I agree with a great deal of what you are saying. Afterall, I don't know if an honorary member is necessarily a SOROR...I actually never thought about it that way.
However, you can not assume the reasoning behind EVERY organization's having honorary members. Maybe you had a secret meeting with all of our Grand Basileus(es) and National Presidents...lemme find out. But, some of our orgs have way over 100,000 members...hardly seems like they need any number padding to me.
I do agree that there is a great deal of misinformation. A lot of this has to do with poor record keeping, especially if we're dealing with members from the more formative years of our orgs. Many people confuse honorary with famous, though...which is another thing that may cause confusion.
Greek Love
Quote:
Originally posted by Inquisitive06
Ms. IVYDEVINESS, while I understand your concern that there may be some people on Fraternity & Sorority lists (all orgs. have them) who occasionally have people listed who are NOT members, my experience has taught me that it has MORE to do with "misinformation", "rumors" or a lack of follow-up than anything else. I have not (personally) known members of orgs. to "intentionally" put famous people on their lists (who were NOT members) just to "pad their numbers".
Also, lets be clear on one thing; THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY INTO ALPHA........AND THAT IS THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR!!!!! Alpha Phi Alpha (proudly, I might add), does NOT have "honorary" memberships anymore (and we NEVER made a big practice out of it). We only did it a few times in our near 100 years of being and the most recent one was SEVERAL DECADES AGO!!!!! If ANYONE (including the President of the United States) wanted A Phi A, then He would have to seek it, PERIOD!!!!!!!!!
Although you stated that your organization would NOT place those who died before 1908 on your roles (i.e. Nefertiti, Mother of Jesus, etc.), Alpha Kappa Alpha DOES (no disrespect) have SEVERAL "honorary" members. SEVERAL!!! To me, that is almost as bad (I just don't agree with the 'honorary' thang).
Some of them (honorary 'sorors') have NEVER been enrolled in a four year college. How does someone belong to a "COLLEGE" Sorority with only a High School Diploma????? That's what seperates Fraternities & Sororities from other like (and unlike) organizations. Remember your (our) history: These Fraternities and Sororities were founded "BY COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS"!!!!
Also, Lets be real. The ONLY reason that any org. would subscribe to the "honorary" thing anyway is to PAD THEIR NUMBERS. Point Blank. LET'S NOT GET IT TWISTED!!!!!!!! You can "honor" someone in a number of ways WITHOUT making them a member, right? Think about that.
OK, your point was well taken sister. I do not think that it is right that any org. would put someone who was dead before their founding as a "duly initiated member" (I am definitely on the same page with you on that).
Having said that, I also have to disagree with ZETA 1920 when she eluded to the fact that HONORARY status allows people who haven't been to college to experience life in a college sorority/fraternity. Maybe I missed something, but I thought that one of the guiding principles of all of our orgs. is education, and that it BEGINS with COLLEGE........It does not END BEFORE COLLEGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
InQ '06
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