I am going to attempt to help you out on your quest to achieve Inter-Greek Unity on your campus. I went to Wittenberg University same as Ideal08 and while the BGLOs were not as prominently displayed/known on campus because of numbers, we had a presence within the BLACK community on campus. From time to time we also did programs with other GLOs. For instance we had a party and speaker with the LAmbda Chis as part of Alcohol Awareness.
There are tons of opportunities to network, it is up to YOU to do it.

Here are some suggestions for those of you who would like to bridge the gap in a POSITIVE, ACTIVE manner:

1. Say you are in a class and a BLACK person is in that class, talk to them. I talked to white people all the time in class and learned a lot about them in regards to who they are and how the NPC and IFC worked.
Okay back to this conversation, ask them: ARE YOU IN A SORORITY/FRATERNITY?

A.If the answer is YES, then you say which one? What are some of your organization's/chapter's service projects? THen you in turn share what your chapter does. You might suggest a sisterhood/brotherhood service project. You can also ask if their chapter would keep your chapter informed of their events/programs,etc. and then you in turn do the same. Our chapter of DST often received mailing from the GLO chapters on campus.

B. If the answer is NO: you ask them who is a member of such BGLO orgs and ask them for contact information.

2. LOOK in your campus directory, if you have one. At Wittenberg, every org, be it GLO, BGLO, Habitat had contact information for each president of each organization.

3. Contact Greek Affairs office for contact information.

4. Attend your campus' BLACK student organizations meeting and introduce yourself and state your interest in meeting with presidents of BGLOs to again bridge the gap.

I am sure there are more than just these four ways, but I find it disheartening by the attitudes of some of you that as BGLOer's we are the ones at fault here.

Being separate does not mean isolated. Differences are a part of EVERY ASPECT of life.

acting up? lol. trying to get attention? lol. dignify? LMAO

I usually don't comment on this type of topic, but I would just like to add...I initiated both a Mexican and a Vietnamese Soror in my undergraduate chapter, and while I voted for them because of their personality and what they could bring to the organization, I was also very conscious of their ethnicity. The culture in which they were brought up is as important to them as their name, their parents or their favorite ice cream. Just because they joined a predominately BGLO doesn't mean they desire to subjugate their ethnicity as a result. I totally understand what folks mean when they say they see "personality, not color", but I just assert that is not necessary to see only "personality” because their "color" (or better ethnicity), helps shape their personality, and the more one can appreciate this, the closer your relationship will often become.


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Finer Womanhood: the "Cat's Meow" Since 1920

That's lovely PM_Mama00, but I still don't know any.

I have read, thought and now im posting. So here's my little worthless 2 cent.

Leslie-- I love you, one of my fave AGD's even out of my own chapter. Just wanted you to know that http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Ok, even though BGLO's and Predominately White, Social, whatever we all individually call them GLO's are run differently and etc,we all have one thing in common. We were started to somehow help and better society. To bring people together. So isnt it better that we EDUCATE, instead of retaliating at post we dont agree with on this board. If someone has the worng info, there is a better way of doing it, then rolling eyes or whatever. No offense to anyone, but you have to admitt that it gets annoying after awhile. Im not saying no one can use them, but lets be real now. And lets stop stereotyping each org, we get enough of that from non-greeks as it is. There are sorority sluts and beer guzzling fraternity boys in all the orgs. whether it be BGLO, GLO, HAGLO, AAGLO, etc.Ill take you to my campus and prove it. I happen to be a beer guzzling sorority girl (who happens to be Black in a NPC), and Im damn proud. However, i do handle myself in a intelligent manner.
So how about this, one way of unifying all the orgs. would be to have an educational program on them, that gives background and etc. that all greeks could attend? At my school i hear nonsense coming from both orgs. about what they have heard and thought about he other. This would prevent that.

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"Its Great To Be A Mich-igan AGD! :)"

mdstudent... I liked everything you said except:

While each GLO is different, there are numerous organizations that have graduate/alumni chapters. In fact, my GLO has more active alumni chapters than collegiate chapters.


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SilverTurtle

Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative & Performing Arts

Sorry, sometimes I run off on tangents http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

That's a very good idea UMgirl.

Tonya, I luv ya sweetie! Are you still going to be around in the fall? I want to come out and see you!

AXO Alum going on record to say that once again, mccoyred is right on target!!

Also....very funny in my opinion that I would even remember this --- but you old folks (ie, the "senior" members who distress the young'uns so much) may remember too --- just last year during the 4th of July picnic my neighbor threw for us, I came in to check my email. Lo and behold there was an email telling me to check out the racism thread going on in GC land ---- y'all remember that one? It was like hell on earth for the GC'ers that were participating -- and here we are...one year later -- still trying to beat that dead horse!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif --- OOPS I didn't mean to add that in! [heeheehee]

Also - for posterity's sake -- I just want to remind everyone that colors are black and white --- cultural/ethnicity would be African-American and Caucasian. So if you use one (ie, a color) then also use color to describe the other......if you use cultural/ethnic for one, then use it for the other also. See what fun stuff you can learn in a graduate research course?? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

AXO_Alum, once again you have a point. I TRIED to turn this thread around by getting people to post possible RESOLUTIONS to this issue, but alas, only 4 have answered my question, THREE of whom are on the NPHC side of things. **sigh** I'd hate to draw a conclusion based on these meager showings, but the silence is deafening. Apparently those complaining about the "anti-social" behavior of NPHC greeks are not upset enough about it to express as sincere interest in changing the situation as they are in complaining about it. Maybe they honestly feel "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" yet feel it would be the PC thing to do to raise the issue. You know what the sad thing is, we'll be back down this same road in a matter of WEEKS talking about the same thing because no one wanted to make a change now. Just more proof of the saying "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

And I'm gone!



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Have nothing to do this weekend? Check out the Events Forum

Kelli
#12 Delta Nu (Savannah State University) Wtr. 1994
MAL, Southern Region

An equal opportunity grumpy person.

I agree that this is a valid suggestion. However, it has been made on thread after thread after thread! I don't see the point in a million threads on the same topic. My one eyeroll about a BEAUTY PAGEANT has started this whole "teach, not roll eyes" mantra... give me a break! If substantial education is taking place, I must have missed it. I don't see why this issue has to be rehashed over and over again... like I said, the same responses can be found in about a million other threads.

If you don't see this issue has to be rehashed, then why do you post responses again and again in it? I learned a lot about how other orgs work by reading these threads, and it is a possibility that something new may come up. If you don't like something you have every right to post your opinion on it, but please move on and allow others to express their opinions too, even if they are "old hat" to you.
Last I checked no one was the ultimate authority on everything, including greek life.

peace out.

You are correct. I should not have said NPC members are not as active after graduation as NPHC members. The truth is I really don't know. I guess I made that statement because I pretty much only see NPHC members in my area (D.C., Maryland, Virginia). I am sure there are many NPC members who are active after graduation.

I must have missed the part where I said I was an ultimate authority on anything. My response was to say a search may be helpful to the poster who originated this thread, as this subject has been discussed over and over and over and over and over and over.... get the point???

Yes MA'AM! I am sorry! I mean no ill will! I promise to carefully write each post from now on so it is not offensive to anyone, just like everyone else here does.

I never said you were the ultimate authority, I am implying no one is, and no one will have all the answers, but everyone has something to contribute if you give them time. And that I think everytime the topic is brought up something new can be gleaned.


[This message has been edited by Sig624EI (edited July 03, 2001).]

hmm U know what? I'm really sick of hearing about how I shouldve done a search. Well I"M SORRY that I didn't feel like it. Those posts are prolly outdated so I decided to start another one. And I value other peoples opinions, but if it bothers u SOOOO much that there are other threads, then dont read this one! And dont post! What is so hard about that? Sorry to be so...well...bishy, but its really starting to bother me that so many people are putting me down just for a simple question that i asked.

Ok so back to the topic of the post...does anyone else have any positive opinions on why the NPHC organizations exist or any opinions on why you think they shouldn't exist?

I think the NPHC Greeks should exist b/c they give African-American men and women the opportunity to bond in sister/brotherhood while uplifting THEIR community. I think that's wonderful. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif I also think that other ethnic specific Greeks should exist for the same reason. I don't understand why this is such a BIG deal or a BIG problem w/ some folks. Why can't African-Ams or Latino/as or Asians belong in a fraternity/sorority that uplifts THEIR communities? Why is that wrong?

I also don't see it as segregation b/c these groups are focusing their time and energy on helping THEIR communities. Therefore, of course these orgs are going to be pre-dominantly one ethnicity. That's a given! But they do not exclude others who want to also focus their energy on helping that particular ethnicity's community. So I don't see a problem w/ the NPHC or other ethnic greeks. I don't know...it all makes sense to me! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif
peace

You didn't "feel" like it?? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif -- well heck, sometimes I don't "feel" like coming into work....sometimes I "feel" like the things I have to do here is outdated....I "feel" like no one knows what they are doing.

But guess what -- I DO IT ANYWAY because I don't want to reinvent the wheel -- especially when that wheel fits the 1979 celery green Pinto --- no matter what you do to it....it "ain't" gettin' you nowhere!

Kelli - I meant to comment on your posts since I could see (because I "felt" like seeing...heeheehee) that you were trying to make the author of this post THINK rather than just post stereotypes.

The BGLO's on my campus didn't do much with the WGLO's (not my terms people) -- but hell -- the WGLO'S didn't do much with the BGLO's either. Did that mean that neither of us were doing good things for the community? NOPE - it just meant that we did our own thing and made our own way --- thankfully I have heard that we are doing more together for the campus and community. You want to see something happen, then go make it happen -- don't sit around and moan about it if you aren't going to work for it.

It is not segregation if it is by choice. Segregation is being barred from association or participation. If all the Asian students choose to live in one house because they want to not because they have to then it is not segregation.

Now that it has been made clear to you that Historically BGLO's are open to anyone who wants to join, how would you address the question of how about we get rid of your "regular" GLO's and everyone join HBGLO's? I suspect there is a reason that they chose their organization just as there is a reason I chose Delta Sigma Theta. Race is not the only distinguishing characteristic of an HBGLO. It may be the one people choose to see most readily but there is a lot more there than that. For that reason each of the divine nine exists and will continue to exist. These organizations serve a purpose not only in the African American community but also in the community at large. Even though we have a specific agenda, that agenda still works in the bigger scheme of things to serve all people. I think when people open their eyes to see the bigger picture your question is easily answered.

Further there are cultural differences between the orgs that may make some one gravitate one way or another.

I feel your question stirred up this type of response based on the incorrect assumptions that were a part of it and the tone the assumptions gave it. Having gained (hopefully) some knowledge does you question still remain or do you have anything to add to/take away from it?


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Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Baltimore Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter
#3 of ER 30
Spring 1999

"No finer girls will you ever see, and I'm so glad I pledged- for what?
For DST!"

To everyone-

For those who think some of the responses have been harsh or strong, try and put yourselves in the poster’s shoes for a minute. As another poster pointed out members of BGLO's get just as tired of being asked to justify their existence as members of GLO's do. The original question was laced with incorrect assumptions as its basis and any one who has taken any kind of logic or other math course knows- garbage in, garbage out- if the premise is flawed you cannot get a valid result.
-BGLO's do not discriminate on the basis of race and were born out of the fact that other GLO's in existence at the time did.
-Anyone can join a BGLO regardless of race.
-To choose to be in a BGLO is not a segregationist act.

For any member of a BGLO, the choice to join was the same as it was for members of other GLO's- where will I feel comfortable (that is a personal choice and it differs for everyone, that is why there are so many GLO's to begin with) how to my beliefs align with those of the organization, how do my personal principles and sense of honor align with the organization? The answer may be Delta Sigma Theta or Delta Delta Delta; it may be Alpha Kappa Alpha or Alpha Phi. That is a question only that individual can answer.

Because those questions are the same no matter the org., I am not really sure of the need to ask this particular question (over and over).

Also as an African American female it can be exhausting to always be called upon to answer for your race and your orgs and explain every action that is not readily understood by others. Why did I join a BGLO? Because I wanted to. Why did I eat lunch as an underbred with all African American students? Because I wanted to. I did not pick my friends because of their race/ethnicity. I picked them because of who they were, part of that is their race/ethnicity. However, I have friends of all ethnicities. Just because you look over and see all Black kids together does not have to mean any more than my looking over and seeing all White kids together. You do not want me to assume you are prejudice any more than I want you to. Nor do I understand why it is often looked at as the African American students’ responsibility to integrate the other organizations. You could have just as easily come over here as I could have gone over there. I am no more responsible for that than you are.

So intentional or not, this is what the original question conveyed to me through its content and tone. Yes I want equality and that has nothing to do with whether or not I party with your GLO. It is about whether or not I am denied opportunities, education and freedom of movement and association. That does not require that I always surround myself in a multicultural atmosphere at all. We are all free to associate however we choose. I don’t oppose the KKK's right to associate; I oppose their attempts to deny me opportunity and liberty.

I hope this helped give some GCers more insight in to my experience and into some of the responses in this and other threads. Race relations continue to be a difficult topic in this society so I suspect it will continue to be the same on GC.


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Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Baltimore Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter
#3 of ER 30
Spring 1999

"No finer girls will you ever see, and I'm so glad I pledged- for what?
For DST!"

Well said, Soror!!!!!

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#10 Sigma (Clark Atlanta University) Spring 1999
Currently: MAL, Southern Region

Point of Clarification:

My organization, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. was founded on the campus of Indiana University. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the first of the BGLOs that continue to exist today, was founded on the campus of Cornell University.

The founders of the NPHC organizations/BGLOs did not do so on only all-black campuses.

On the segregation question - well said, Kimmie.

[This message has been edited by TRSimon (edited July 03, 2001).]

I think a better way to phrase the question that started this entire thread, is "why is there a need to differentiate between W/B/L/AGLO's? Why aren't there JUST GLO's?"

Also, I think a good answer to end this discussion (even though i'm not saying it needs to end) would be, because if there was no such thing as a black/latino/a/asian community, there would be no need to work to uplift it. In other words, if society was truly integrated, so would GLO's be truly integrated. However, as long as people of different backgrounds continue to, for lack of a better word, segregate themselves, there will also be a need for fraternities meant to specifically help their communities.

I hope this message is clear to everyone. I didn't understand at first either, but after living a sheltered life for 18 years or so, i've realized that even where there is equal opportunity and rights for all people regardless of race, creed, sex, or age, people still tend to associate with those of the same race, creed, sex, or age group.

Feel free to make any additions or ammendments to my statements as you see fit http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

Corbin I agree with you, but I think that even IF the world was TRULY integrated, people would STILL find their ethnic communities and associate with them. As an African American and a member of a multicultural sorority, I can attest to this. While my sorority's purpose is to "unify women of diverse cultures for the common goal of success in education", I still feel the need and desire to associate with my African-Am people.
But I definitely agree with what you said, but I just think regardless if the world were truly integrated or not, people will STILL always seek their OWN for whatever reasons.
Just my 4 cents http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

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A Radiant Lady of
Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc.
"Diversity: Often perpetrated, never initiated"

You're right.. you are being a little "bishy". http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif I was only trying to help you out. There's a lot of threads already that could answer your question. The purpose of BGLOs is never outdated.

Corbin, I agree with the beginning of your post, but that's not what I want to comment on, lol. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Although that would be utopia, and you know how close we are to that!

Where, exactly, would that be? Think about that, seriously. (This is really a rhetorical question. Sometimes you have to point that out, lol. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif)

Here's another question: Is it "bad" to associate with people who are the "same" as you? If not, why do people harp on it? I'm sure each of you has either heard the question, or has asked it: Why do all the Black people sit together in the cafeteria? What difference does it make? Is it because it seems as though Black people segregate themselves? I'm trying to get a handle on this, and I know it seems off topic, but it's really not. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

As they would say on Coffee Talk, talk amongst yourselves. Discuss! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

I don't know that TRUE equal opportunity takes place anywhere, even people that aren't outwardly prejudice have SOME prejudice in the back of their mind, even if they don't know it. The only time I really think it can happen is if it's completely blind, as in the person hiring or whatever doesn't know anything about the candidates that would give away their sex, color, creed, age, etc. That in itself is nearly impossible. I'm sure there are examples though. Seriously, it's like doing a physics problem in class (shop talk coming out). In theory the world is perfect, but in reality, there are small things that can change the problem in a big way.

I don't think it's bad for people to associate with "their own". However, I do think it's bad for people to limit themselves to that. You feelin' me on this? I don't know how to explain it exactly, but I think it's pretty self explanatory.


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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

I feel you on that, most definitely!

OMG!!! Someone that has actually answered my question with no negativity! Thank you so much. That is all I was asking for. Not to start any fights, or have people get offended by my question. Kimmie, thank you so much for understand! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

that's about at good as it gets. excellent statement, kimmie


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Garth J. Lampkin

Preach Soror, PREACH! :-D

hmmm....okay - let me get this straight..... it is perfectly okay for everyone else to say "go do a search" but not for me?? And its okay also, for you to say what I can and can't talk about, but not vice versa? Am I getting this straight so far?

And I am sorry, but could you please tell me exactly where I called your member status into question? I must have missed that one!

I am going to run right over to the Moderator's forum and remind ALL moderators that we are not allowed to criticize others even if we are stating OUR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS! I didn't realize when I signed up to be the moderator of the AXO forum that I signed away my right to freedom of speech! If you are expecting me to reply to every post you make with some happy-happy, joy-joy response, then keep holding your breath. I'm sure blue is a good color for you.

(And do you think that maybe we have figured out a lot about you already from the way you post and other clues? You aren't very good at spy games, are you??)

AXO_ALUM is the bomb!!!! but, i would've added a couple .. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif

I'm definitely feelin' you, and I agree, completely!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by AXO Alum:
[B] You didn't "feel" like it?? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif -- well heck, sometimes I don't "feel" like coming into work....sometimes I "feel" like the things I have to do here is outdated....I "feel" like no one knows what they are doing.

But guess what -- I DO IT ANYWAY because I don't want to reinvent the wheel -- especially when that wheel fits the 1979 celery green Pinto --- no matter what you do to it....it "ain't" gettin' you nowhere!


Hey AXO... apparently, you did FEEL the need to keep posting. Why waste your time; just go do your own search and post on the old thread if the new ones bother you so much? That would be much more refreshing than hearing you criticize PM's posts constantly... By the way, I'm a "senior" member also and enjoy "re-inventing" an old topic.. new people come on, and new opinions get expressed. Who cares if another thread talked of the same thing? Do you and your friends never talk of the the same subject twice?

What about more collaboration from a higher level (NPHC and NPC, for example), rather than relying on individual chapters? Would this work? I know that on my undergrad campus, BGLOs and GLOs did not collaborate on anything. Why not start on a national level and create some ties between the governing bodies? What are everyone's thoughts on this?

As a side note, one of my roommates was a Zeta Phi Beta (who happened to be white) and we tried to get our orgs to do stuff together... we were BOTH thwarted in those attempts by members of each of our orgs. She got the ""bglo" and "glo" don't mix" response, I got the "They arent NPC or IFC, so we don't do things with them." It was pretty sad.. I really believe all Greeks should support all other Greeks, especially when it comes to philanthropy events and the like. Imagine the good we could all do if we weren't so divided.

Good lord I love u! Yes there have been a number of critisms and it makes me even more mad that they are coming from a moderator!