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No Tom, you are right. Jono makes good points, I just love how every "point" he makes comes from the blue and is directed at me or my chapter.
Maybe I should start making some "points".
I forgot that our fraternity is perfect. Well, beside the fact that our own founder was a crook, or the rampart racism within our organization, or the incompetence that plagued our organization for decades, or the fact most other greek organizations don't respect us. There are a lot of points to be made.
I understand that some people hold it against me because I haven't swallowed the "Lambda Chi Kool-Aid".
I guess it boils down to who you are. There are two typs of brothers. There are brothers that Lambda Chi Alpha needs, and there are brothers that need Lambda Chi Alpha.
Brothers that need Lambda Chi Alpha are usually the pathetic, loser in high school and college. They were never able to fit in or develop any social skills. They join LXA in the hopes of becoming part of something, anything. Their identity becomes the fraternity, following every word. They are the sheep that follows the shepard. Unquestioning, willing to go along no matter what. A lemming. They need an organization to form their identity. When someone questions the organization, they take it personally, because they are indirectly being questioned. Many times the only friendship they ever formed was at band camp, or at the chess club, or the Science-Fiction Fair. It is their one chance at becoming something more than what they were. When they do get some power in the frat, it goes to their head. Most of the time, it is the only time in their lives where they have any power or influence.
Then there are the brothers that Lambda Chi Alpha needs, like you and me Tom. Tom, you are a great example of this. We are the leaders. We are the ones that make the image of Lambda Chi Alpha. We don't NEED the brotherhood or the feeling of community. We could get that elsewhere. We join because we WANT to be a part of it, because we agree with what it stands for. Tom, you were already in a local fraternity. You were all set, but you took the initiative to become a Lambda Chi. You never NEEDED Lambda Chi Alpha. LXA would not be around if not for this type. This type is usually more successful, the CEO's, entertainers, leaders and politicians, businessmen that donate a lot of their success to the fraternity. John G. is another great example of this type of leadership. He has experienced so much in life, has gone places most of us never imagined, and doesn't need to be part of an organization. John is a leader. I could have joined any fraternity on campus. I was actually given the choice. After finding out we were $30,000 in debt the brothers suggested I join another fraternity because it was unlikely they would have lasted another semester. I didn't give up because I am a leader.
When your existence is based on belonging, it can be dangerous. When you fail to question what you are following, or why you belong, you fail to look at who you really are. When your self esteem or confidence is based on following blindly and not wondering if something can be improved, you will not go far in life.
If you want to be a sheep, that is your choice. But I will not let the whining of the sheep keep me from doing what is right. We are the good shepards, who make a path for you sheep. If it wasn't for us, you would be a lost flock in the wild, destined to be destroyed.
So be a good sheep. Don't think. Next time our fraternity is almost bankrupt, or is run into the ground, don't come crying to us.
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