:rolleyes:

Members and non-members of an organization making sophomoric paraphernalia that does not promote the values and ideals of an organization is stupid. That does not mean the organization is stupid, or that members should not be critical of said paraphernalia.

I actually have this hoodie for ADPi in blue and white. It's sold on our Gift Mart :)

Technically he wasn't saying anything was stupid about the frat. Those are just stereotypes, and Kappa Alpha Psi wasn't founded on that.

This one made me laugh. I've never seen a t-shirt like that. I'll admit, I used to wear paraphernalia similar to the ones you've posted, but that was when I was a neo and through most of college. I stopped wearing the bunny because of the lawsuit. Can you imagine a 60 year old Nupe wearing that t-shirt? LOL.

Since you said "slap them", and not "slap him", it sounds like you're saying you'd be slapping him right about where those letters are. ;-p

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...ykjFm1CNZ9ZkWU

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/ra...00-you-win.jpg

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/24.gif

It's all good. I feel you, but for me, I'm not going to make insults about anything associated with my frat. Even if it's shit I don't like.

I agree with you on the larger point. However, some of the items in this thread are not only ugly, they are violations of the GLOs' protocol, policies, and procedures. Do you consider paraphernalia that violates Iota's protocol, policies, and procedures to be (officially) associated with your frat? It would be different if those items were official items that are sold by your NHQ or a licensed vendor. You would then be slamming your NHQ and licensed vendors that sell official Iota items.

With that said, I typically would not call another GLO's paraphernalia ugly or horrible. It could be ugly and horrible to me but completely in line with that GLO's protocol, policies, and procedures. Therefore, I typically only care about and therefore comment on inappropriate Delta items from nonlicensed vendors. I would also talk about other NPHC items with the understanding that my take on their items may not match how the members feel about the items.

Good, then don't -do you. For me, I don't like to see perry that's degrading to women. Yes, NPHC glos all have stereotypes that are sometimes fun to joke about, but when it becomes a reality (and I'm speaking about my fraternity) then it's not only disrespectful to women, but that person is also disrespecting himself as a result, and the fraternity. Then, to advertise that mess (The Kappa - The Nupe with arrows pointing up and down)? Playboy bunnies? shirts that talk about making women "go drawless" "Nupe Juice, a taste akuired by women everywhere", etc? (yes, I've seen it) it's silly. Women are to be honored and respected, not degraded, and Kappa Alpha Psi was not founded on womanizing principles. Period.

Perry like this is what I like to wear and what's acceptable (TO ME).

http://cf.mp-cdn.net/30/fd/ca547607c...883cf45d69.jpg

https://s3.amazonaws.com/storenvy/pr...cket_large.jpg

https://doomwear.ipower.com/uploadim...rkCardinal.jpg

https://doomwear.ipower.com/uploadim...erVest_Red.gif

Perhaps not just to you. Doesn't your fraternity have protocol/policy/standard regarding 'nalia and any representation of your fraternity? For instance, your fraternity and the Playboy franchise made that statement regarding the Playboy bunny being used as a ridiculous representation of your fraternity.

This is phat as hell. I have to get me one of those. Where did you get it? That's nice as hell. I tried to send you a private message, but it's locked or something. I'm just trying to share info with you that's fraternity related. I'm looking forward to chatting with you.

YITB

Perhaps.

It does, but unfortunately, not all members follow it.

I felt that symbol was a ridiculous, silly representation of the fraternity long before those statements were made. Or at least before I knew about the statements being made.

Thanks. I bought it at a greek website called "Doomwear". They have some really nice perry there. It looks really good with a nice blue shirt, a nice tie (complementary bow tie or neck tie) and a pair of nice pants, and shoes.

http://dimg.dillards.com/is/image/Di...le?$c7product$

I feel you to a degree. Yup, we do have protocol, and policies. I think most BGLOs do, but if it's related or associated to my frat, I'm not going make insults about it. If it's something that makes my frat look bad, I'll step to the bruh wearing it. You feel me?

Well, I think this deserves a mention. This is from Phi Mu's official collection, and I've sent a letter asking that it be discontinued immediately.

https://carnationcollection.phimu.or...mal/201430.jpg

I'm not sure what you dont like about this shirt..... I don't see anything terribly wrong with it, what am i missing?

Ummm...you don't see anything wrong with blackfacing their mascot and calling him "homeboy"?

I like how they gave him a 5-pointed crown for good measure.

Actually, it's an 8 point crown. Each of the three in the front have one directly behind that you wouldn't be able to see. That's why ASA's badge confused me at first when they told the NM that it's a 4 point crown...the 4th point is directly behind the middle point.

True, but it's also a 5-point crown in the same way that ZTA's official symbol is a 5-point crown.

I've always wondered about that...I thought it was usually depicted more tiara-style which wouldn't have additional points out of view.

Well, I was more concerned about the OTHER use of the 5-point crown.

There doesn't seem to be an "official" version, and even their website seems to vary between five total points and five visible points. Huh.

I imagine it's more of a semantics thing -- does 4/5 points mean 4/5 points total or 4/5 points visible. To ASA, it means 4 points total, with one being hidden. But to ZTA, I assume it means 5 points visible. Per the ZTA website:

http://www.zetataualpha.org/cms400mi...(1).jpg?n=9667Crown – The five-pointed Crown is an official symbol of the Fraternity. The significance of the five points is revealed to each member upon her Initiation. Many examples of crown artwork can be found within ZTA, and all are acceptable as long as the crown contains exactly five points.

Ah. I guess since I was on GC, I went for the Greek reference first, but you're exactly right.

Well, then, lets just say there are layers of inappropriateness going on here.

Only people who know what the mascot normally looks like will know that it is blackface. I am not one of those people. I too was unsure what was so offensive about the tshirt...mascot + "homeboy" is not the dumbest thing I have seen on tshirts, including things posted in the recruitment pictures thread. I figured that was for the members of whichever GLO to battle out since my nonmember opinion means nothing.

So, yeah, now that I know what it is and whose it is, I feel some kind of way about this being part of Phi Mu's OFFICIAL collection. Phi Mu has some serious explaining to do...and I am being polite.

I've sent e-mails to a bunch of higher-ups, but it's really hard to explain why this is offensive to anyone who can't immediately see that it's offensive (given knowledge of Phi Mu and our mascot).

Serious questions and I am not trying to be a smartass:

Since this is an official "representation" of Phi Mu, do you see an issue with posting the picture and announcing this to GC? Are you trying to essentially shame the higher ups into understanding what is so offensive?

And why don't the higher ups understand why blackfacing the mascot would be offensive with and without the however-many-crowns-homeboy? :confused:

I will admit that the blackface didn't immediately jump out at me. My first thought with the crown and the style of the design was that it resembled a brass rubbing, where everything is black except the outline:
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/...g_1248838c.jpg

I would have taken it that way too, except the "homeboy" thing and you could argue some of the features are exaggerated.

Oh, I definitely see it, especially with the "homeboy." I'm just saying that my first reaction was that it's the style of brass rubbing, not blackface.

I still dont really get why having the whole design printed in black is offensive... i dont think there is anything racial or deragatory there , its simply a white shirt with black design. homeboy has become slang for white people too and isnt necessarily offensive. would you feel different if the same design was in pink rather than black?

i dont think its really worth getting so worked up over, but what do i know? *shrug*

In pink it would be merely stupid, instead of stupid AND offensive.

Google the history blackface if you still don't get it.

FYI -

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/51...my-homeboy.jpg

http://www.jesusismyhomeboy.com/


I don't think the word homeboy and "blackface" are being used in the way some of you are thinking.

Same here. I kept staring at the photo and concluded that the only issue was the "homeboy."

I wonder if the Phi Mu representatives will say that it was mere coincidence--brass rubbing and "homeboy." It was an unintended consequence.

It would be a silly pink "mascot is my homeboy" shirt rather than a seemingly blackface "mascot is my homeboy" shirt. That would make it dumb rather than racially and ethnically offensive.


You are kind of new to posting on Greekchat. There are two things that grate GCers' nerves:

1. Speaking for a council/conference and GLO other than your own

2. Responding to social and political discussions with "don't get worked up over this."

I think what DeltaBetaBaby put in parentheses is probably key to understanding her reaction to the shirt:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby (Post 2131964) . . . it's really hard to explain why this is offensive to anyone who can't immediately see that it's offensive (given knowledge of Phi Mu and our mascot).

By the way, that Jesus is a lot "blacker" than 99% of the depictions of Jesus around the world:

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...OZo-JJOMT9XH-g


But, yeah, everything's a mere coincidence and unintended consequence. LOL. Sure.

I must have skimmed past that. Why was it brought up on GC if only a handful of people would realize what was offensive? I would think that it would be kept within the Phi Mu family.

In any event, I still think that the homeboy thing was in reference to the site I linked.

And that is absolutely fine. There are Christians who find that reference to Jesus to be offensive, just as there are apparently Phi Mus who find that reference to their mascot to be offensive.

What's more interesting is how that mascot is now a brass rubbing "homeboy" and Jesus is now a big nosed, crinkly haired "homeboy."

LOL @ the "Jesus Is My Homeboy" website claiming that the tshirt was designed without a race, creed, or color and that it was a neutral image that everyone can identify with. That's as much bullshit as the Eurocentric images of Jesus being neutral without race, creed, or color. Anyway, people just need to be honest. If you wanted a darkened Phi Mu mascot for a tshirt, just say so. If you wanted a darkened Jesus for a tshirt, (regardless of how Jesus really looked and whether there was ever a "Black Baby Jesus"), just say so. Quit the bullshit. LOL.

The crown displayed would have fooled me, I would have guessed that it had 8 points with three hidden behind the three in the center. But in heraldry, you define it be the number of points visible...

At least both of them have a beard. Though beardless is less bizarre than Blonde and fair skinned. (How far from Palestine do you have to get before you get a decent number of Blondes, Austria?).