[Kevin]

Well, let's get one thing straight: Although your traditionally white GLO's are predominantly white, they do not exist for the sole purpose of benefiting the white community, the white culture, etc. Conversely, BGLO's celebrate black culture and generally exist for the benefit of the black community. Where one might argue that because the members of most chapters of predominantly white GLO's are white, and they exist in mostly white communities that the purpose of their existence is to benefit white people. I would argue that since they don't state that explicit purpose, they exist not to benefit a certain racial group -- but whatever group or groups their members happen to be from.

Having gone to a couple of national events for my fraternity, I can certainly say that many of our chapters are very diverse. I could even go so far as to say that in some of our chapters, white members are a minority.

I argue this because I think you made a generalization about my type of GLO that is unfair. I think you would be hard pressed to argue that my characterization of BGLO's is an unfair generalization.

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You bring up black face incidents.

Let's see if you agree with this statement:

Some white people wish they could lynch all black folks. Therefore, all white people are racists.

That's an extreme example of what you're arguing. While it's true that black face occurs, I'd say it occurs probably less than 10 times per year. In my mind, that basically puts it on the same level as school shootings. It's something that has been over sensationalized and talked to death to the point that we think it goes on everywhere -- especially on this board. Out of the thousands and maybe tens-of-thousands of predominantly white chapters out there, maybe 10 or less of these incidents happen per year. Is that a problem epidemic to the system? You'd be hard-pressed to argue that it is.

As you've said, white face is a different thing entirely. Saying that you as a black person have never heard of someone wearing whiteface is not even comparable. For one thing, if it occurred, it wouldn't even be newsworthy. For another thing, it's probably a lot harder to do. I've seen black actors do it in movies to portray white characters, but that's about the extent of any "whiteface" I've seen (think Eddie Murphy playing the Jewish guy in the barbershop in "Coming to America"). It's just not the same thing though.

One thing that his message board has taught me is that different regions view race differently. The South is still caught up in a civil rights struggle. The further you get away from there, the more things we all seem to have in common.

Yes, I was fairly shocked by my friend's response -- I didn't expect it at all. In fact, we as a fraternity have active relations with NPHC organizations on our campus. That is probably the chief reason that it kind of caught me off guard.