter. We did just as much without being 'greek' at all, although some of the members were greek as well. Big whoop.

We did it as volunteers because we felt passionately about a particular issue (housing), not just to go along with the group.

[RedWoods]

No need to angry 'cuz you weren't cool enough to be rushed!

Totaly just kidding.

Yeah, it is a social club. The guys also play intramurals together, and play in some bands toegther, and even live together. But that doesn't mean that they weren't passionate about volunteerism. That was just a giant assumption on your part. These guys all work in a local underprivelaged elementary school. They work many more hours a week than the school's own teacher's aides. In fact, the school could never in a million years afford the kind of service they provide. And you know what, they are passionate about it. And they take great pride in it. Everyone who joins knows what is expected of them and wouldn't join otherwise. So yeah, they do it in part because they're friends do (as i'm sure was part of your reasoning), but they also do it for the kids.

[yvette7ica]

Redwoods, there may be some exceptions to the stereotypes, but my knee jerk reaction was the same as Classicgirl's. I can't honestly say that I have a very good view of sororities and fraternities. I've met some really cool people that are or have been "greek". However, for every one that I've met that has been fun to be around there are five to perpetuate the stereotypes. Maybe for some their personalities are so repellent or non-existent they have to pay for their friends. I'm not hounding you, Redwoods, because you seem like a cool guy, but some frat guys and sorority chicks need a bit of an ego check. Then maybe people wouldn't rip on them so bad.

[postfeminist]

it's been my understanding that fraternity & sorority life on big campuses (osu, ou, uc) is much different than fraternity & sorority life on small campuses... either way, these ladies that were bullied into giving blood suck.

yup. postfem's back!

[RedWoods]

Originally posted by yvette7ica
I'm not hounding you, Redwoods, because you seem like a cool guy, but some frat guys and sorority chicks need a bit of an ego check. Then maybe people wouldn't rip on them so bad.

Honestly, I agree with just about all that. I would never of thought of joing a faternity coming out of high school. In fact i didn't join until the end of my freshman year. Some campuses are just very very different then others. I think that the vast majority of people would be astounded if they saw the greek system on some smaller campuses compared to the larger, more traditionally greek schools. I'm not going to defend all the chapters who screwed up. Why? well, becuase they screwed up. I just wanted people to know that there are places and people out there trying to change the perception thats all. Sure, its a minority. Sure, alot of jackasses populate sororities and fraternities. but not all of 'em. thats all. no hard feelings, i'm not trying to convince anyone, just show that their are good and cool people who don't listen to nickelback and limp bizkit while wearing backwards abercrombie hats in the greek world. thats all.
:cool: