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Ok. I might ruffle a few feathers here, but I'm not too big on being PC. Now all of you are right when you say this young man has the right to join whatever fraternity he wants too. Its his life and he has to do what is best for him. But as some have said before, there are just fundamental differences between the NPHC and and NIC/NFC/IFC. I'll give you an example. I have a friend who is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. ( she always has something to say when I don't put the Inc. at the end), and she went to their conference last summer where she met 40, 50, and even 60 year members of Delta. Now they aren't just members, they are just as much if not more active in their sorority now then they were when they became members. Now be honest, how many NIC/NFC/IFC members can say, 1) they attended their last national conference and 2) they have met ACTIVE members with over 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 years of service in their organization in addition to service in the community in the name of your organization? Just because you know an woman/man who was in XYZ sorority/fraternity in college and they do community service doesn't mean that organization is active in the community. That means that person is helping the community. That is where the difference between NPHC vs non-NPHC organizations (NIC/NPC/IFC) lies. There's a difference between you doing service in the name of your organization and you doing service and being a part of an organization.
The bond you create and the committment you make to the community in in the name of your organization is a bond and committment for life, and I just don't see that same bond or committment after graduation in the NPC/NIC/IFC organizations. Thats what that young mans family was trying to get through to him. The people you cross with will most likely be your childrens godparents, your best man/maid of honor at your wedding, the one you can call at 4 in the morning when you need someone to talk to, the ones who 50 years down the road you can still depend on just as much as when you crossed, and are the ones you always see helping out in the community. Why? Because they don't take their pledge to their organization lightly. When asked, did you join a fraternity or sorority in college, you will never hear a Divine Nine member say, "Oh I used to be an AKA, Delta, Zeta, SGRho, Alpha, Kappa, Omega, Sigma, or Iota." They will say they are a member of that organization. Now I have heard non NPHC (not including other minority greek organizations) people say I was an XYZ when I was in college. Not gonna happen with black greeks. Its just different. Apples and oranges. This young mans parents knew hisroty and legacy of black greeks, and thats probably why they wanted him to join one of the 5 NPHC fraternities. Like someone said, it was more of an issue of NPHC vs non-NPHC and less of a black vs white issue. What I think people fail to understand is that black geek ties run deep. It goes deeper than just wanting your child to carry on a tradition. It's about wanting to further your bond with your child. To share common experiences with them. To not only be able to call them your child, but you brother/sister frat/soror, thats something special. To have them be a member of an organization that has been in the forefront of the black struggle for almost 100 years. To have them be a member of an organization that can claim members such as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Jessie Jackson, Arthur Ashe, A. Philip Randolph, Bobby Rush, Maya Angelou, Wilma Rudoolph, Zora Neale Hurston, and Hattie McDaniel. To carry on that rich history and legacy, thats something people think about even before their child is born. Thats something parents are proud of even if they aren't greek. I have seen more grown black men cry a probates when they see their sons join their organization than anywhere else. Thats how important these organizations are to black people. Thats how deep their love for their organization runs. I think my friend put is best when she said, "When I became a Delta, I became a Delta for life. When I graduate I will still be a Delta. When I get married I will still be a Delta. When I have my children I will still be a Delta. And when I die I will still be a Delta and my robe in heaven better be Crimson and Creme." Its just different.
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