IotaNet,
Man it is refreshing to hear someone speak with a grandeur of sense up in this bi-aach! You were right on point with how we used to relate to one another in the past. But what has happen is that Ay-Phi-Que has went away on some campuses. And now we are all over the net. And individual's world gets turned over in a society that they have been familiar with for the short time that they have been in the org they represent. (Short time = 4 to 8 years)
The NPHC is a very powerful conglomerate in the Greek system as it relates to the immediate culture that they thrive in. Think about it. Delta Sigma Theta is the largest sorority in the world. So you have to think relatively that the NPHC is the single most influential entity in the culture which they thrive in. So much so that they have a grip on what is considered fraternal to those individuals they seek to recruit. With that said, you have to expect other national organizations to come close to competing with them in a since, just to draw attention to the fact that we are national organizations as well.
I'm not saying that this is the reason why we do what we do. Because even though I'm 40 years old, there were many established traditions before I appeared in 1980.
The NPHC "owns" nothing. But can other people be original? Is that too much to ask?
Doggy Style. Ay-Phi-Que call ourselves Vikings and our national colors are royal blue and old gold. If I wear a blue Viking helmet, carried a Viking Sword, had a Viking shield, and rolled into a step show on a Viking ship, I would be original. But as soon as step off the Ship in Gold boots you would be mad wouldn't you. What is too much to ask, is the level of originality that you're requesting. It's actually trifling.
What is original? Because do consider our organization to be like no other on this planet.
But If you Read IotaNet's post (I have to reference it because it's understanding you can tell it's viewpoint is not narrow) you can see that acceptance isn't new, it's only new to individuals that we have been away from. Because I know we've been away from some campuses for over 10 years. Back in the day, Ay-Phi-Que and Groove Phi Groove use to hang tight in the north, and Ay-Phi-Que's were bringing down the house in New Orleans winning step shows and bragging. But that's all in the past. And individuals such as myself now support the young men that are coming up in other chapters of Ay-Phi-Que other than the one we came from.
Did you know Debbie Allen was an Ay-Phi-Que Foxx at Howard University? I had to throw that out there, just to let you know that Ay-Phi-Que is running off of old traditions. Not something that we recently threw together.
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