[PKPILZ003]

OK, we've gotten the history lesson on where HBGLO's got there start and we see where many people stand on this (Congrats on APhiA and their 100 years this year.. we've also beaten the "whites only clause" issue to death as well. Here's my 2 cents on the issue.

I'm a Phi Psi. I founded my chapter at DePaul university 15 years ago and I'm a 34 year old Black Man. I'm an appointed member of my fraternity's national Executive Council and one day I will probbaly be on the short list to become President. I teach at our leadership academies and our leadership school. I can speak to exactly what it's like to be 1 man on an island. I took crap from the black kids in school for selling out and from the white kids for "trying to be white." until I told them why - i believed in what Phi Kappa Psi was telling me - just like you all did when you joined whatever group you joined. you bought it - you drank the kool aid and said, give me some letters.

I am the only male member of my family that's college educated and not an Alpha. I did that becuase I wanted to start something as opposed to join anything - i'm not a joiner; im a leader. I hope the guys they get for Pike are that way as well. At my fraternity's last 2 national conventions, i suggested that we do what Pike has now done. What saddens me is that when a predominetely white group comes on a black campus (Sigma Pi did the same thing at Middle tennessee state a few years back) the campus fights back instead of accepting that competition breeds grouwth for all. Not everyone at Howard fits the mold of the D9 - so they needed something else - I'm only upset that the something else isn't Green and Red.

To my Greek Brothers and Sisters at Howard - just becuase someone was an ass before doesn't mean they are still an ass-yeah, they were racist back in the day - every white group was, either with or without "the clause"; but give them a chance and see how they help the fabric of your campus before your castigate them for it.