JAM, I'm interested to know: what's your idea of forcing someone into the Old Row sororities?
And why do we continue to distinguish between "old row" and "new row" (or whatever it's called)? As long as we do that, then that binary opposition of old/new, good house/bad house, "elite"/"they take anybody" will continue to exist.
In the
Controversy thread, I said that forced integration isn't the answer, because it breeds animosity and mistrust in the PNM and in the chapter. But you know.. I just take a whole lot of (*blankety blank*) offense to the suggestion that just because someone of a different ethnic group joins a house that their reputation is instantly sullied. It's almost ALWAYS directed at African American women, because from what I've seen personally, Asian and Latina women have been in NPC for ages, but I've never heard anyone say that they're a detriment to their houses.
I'll try to get back on point here. Integration has to happen for the reasons that sugar and spice and Munchkin03 noted in their posts. The NPC will always be targeted for what some people see as a failure to embrace diversity. Like it or not, it's the NPC that has the larger burden of proof in this case, because of our history of discriminatory practices based on race and religion.
Munchkin03 is right - none of the NPHC organizations ever race-based restrictions on their clauses. That's not to say that maybe some chapters in certain areas put up barriers that discouraged non-blacks from joining, but they don't have a legacy of racial intolerance to make up for in the way that the NPC does. I think NPC has gone a long way toward making it plain that discrimination based on race, religion, creed, or national origin is not to be tolerated within this conference, but I think that maybe the individual organizations should make a point of "gently urging" progress on campuses where "tradition" rules.