One thing a person of color must understand that once you decide to join an organization outside of your heritage that all the rights, attributes, experiences after graduation--especially when you work for many years in the corporate sector will make it very, very difficult to re-enter a world that you once denied in your youth.
Your decision to join an organization based on young, altruistic feelings and attitudes, although highly noble, may be one filled with regret when you decide to re-enter certain societies long after graduation. The adults you encounter will rarely understand your positions you took in your youth. You will find that your conjectured ideals of BGLO's and their current obsoletion is not so outdated as you observed on your predominately majority university.
A person of color must understand that your decision you made at a time of your youth will travel with you for the rest of your life... You must be ready to completely assimilate into that society that you will join. Yes, it may seem as a cop-out by my fellow persons of color who choose to stay within their heritage. However, when you get older, decide to marry within your group, interact with your neighborhood you will have a very tough time in being understood as trustworthy. I say this because I know. I am 30-something, I've seen how it is with those who wish to reintegrate back into their heritage after they have denied it in their youth. Some people don't want you back...
Not to mention that BGLO's have a very close network and when you meet someone in a BGLO several years after graduation, it is like you share this common interest, a common bond. Professional men of BGLO fraternities speak to me just because I am a member in my sorority... That is how I met my boyfriend who is a member of a BGLO fraternity. I met him outside of a resturant, just because I wore my 'nalia. I bet the same goes for my other fellow culturally based greek organizations.
Then, would you think a fortune 500 company CEO will readily recognize you as a member in their organization when you apply for that corporate high paying job? Can that attitude be guarenteed? I know it is for the BGLO's... What do you think the talented 10 meant? Or do the little old caucasian ladies huddle in a corner, clutching their purses because you got into the elevator? Ask yourself, is that the life you truly desire? Then from there, in the future, how fun will your experiences have been when you find yourself around all these "Buppies" that are talking about how the Step Correct Show went off and who won and whether you would truly really feel a part of that discussion? Or would you just prefer drinking beer every weekend with your "buddies" for the rest of your life with no "game"?
Sure, some of my fellow undergraduate members may seem to have lackluster in your eyes. Are you sure your eyes are not jaded?
Recently, 4 traditional GLO fraternities got suspended from the university where I teach because they caused their pledges to be alcohol poisoned. Not to say the BGLO's don't do that ever. However, our mission statements are very clear what we do internationally. So, there would be no reason to make our pledges drunk for fun... Just got too many issues goin' on in our communities that we cannot let falter--high crime rates, poverty, infant mortality and these bad things are happening in the most industrialized nation of the world... Why? If not now, then when? If not me, then who? MLK...
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