No one (that I know of, anyway) is advocating that NPHC orgs take their focus off the Black community. My only point is that the focus need not be exclusive to them, and that there are plenty of Greeks available to focus on the Black community. Diverting some of the "labor source" to cater to other communities will not adversely affect the Black community.

If anything, being voluntarily segregated from the mainstream may hurt us more than integrating with them ever could. Because in the new millenium, the emphasis is on diversity and the embracing of all cultures. Segregating ourselves is an indication by the mainstream that we are not "team players" in society and can shut ourselves out of opportunities that we could've otherwise benefitted from. Bottom line, we can still adequately cater to the Black community's needs without being exclusive to the Black community.

I agree with your statement...it's not necessarily about 'segregating oneself' to help a segment...however because certain populations aren't being catered to by the mainstream...those of us that can go back and help should do so....if we don't help our own, how can we expect others to do it for us...or...with us?

First and foremost Daemon, welcome to GC. Bring some more of your frat brothers in here for more good Greek discussions, we'd love to have 'em here.

Now to your question: I understand what you (and Rhoyal and Mccoyred) are saying, however perhaps I am missing a key element that the three of you have been trying to express; so I will rephrase my question another way:

Why can't NPHC orgs cater to the Black, Latino, Asian, White, and other ethnic communities at the same time? Please explain this to me. It's almost like the time a friend of mine told me as a kid he was so afraid of flying he was afraid to turn on the mini-AC above his seat because he thought he was diverting power away from the engines. What, the plane couldn't stay airborne and cool him off at the same time?

Because LULAC and the GOP don't seem too interested in catering directly to the AfAm community. As much as it would be nice to sit around, hold hands and sing Kumbaya with everyone from all races, and we probably should, at the end of the day people want to take care of their own.

I understand your point but I guess the easiest way to respond would be to say that people like to help the communities in which they live or grew up in, especially if that community is in dire need of assistance. The community in which I grew up in for example, is in great need so I am always thinking of the people there when it comes to planning service projects and volunteering my time. Now if there are Whites, Latinos, and others who are now living there also and they are around when we are serving others, we wouldn't even think about turning them away just because they're not Black.

That begs the question: Why does it have to be exclusive? The only reasons it appears I keep getting comes down to fear and pride.

Thanks for the shout bruh....

I can't answer part of ur question because obviously I am not Pan Hell..lol...on the flip...regardless of what org. you are in...ANYONE needing upliftment should always be among the first to get it...I mean this is intrisnic on any walk of life we are in..we should help the old, the infirm and the needy..because this is what we should have been taught to do early on in life even before we decided to pledge. My pledge has always been to uplift my own first....but also if someone else is in need do what u can for them....but I think what many of us see is you have to look at the scope of what u can do...it's almost like triage...u use ur resources where you think u can do the most good and if it's not in your scope to do it, then you have to make a choice.

You feel me?

OK, I better see where you're coming from; I guess it's just that throughout my childhood I lived in an integrated neighborhood, went to an integrated high school (that was originally--as well as now currently a predominately Black high school--it was integrated from 1982-96).

My point is that when I grew up, while I dealt with my share of bigots and racists, for the most part everyone got along with everyone. I didn't even know about the sociological problems involving Black people until high school--which was beginning the whole Africentric movement that looking back, I wish in some respects I didn't learn about. But I digress.

I am highly pro-diversity (not tokenism, but true diversity), hence my posts in the caliber they were presented.

Ask them, don't ask me. I did not make the rules. I just try to live by them.

*nodding* Good point.

Very good point.....

I was raised by my Grandparents; which consisted of a very religious Christian grandmother and a not-so religious grandfather. My parents were always around though. When I was very young, my father became a Rastafarian. Although my grandmother took me to church on a regular basis, he told me that church wasn't necessarily bad; but do not believe in something just because they say it is so.

Originally, I went towards Reform Judaism (when I was 16). I liked how Reform Judaism focused more on general moral living and committment to improving the world (so it wasn't so dogmatic). But as I got older....I wanted more structure. Although I formally converted to Reform Judaism when I was 21, by the time I was 22 I had pretty much stopped going to services. I saw a Jewish event hosted by Aish HaTorah later that year and attended. I found the Rabbi to be an amazing speaker...but later I found out he was Orthodox and did not see me as Jewish at all (Orthodox Jews do not accept converts from other Jewish movements). Over time though, Orthodox Judaism really spoke to my heart more than anything else. So now at age 27 I'm an Orthodox Jew....AND still active in my sorority as an alumna....imagine that!

veyr excellent point which is why we all regardless of our affiliations need to make sure we take care of HOME first...we have to show that there are positive role models as opposed to what they are fed thru the media...off on a tangent...it hurts everytime I hear about a hazing incident because kids coming into college...that's all they know...and thats the first question they ask and stya hemmed on when they want to join....I hate it when I don't hear positive stories, like XYZ org gave X amount of dollars in scholarships...but them we live in a time when if it ain't bad news it won't make news....we have to be the facilitators of change and upliftment so that others can see where we are going and if so, choose to continue positive change.

Yeah, this saddens me too, especially when hazing incidents (not that there should be any) are far and few in between compared to the many chapters we all have in the NPHC and all the great things we do like the many education scholarships, for example, that my sorority hands out every year. But like you said, good news is boring I guess.