Please read the following:
January 29, 2002
Patrick W. Burke
National Executive Director
Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity
14901 E. 42nd Street
Independence, MO 64055
Dear Pat,
I am writing to you to inform you that I wish to renounce my vows I took to be a brother of Alpha Phi Omega, and therefore ask that my membership numbers be taken off the rolls (Member #238281 and Life Member #17092). Thus, I wish to dissociate with the Fraternity.
This was by no means an easy decision to make, as it took over a year to deliberate to come to this decision. While I have enjoyed my time as a brother of Alpha Phi Omega, it has become painfully obvious over the last three to four years that because I pledged Alpha Phi Omega in a manner similar to that of historically Black fraternities and sororities, I have received a much lesser degree of respect and worth as a brother by those who pledged under more “traditional” conditions, despite the fact that I saw everyone as a brother irrespective of their personal status.
I have attempted to help bridge the gap between brothers at mainstream schools and those at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), through education and discussion, but few, if any brothers were willing to listen or receive such. As such, I am a brother in a culturally divided fraternity, where there is no possibility for compromise, and brothers embrace groupthink in the name of diversity. While I believe in the cardinal principles of leadership, friendship, and service, I cannot serve in an organization under these conditions.
An additional reason for my dissociation is the fact that my spiritual convictions have made me grow increasingly uncomfortable with being in a brotherhood bond with atheists and homosexuals.
I would like to thank you and all the brother of Alpha Phi Omega for 10 great years of leadership, friendship, and service. I have learned a lot, and hope to take the positive experiences I learned to another level soon.
Sincerely,
Jason M. Jones
Note: while I did have a phone conversation with Pat and technically I am still on the membership rolls of APO, I no longer identify myself as such (you may have noticed the lack of APO referencing and related topics I have posted over the 10 months). I gave all my 'nalia to a fellow brother and will put all my GLO energy into building Beta Kappa Lambda Fraternity in the future.
Just my $.25, oops, I mean 2 cents
Since Rain Man is not a line name or GLO related name, I will keep that.
RM