Sisterhood?????

Any female who's reading this post who is also a member of a sorority, please explain to me why the cost of pledging is so damn high?

Now before y'all start jumping down my throat, I want you to know that at one point in my life I was willing to give an organization almost $1000 so that I could have legal rights to wearing their name across my chest. However, reality hit me or should I say, reality pimp slapped me in the face. Why in the hell do I want to be a such-and-such? To this day, I can't come up with a logical reason, other than the famous canned statement that almost every girl/woman gives if she's lucky enough to get an interview: "I want to be a part of an organization that is dedicated to the continual empowerment of the Black women socially, mentally, politically, educationally, and spirtually". I've asked my friends why they wanted to join and believe or not, most of them couldn't give a plausible reason. One of my friends doesn't even know why she wants to be a such-and-such (sidenote:she's currently going through the membership intake process).

I mean I started thinking about the purpose of one particular organization and said to myself: "Don't I already do that now?" I perform community service, not because I'm trying to pledge anything, but because I truly enjoy it. I give my "sisters" the spiritual bond that they need, not because they are my sorors, but because I just genuinely love those heffas. Shouldn't that be enough? Nooooooooo! I still want to know what's so spectacular about being a part of a sorority. Am I willing to pay all that money to join? Probably not. I guess I just have a problem with not knowing where half of that money is going to. I don't see a hospital for the poor in rural areas being built by them (however, the one sorority that I wanted join did build one in Africa, but don't we need hospitals for the poor in the U.S. as well?). I haven't seen them build a shelter for the homeless, a playground or community center for the poor urban youth, rally for political change, or hell for that matter get out and do some damn community service. I'm not saying that every member of these organizations are like that, but a large majority of them are. A lot of my friends that have pledged these organizations have lied about performing community service. What's the point of joining a service organization and the only community service you have performed is giving head to all the niggas down on the corner? Furthermore, what's the point of these organizations calling themselves service organizations when the only service they perform is having debutante balls, a few story time afternoons with some kids, and damn award banquets?

I'm not hating. I'm just trying to figure out this inherent desire for people to want to belong to something, no matter if it leaves you broke in the process and for a few of those people, dead. One of my friends had a car accident that almost took her out because she was trying to pledge. Which leads me to another thing, what's up with this hazing shit? Why do these heffas and niggas feel it's okay to beat the shit out of somebody just so you can give them those beloved letters? Furthermore, why do some people feel it's okay to accept that type of abuse because it's the only way you're going to be respected by your sorors? Bitch please! I have a reflex problem. If I somebody hits me, I beat the hell out of them.

Anyway, I hope my friend makes it through the process okay. I'm happy for her because this is what she wants. Maybe one day I'll change my mind after becoming a successful radiation oncologist and pledge after all. Second thought, probably not..........