How about we turn this question around. What have "we" as Affrican Americans "stolen" from other cultures?
What if the Greeks said you have no right to use the letters and symbols that you use because you do not have a deep enough understanding of the Greek language, culture, etc.?
What if Italians told Denyce Graves and Leontyne Price (sp?) they could not sing opera because they are not culturally aware enough? Do you think they should stop?
Should the Dance Theater of Harlem remove ballet from their shows and only do dances that are autentically and culturally African or African-American? While they are doing that should they make sure that their dancers have a certain percentange of African blood and the correct level of appreciation and reverence for the history of the dance?
Should Jose down at the local Mexican joint or Chang at the chop suey place on the corner give us a test on our knowledge of Mexican or Chinese culture before they allow us to buy their food?
I always find it amusing when we, as African American, want to talk about what belongs to us, without thinking about those parts of other cultures that we "borrow" on a regular basis with out thought. No one "stole" jazz from "us"--if anything, we opened the door and left it sitting on the back porch for any and everyone to take. The last few time I went to a blues or a jazz concert my husband and I were in the minority as black people--and both were in Atlanta! Was someone making all of the folks crying about "folks not respecting our culture" forced to stay away. Did the white establishment say "It belongs to us now, y'all can't come?"
Back to the orginal question, should non D-9 organizations step as one of the main features of their organization? My answer would be NO--No sorority or fraternity should have stepping as a main feature. If they want it to be a main feature they should start a dance troup. If they want to do it as a little "side item" then I say more power to 'em. If D-9ers want to make sure that the history of stepping is remember then it is up to them to promote that history, starting with insuring that the history is correct. I have heard several different theories about how stepping started and who started it.
Of course this is from someone who is not in a D9 or other sorority, so what do I know, right?
