[SapphireSphinx9]

I have been thinking about what to say about this ALL night long... Thank you Carolyn for your post, it said a lot that I wanted to say. (and btw, I'm 5'11"!! )

First and foremost I am going to defend my sorority.

Yes, at times things can get aggravating.
I'm sure everyone has had the thought of dissaffliation run through their head at least once, since they joined their group. I'm not going to lie, I have. But I not only talked about it with sisters, I worked on it. Attitudes have to change, hurt feelings need to be mended, and open minds are needed.
Let's think about it in a "family" setting...
Mom and Dad get angery with Son for some small reason. Son then feels hurt and mad. Son can do one of two things, run away from home, or talk with Mom and Dad about it... (which one sounds more logical to you?)

Yes, C.O. is sometimes very slow with getting through the paperwork...
But our National Officers and Central Office staff are VOLUNTEERS! This is not a job. And with the exception of one paid staff member at C.O., no one else is paid to work for Phi Sigma Sigma!
If you really think about it, they have two "jobs"... One that they do for money (i.e. being a doctor, lawyer, secretary, teacher, etc.) and then one that they do because they LOVE their sorority.
So maybe we need to cut them some slack for right now... They do have a lot on their plate.
(And as for the members that think that National doesn't offer "resources...to build ourselves up" please note that we do have an excellent Vision Program. And also, please note that if you belonged to a local you wouldn't have this; you wouldn't have any of our "resources")

Yes, being a member of Phi Sigma Sigma isn't always looked highly upon by other greeks...
But is that really a reason to join a group? To look good? That's not the reason why probably 99% of Phi Sigs join Phi Sigma Sigma.
We're about Serving. We're about giving to people that don't have. Giving a helping hand whenever we can.
We're about Learning. Learning not only in school, but from each other. Striving for academic excellence, to better the advancement of womanhood!
We're about Inclusiveness. Our Founders were not able to join the same sorority, because of religious differences. So Phi Sigma Sigma was founded with one of our main core values of being Inclusive. Our different backgrounds brings us closer together than anything!

On a personal note, my chapter is the newest Phi Sig Chapter to form. We are at California State University, Dominguez Hills. For those of you who don't know, we are in the immediate area of where the L.A. Riots took place. I mention this because I am a white female at a school where there is 5% caucasian enrollment. I am one of 6 white sisters in a chapter of 30.
I probably would never have felt as welcomed to my campus as I have by becoming a sister of Phi Sigma Sigma. To my knowledge, and I am a Founding Sister, there has NEVER been any racial discord among us and given the climate of the area we are located in, that is absolutely amazing. Coincidence? I think not! It's a testament to the quality of my sorority.

It has been mentioned that some people "admire their bold move to stand up for what they believe in." I feel the exact opposite for the following reasons:

1. What's wrong with helping yourself? Even if National wasn't there for your chapter, which I highly doubt, why couldn't you come up with a solution to the problems? (i.e. ask other chapters, sisters, advisors, even other greeks for help or ideas)

2. Supposedly, "fewer than 20 sisters ultimately did elect to accept alumni status." What about those 20 sisters? These are sisters you lived with, cried with, laughed with, and shared your lives with, what are you saying to them by leaving them in the dust? What, they don't matter now?

3. And finally this should be very familiar to all of the Phi Sigma Sigma sisters...
"Phi Sigma Sigma is a dynamic sisterhood of powerful women fostering uncompromising principles, igniting positive change, and embracing individuality."
What part of this didn't you understand when you joined???
Dynamic, Powerful, Uncompromising, Positive, Individuality. All of those words should jump out at you, but most of all INDIVIDUALITY. It seems to me that most of you followed the "herd" of leadership, that decided to bail out as soon as the going got tough. You should be ashamed of yourselves... Because I'm ashamed of you.

Lastly, to any sister out there that ever needs help, we are here for you. Even though we are small in numbers, we are huge in compassion, friendship, ideas, encouragement and love. Contact the Iota Gamma Chapter anytime you need to!

divkete uyhla

PSLAM!

Fraternally,
Beth Moody