Do BGLO's = equality???
 

I am constantly bewildered as to the purpose of the BGLO. "Minorities" constantly fight for equality, but then separate themselves by creating groups and organizations that continue to exclude another race. I understand that BGLOs were created because the GLO was viewed as predominantly white and minorities felt they needed a group they could identify with; however, if the GLO called itself the WGLO it would not only be racist, but it would probably be immediately eliminated. I'm not trying to say that a WGLO should exist, but I feel that in order to get past racial tension and divisions, we need to work more on creating more diverse groups that do not include race in the title, thereby implying segregation. I don't want to trivialize feelings of hatred and segregation, but I think that it is time that we tried to look to the future instead of focusing on the past. I am in NO WAY a racist, I am just trying to understand how we're suppossed to work past such hatred by continuing to divide future generations.

None of our organizations include 'race' in the title. BGLO is an unofficial term, that's all. We use the term 'black' because our memberships are primarily made up of African-Americans. However, we do not discrimintate, and people of all races are welcome (and do!) join. The term WGLO does not offend me, (and I doubt it offends many other people), since the organizations in the NPC & IFC are primarily made up of white members. That goes for LGLO's too.

Our organizations were created because the predominantly white organizations would not let us be members. We are not going to throw away years of history because 30 or so years ago it was finally decided it was ok for us to be members of the WGLOs.

We can work past hatred by education and interaction. I don't think we should rid ourselves of groups whose purpose is to serve our communities.

Now my questions for you is: What are you doing to help erradicate hatred? Or to make any groups you are involved in more diverse??

ZetaAce



[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited June 27, 2000).]

I think your organization does contain race in the title. Just because it is an "unofficial" term, does not negate the fact that the B in BGLO stands for black, which, despite diverse enrollment, does separate people. I also disagree that people would not have a problem if it was called the WGLO. This is an argument that has gone on for years...yes, it is true that minorities have been discriminated in the past, but the first step to breaking down barriers is to accept that fact that people are finally viewing each other as equal and wanting more diverse groups. It is evident from your response that there is still a lot of animosity towards the GLO for not wanting other races in their organization. But if you don't acknowledge that that is not the case anymore, how will this problem get better? I am not saying you should throw away ANY group that helps the community...but the only way to educate and interact is to actually DO IT, and not just say "this happened thirty years ago." I go to an inner city school that is naturally diverse. I, as a white person, am the "minority" at my school and it doesn't bother me at all. I think it is great that many races all attend the same school and benefit from each other. I am not saying that my school is perfect, and I am sure there is still racism, but I observe plenty of diverse groups of people who interact on a daily basis, in an educated and friendly environment, where race is not viewed as a divider.

Well said Soror!

Just an FYI, people of color are NOT the minority. So every time we say minority and group people of African descent in there, we are actually promoting a false truth. So lets stop it.

There is a theory in psychology called "minician" thought that is constantly being perpetuated in the USA. Basically the premise of this idealogy is "we" the broad populous equate what is right, correct, pure, positive upstanding etc. with people of white skin tone first, olive skin tone second, and moving up the color spectrum to brown skin tones last.

For instance if there are 3 men lined up in a room accused of a crime and one is African, one is European and one is Asian the first person you will automatically assume committed the crime will be the African, then the Asian and last the European. I say this to illustrate a point. We need to stop thinking outside of the box of convention and start checking our venacular and behaving accordingly.

Peace and Blessings...



------------------
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!

Finer Woman10-A-91, well said.

I have no animosity towards WGLOs. My point is that we are not going to simply get rid of our organizations (organizations that have been powerful in our communities) just because we are now allowed in the others.

The name of my sorority is Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Where does that indicate race? I say again that the term BGLO is unofficial. That's all.

One of the reasons that BGLOs are under a different organization than WGLOs is because we simply do things different. Our 'rush' is different. Our primary focuses are different.

You don't think that 'minorities' are still discriminated against?

I, as a black person was a minority at my college. That is far more common, by the way. Whether we want to see it or not, in a way we are still segregated in many aspects of our lives. We still live in seperate communities, and tend to interact with people who are 'like us'. A significant amount of interaction is not going to simply happen overnight and it's definitely not going to happen by everyone getting into one big great group and singing.

I say again, we need to be 'educated' about each other, and that's the way to erradication. I interact with white people on a daily basis, as most minorities do. Have you ever met a black person whose first interaction with a white person was in college? I doubt it. However, I have met a white person who had never spoken to a black person until she had gotten to college. So I ask you again, What have you done personally? Going to an inner-city school doesn't count as trying to educate others about our differences.

ZetaAce

[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited June 27, 2000).]

I am not saying that you should get rid of your organizations. I agree that your organizations are worthwhile and reputable, that is not the issue. The issue is that they are called "B"GLOs. Do you understand, that be it unofficial or not, that title includes a description (B standing for Black) that IMMEDIATELY separates people according to race? Being unofficial has nothing to do with it. Stereotypes and rumors are also unofficial, but they often mold the way many people think. I am not saying that discrimination doesn't exist anymore...I am saying that it SHOULDN'T exist anymore. Of course this change is not going to happen overnight because it involves millions of people, but being the youngest educated generation in our society right now, I think it is perfectly viable to say that we are capable of getting past years of stereotypes. Why is it wrong to look at a person for who they are and not what they look like on the outside? I will admit that I am not starting a movement to erradicate racism, but on a personal level I would not be a part of a group that is based on the fact that we are all white. The first black person I came into contact with was not at college. I just used that example as an almost ideal situation to start working against ideas of separation. College is an experience unlike any other. You are constantly being educated as well as interacting with others. Dormitory life makes it very difficult to separate yourself into a race dominated community. I think by making examples of saying things that have happened in the past is the main reason why progress in this issue is so slow. I agree that people should be educated about other races, but I think they first step in this process is acceptance. I could learn everything there is to know about Asians, Africans, Europeans, etc but that does not mean that I accept them. This is about accepting people for who they are, on a personal level, not a broad racial level. I am proud of my culture and I am also proud of myself as a person, but if someone said they were educated about me because they were educated about whites in the United States, I would be offended, as I'm sure you would be offended if I made the assumption that I was educated about you because I knew facts about African-American heritage. I think I disagree with you on the first step being education. The first step should be acceptance of others on a personal level. It would be easy for things to grow from there.

How can we accept others without being educated about them? I don't think we can. Whether you want to believe it or not, we are different. Biologically, we are all the same, true. But things in the past SHAPE they way things in the present and things in the future happen. Our thoughts and experiences are what make us, not our skin color. We tend to bond with people with similar experiences, that's just a fact of life.

I am not a member of my sorority because we are all black, (we're not), I am a member of my sorority, because it is a great organization, period.

I don't ask that you start a movement to erradicate racism, I ask that you actively try to pursue the diversity that you want to see and try to help erradicate racism through different channels. Just saying "I think we should see each other for who we are and not for skin color" doesn't help anybody. Most people want that, but just talking about it isn't going to cut it. If you are not doing anything, than you really can't complain about it.

ZetaAce!

I think I can complain about this. If you are in an organization that is not all black and you are in it because it is a great organization then why do you associate the word "black" with it? THIS is what I'm talking about. Words that automatically divide people into a group, whether or not it is true or not. I totally agree with you that thoughts and experiences shape who and what we are, not our skin color. When I am talking about education and acceptance, I am talking about educating yourself and accepting people on a PERSONAL level and not in a broad sense. Relating person to person, as we are doing now, is really the only way progress can be made. So by keeping an open mind and trying to get to know people I come into contact with, and seeing what we do and do not have in common, aren't I educating myself about people and aren't I doing something to alleviate this problem? I also think its possible to grow and learn from people who you do not have much in common with. I agree with you that mostly everyone's closest friends consist of people who share many of the same experiences and beliefs, but we also learn a lot from people who are different from us. If all of my friends had the same beliefs and experiences as me, we would all have very dull and boring lives. I am saying that I try to have an open mind and learn as much about other people from other races, therefore, all of the people from other races that I have a relationship with, also have a relationship with me. It may sound simple and general, but if just one of those people had an open mind about someone they might not consider someone they had something in common with, the idea of having an open mind would spread. Case in point, calling yourself "B"GLO gives the people the idea in its title, whether it is unofficial or not, that you are primarily focused on one group.

LDawg- Settle down. We are not relating 'person to person' right now. You have no idea how I have come to my conclusions about race and what experiences I have had to make me draw these conclusions. All of my friends don't have the exact same experiences that I do and YES that would be pretty boring if we did, but we do have things in common.

Again, we are called BGLOs because we were created by African-American's and we consist primarily of African American's. That's the only reason. Not because we want to 'seperate' ourselves or exclude other people.

I think it's possible to grow and learn from people who are different from us, that is just the nature of life. For example, I have learned A LOT about WGLOs just from reading this board, stuff that I didn't know even though I attended a predominately white college. Have you learned anything about BGLOs or are you just seeing the term 'black' and automatically assuming separatist?

ZetaAce

I agree L-Dawg. This thread however has turned into a mess. It seems as if people are being attacked and that's not the way it should be. L-Dawg's original message was just a well stated observation. There is no need to be up in arms about it. I think she makes a good point about the purpose of the B in BGLO...it's not needed and regardless of if it's the intention of the group...it does create a division.

Well, that's your opinion. Since I am an adult, I can agree to disagree.

At exactly what point did this thread become 'a mess'? I have not attacked L-Dawg in any way, and I don't recall him/her attacking me. I have simply stated my opinion. If you want to see a thread that has become 'a mess' then you should check out the 'Curious' thread.

ZetaAce

I wasn't going to post because I could "appreciate" the dialogue between Zeta-Ace and L-Dawg. But keekee, I don't understand why you have to call the dialogue a "mess." There are MUCH messier topics on this board than this one, I guarantee. You wanna see a mess go to the one about white women and black men. It has like 135 posts as of now. I think both people were very respectful of one another's opinions. If L-Dawg just wanted to "state his observation" without a response, then he wouldn't have posted here. How dare you say what is "needed" in MY Sorority. And if so much division was created then why are ther people of ALL reces representing within my and other B yes BGLOs? I am "up in arms" as you so wrongly accused others of being. Naw, you wrongly accused Zeta Ace for being (I think your post was obviously slanted in favor of the L-Dawg arguement).

ZetaAce - Once again I must commend you on your exemplary efforts at replying and posting with grace and style. Your posts are very educational & informational, and although we may not always agree on certain topics, you always make me proud to be a member of the greek system! Just wanted to say thanks! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by AXO Alum (edited June 27, 2000).]

ohhhhhhh lawd! Ldawg sweetie have you ever stopped to think for a moment that it was white people who more than likely coined the actual term BGLO and it was coined so that one would not get them BGLOS mixed up with the GLOs. Today it is not used as a racist title it is still used to distinguish between the two. They are both under different councils hence the NPC and the NPHC all this seperation came about at the hands of the White people that did not want to affiliate with the Blacks. You might as well refer to the GLOS as WGLOS because that is what they are. Whether it is said or not. There are a difference between the two that is obvious. GLOS are never really addressed as WGLOs because white people never feel like they need to be the ones to actually put the name of their race in front of their orgs because they run almost everything. Its the same with our HBCUS. They made a big deal about those so they had to add that "historically" part to the phrase now. Still the schools are mostly Black. Michigan state or Yale University need not call themselves HWCUS because that is evident and always have been. So for you to now say that BGLOS should not think of themselves as so is petty ans selfish. It is not much in this world that my people do and are allowed to tkae the credit for. So we take pride in anything that is/was Black ran and owned. So there is no way we should take our name off of it whether it be the greek orgs. or the colleges. If it bothers a white person that they are callec BGLOS then I would advise them not to join. If it bothers a Black person that glos ar mostly white then I advise them not to join.

AXO Alum- Thank you for your kind words.

ZetaAce

Oh yeah Please do not refer to me or my people as minorities! Okay. Thanks

L-Dawg...I completely understand your perspective. I think that minority issues are only perpetuated when minorities segregate themselves....even with something has "harmless" aa the "unofficial" org name, BGLO.

I guess you could call me a minority ...because I am a woman. Allow me to explain. When I was in college, I was only one of a few women working on a B.S. in Chemistry. There were several scholarships that the Chemistry department awarded to students...one of which was awarded to an "Outstanding Female" in the department. Several of my professors told me that I should apply for the scholarship. I refused. I didn't want to win a scholarship just because I was an outstanding "female" student. I wanted to win a scholarship because I was an outstanding student PERIOD! I did not want to participate in something that I think further separates women from men.....something that pushes us further away from equality. Women complain about the glass ceiling that exists in the business world. True, women are not paid the same as men for doing the same job.....but I believe that scenario continues to exist because woman (as well as other so called minorities) continue to involve themselves in or support issues, events, organizations and such that cast us in a minority-type role.

Does that make sense to anyone else?

Butterfly,

I can see where you are coming from. As women, we are a minority. That's all I will say because I could goon and on about other issues regarding this one but I don't want to. I will simply say that your point is taken. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

I didn't see anyone attacking anyone in this forum. To the contrary, I thought ZetaAce handled her responses very well. In just reviewing L-Dawg's initial question again, I realize that he/she used a lot of "hot-button" terms and phrases that could have sent this conversation spiraling quickly downward, instead of the intelligent debate it became.

For the record, I don't recall any member of the NPHC using the phase BGLO when decsribing the nine-member organizations that make-up the NPHC. When I tell people I belong to a Sorority, I state the name of the Sorority, not state that I belong to a "BGLO". I care not what phase to use to describe these organizations, so if anyone feels the term is divisive, then I encourge you not to use it, and encourage others in your realm to refrain as well. I have no issue one way or the other, because I care more what it is you're NOT saying that what you say. When I use "GLO" for example, folks might as well add the my silent "W", because that is essentially my meaning. Frankly, I think we need to get past being hung-up on what people CALL things and focus more on what people THINK, for there lies the dilema when finding solutions for race relations.

And finally, as an American of African descent, I have "hatred" for no one except those who have personally incurred my "hatred" (if even them). Therefore, belonging to an organization that is composed primarily of other people of color engenders no more "racial division" for me than being around members of my family would.

And by the way, the nine members of the NPHC as a whole have NEVER had discrimination policies against people of any ethnicity to prevent them from joining our organizations, so I would daresay that almost from the beginning, "BGLO" would be an inaccurate term anyway.

Thank you Soror Shelacious. The hot button for me was the first sentence of L-Dawg's post. "I am constantly bewildered as to the purpose of the BGLO. "

ZetaAce

Alright. Why is is that in this country people are afraid to recognize people' s racial differences?. To this day I don' t understand. Racial differences are not something that you should try to eradicate because of all the history of discrimination and prejudice. On the contrarty, America has to learn to embrace and cherish people' s races. The B in BGLO should not bother you, just as the W in WLGO. You have try to call a cat a cat ( I am not trying to be smart Zeta Ace) No but seriously. Are you saying that because you are bothered by the term Black or White, everybody should act as if the color did not exist?. Not only it matters but you have to understand that it is one of the things tha make this nation great. Despite the horrors and discrimination the US is still a great nation rich in DIVERSITY.
Let me take an example based on sex. Are you saying that no want should see that you are a man or a woman, or even call you a man or a woman just because there has been so much discrimination against women in the work place in the past. So what are you then?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by butterrfly:
[B]L-Dawg...I completely understand your perspective. I think that minority issues are only perpetuated when minorities segregate themselves....even with something has "harmless" aa the "unofficial" org name, BGLO.

It makes sense to me Butterrfly. I would only make mention, however, that to imply that only "minorities" segregate themselves would be an oversimplification. It is in the nature of humans to find ways to seperate ourselves from each other into still smaller groups. Otherwise, we'd all, regardless of race, gender, class or moral values be in one, big happy fraternity. A fraternal organization of middle-class, white men who share similar backgrounds and values will (and has, time and time again) still decide to form a new fraternity, based on differences or "segregation" within that group. People segregate...that's why there are so many different types of orgazations in the world that are essentially the same.

So let's not imply that we only segregate along racial lines, because that is far from the truth...we seem to try and segregate along ANY darned line we can find.

LOL, ok! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

*meow*
ZetaAce

[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited June 27, 2000).]

Ive encountered this kind of questioning in regards to BET. A white man commented that if there was such a thing as a WET the NAACP would go crazy. But, as some pointed out on these boards, since in this country white is seen as the norm, and everything else is seen as the other, theres no need to call a station WET.We call it ABC or CBS or NBC instead (hence the recent brown outs and black outs). Just like in literature. If a character's race isnt identified its assumed the characters white.

i have no problem with calling BGLOs by that name just as I have no problem in being called a black woman. With the former we're recognizing that different systems exist outside of predominately white GLOs with their own traditions and cultures and standards.

But this would be a great name for a porn network http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

ZetaAce - back me up with this humor aspect http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif!

Wow! This is a hot one, so i'll keep my comment brief. I would just like to say that the unofficial "B" in BGLO is a minor thing. If you want to join an organization that is a BGLO or a WGLO, you will join regardless of the "racial or ethnic" implimication. So in short, I would just like to say "what's up" to my 2 Chinese sorors and my white soror from Syracuse.
E-YyyyyyyyyIIIIPPPPPPPP sorors who did not let the "B" in BGLO discourage or deter you from joining http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Just wanted to contribute my 2 cents with a short story about my learning about the greek system. I really didn't know too much about the greek system before entering college. While doing my research about all the different groups I was told by both white and black students that certain groups were BLGOs, black greek letter organizations. I was told that they (BGLOs) did not discriminate, but I only saw black members in these groups. BGLOs did not seem to be culturally/racially diverse at all, while the GLOs were much more diverse. It appeared as though only black people were welcomed as members of "black" greek letter organizations. So, being white, I decided not to even consider these groups and many of my friends did the same. Not because of me having a problem with black people (I do not) but because it really seemed as though these BGLOs were black-only and most people's understanding was that these groups did not welcome other races, especially whites. Many of my friends were/are of different cultural/racial backgrounds and I wanted to be able to share the greek experience with them, and they felt the same way (we were a tight group of friends even before greek life came into the picture). Because of the acceptance towards diversity, GLOs were the only way to go. One of our black friends decided not to pursue going greek because of the great amount of pressure from his family and from the other blacks on campus, they were all against him rushing a GLO which they called a WGLO, even though it was more culturally diverse than the BGLOs. He didn't want to be separated from his real friends by joining a BLGO, he wanted to make his family happy, and at the same time he didn't want to alienate himself from many of the beautiful black girls on campus (who made it clear that they had a problem with him joining a GLO), so, he never joined a fraternity. His family got over him not joining a BGLO since he didn't join a GLO either. Not all of us joined GLOs, and those that did didn't all join the same one. But we did remain a tight group of friends. And all those BGLO members who wanted our friend to join a BLGO instead of a GLO do not even keep in contact with him since graduation. We do. It's funny how we all learned who our real friends are.

I am going to throw my $0.02 in and move on...
The "B" in BGLOs is not being restrictive but descriptive. It is the same as saying FAMU is a historically Black college...which isn't to say Whites, Hispanics, Asians, etc can't attend but just describes the foundation of the school. I am sure we all know a member of one or more of the BGLOs that belong to an ethnic group other than African American.
Come on now...at my college in the mid-west there was this big deal about all the African American students sitting together in the cafe. It was seen as being racist. Well, no...when I spend most of the day in classrooms where I am the only brown face...it is nice to see another brown face http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif and it just so happens to only happen at lunch time.
Get off the soapbox L-dawg (nice name)and go to class!

[This message has been edited by Catwoman (edited June 27, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Catwoman (edited June 27, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Catwoman (edited June 27, 2000).]

What is that supposed to mean? They're called blackouts because the power goes out, including the lights, leaving the room dark, or black. Brownouts, I think are when the lights flicker, or go off for just a minute, not as bad as blackouts, or not as dark, brown! Seriously, your statement would be like me complaining about liquid ink, or white-out.

On a side note, where can I get my own people? I notice many posts contain "my people". I don't have my own "people" and was just wondering if you could get that at Wal-Mart or K-Mart. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Seriously though, I never hear of white people saying "my people" unless they are radicals. I notice that other ethnicities use it all the time. Just curious.

Steve

)Soror Zeta Ace...another strong argument..Go Kitty!)

Steve, You are a little bit behind in your current events. But its probably not an issue that you would be interested in anyway. There was no reference to an electrical blackout.

Moving on, the reason you don't feel it necessary to "identify" so to speak with a people is because "your people" were probably not enslaved and uprooted from their homeland, and forced to learn a language not familiar to them and separated from their families by shackles and chains while placed in the bottom of a ship stacked and packed liked sardines for months at a time while being forced to eat slop and live in their own feces. No, I don't hold you personally responsible...but hopefully you get the picture.

Before you say it... Some of "my people" are of NATIVE American decent...and some of them are not. My people is a reference to your decendants...a part of Native American and African culture that is EXTREMELY important. For me to deny my people, the kings and queens and the chiefs and the workers would be considered criminal...amongst my "people".



[This message has been edited by Finer Woman10-A-91 (edited June 27, 2000).]

Corbin Dallis (Steve),

Please give informed responses from now on and don't make light of that which you don't understand. What Lady in Red refers to as brownouts and blackouts is the boycotting by African Americans of certain networks due to lack of programming that center around our experiences.

Now, if you still want to be offended by white out and liquid ink, be my guest.



[This message has been edited by SkeeBunny (edited June 27, 2000).]

Thanks Skee Bunny. Im glad some of us follow the news.

As far as "my story" goes, well, we all have our stories. In the best of circumstances you go where your heart takes you and where you are really comfortable. My heart took me to an organization specifically dedicated to servicing my community. Would I be doing that if I were a Tri-delt? No.One of my organization's focuses is black women and mental health in lieu of the stigma depression has in black communities. Would that have been the case if I'd joined Delta Gamma? NO. BGLOS spoke to me in a way GLOS could not. Remember BGLOS arent just social organizations. They were founded in response to the pressing needs of black people in the U.S. There is no substitute for that as far as Im concerned. Similarly, my very good friend, who I thought would have been my line sister, decided she wanted to join a Latina sorority, because they were addressing issues important to her, that BGLOS werent.

I dont know if you've ever known what its like to be apart of something vast and great. To really know that feeling intimately, not something abstract like oh we're all part of the human race. I feel it all the time, when I think of myself as a black woman, when I think of myself as a West Indian. And that pride, that immense passion expresses itself in terms like my people. Unless you've felt that kind of connection, it's difficult to explain.

Finer Woman-10-A-91,

I couldn't have EVER said it better, myself.

SkeeBunny,

Thank you.

I thought Corbin Dallas (Steve) ws playing. Should I say I chose to want to believe he was.

yes I thought it was obvious that I was in favor of L-Dawg's argument. It did appear as though BOTH sides were getting very defensive as topics of racial issues can cause. This is evident by the fact that ZetaAce specifically told L Dawg to "settle down" I just can't stand when people get extremely defensive in topics of race. I do agree with L Dawg and you know what? I do dare say what I think...it's my opinion

Thanks for sharing "my story" I think it added some really good points that I'd like to see addressed more in this debate as oppossed to being brushed aside.

Whoa!!!!!!

I must confess that this has been very educational. I must that there are still people who have closed-minds due to ignorance. It is good that we are discussing topics like this to educate and find what people are really thinking.

To a degree I agree with you, To another I don't...

Being an engineer, I too was a female minority in my classes. On average only 15-20% of a class was female. And I had several classes where I was the only female. I never wanted to be given any special treatment because I was female. I resented one of my scholarship had a graduated scale (Group X had to score amount alpha, Group Y = alpha+2, and Group Z = alpha+4 for the same scholarship) and that because I was female they assumed I shouldn't do as well as a male counterpart. At my first job, I shared a phone with a male co-worker. By the tone in people's voice, many thought I was a secretary - and to me that was infuriating!

Woman are slowly infiltrating the science world - adding their own point of view. But over the course of my college and my few years out - I learned an opperunity is an opperunity. I'm not saying to manipulate the system. But I doubt I would have turned my back on the scholarship. Many times scholarships like outstanding female are established because someone donated money to that cause because they saw a need for it. I've thought about several times (given when i have the funds) to donate money back to my university for a female aerospace engineer.

Such is a fine line - to be just one of the guys and yet maintain your feminite wiles. My sisterhood promotes women in technical fields. Many technical women feel they have to go the journey through college, the work force alone. And we don't. Amazingly enough, others exist in the same frame of mind with a "nasty" independant streak. While we know we can if we have to - Why should we?

---
With regards to some of the other posts -

* Until one does research (including reading forums like Greekchat) or asks questions, the NPHC brother/sisterhoods do have the perception of being only black. I know I had such a misconception.

* With regards to refering to NPC/IFC brother/sisterhoods as WGLO's - to a degree I'm somewhat miffed (Offended is to strong a word for it). Mostly because in the initial years of many NPC sororites some biases did exist against other caucaisans based on religion and heritage.

* ZetaAce: Have a question - In an initial post on this thread, you made the reference that blacks were not a minority. I wanted to know frame of reference you were using. Mostly because with news reports from this last census, I heard that that the census bureau was estimating that blacks were no longer going to be the major-minority in the United States. And it was followed by that the Hispanic population was to be considered the major-minority at a percentage of 15-20. I don't remeber the number. Does anyone know if the census has any data published yet?

Soror ZetaAce, I hope you don't mind me replying...I replied to this same issue.

Artimis,
The USA is but a blink in terms of the WORLD view of people of color( which people of African American...in the classic sense are included) My initial response spoke to this proliferation of thought patterns amongst Americans. We continue to believe that people of European decent are the majority, which they are not....more on that later.




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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!

Thanks. Just wanted a point of reference. I would actually wager to say that few people account for other regions of the US outside of thier own experiences. The census report actually caught me by suprise. I know if someone had asked me what % of the US population was black. I probably would have given an answer that was higher then 30. But I've lived most of my life in the mid-south.

When I initially read the statement, I assumed the reference was world-wide, but I wanted to be certain. I would be interested if you had any figures on world population - or of a site.

I know another point of reference that leaves most US citizens bewildered is when they're reminded that Christianity all lumped together is the 3rd largest religon (It might be 4th - I don't remeber).