[PhDiva]

I don't profess to know everything (or really anything that isn't public knowledge) about BGLO's. I am a young college professor who is also non-greek. But because I teach Black and Women's Studies, I am often bombarded with questions about BGLO's from my students. For this, I usually direct students to the Office of Greek Life and to individual members of BGLOs.

What I'm interested in however is the nature of this conversation and how dismissive many of you were to RainMan's comments. Granted, his dislike of the Divine Nine is most apparent (so you have to get past the sarcasm and angst to get to the meat of his argument) but his initial question about who has a monopoly on what is considered a legitimate GLO does have merit. Essentially, as I see it, he is asking what Cornell West asked of Black people as a whole in his book Race Matters...what does it mean to be Black in America? Who has the right to define Blackness and on what terms? If my hair is relaxed am I less Black than the sista who wears dreads? Does the NPHC have the monopoly on Black Greekdom?

I can recall from my high school years being teased by my Black friends when I was placed in Honors classes. Then years later, I was leading a panel discussion on being black versus being smart...b/c Black students who were also smart were being asked to choose one identity over the other. What became apparent is this type of "crabs in a barrel" mentality of sorts and regretfully, being closed off to the idea of other BGLO's is about as simpleminded as white folks thinking Black people are inferior and less intelligent than whites.

We have real issues in the community that needs addressing and the F4 or D9 members can't address all of them so why not allow other organizations to peacefully co-exist? Likewise, if someone chooses to join a non-D9 organization, this is not to say AKA's are elitist or she got rejected from SGRho or that hazing is part and parcel of the F4 intake process. This means that person made a choice based on their personal beliefs, values and desires. You can have an opinion about it certainly but sometimes you just need to know when your comments are akin to tearing someone down. It's not always productive for yourself or the community as another person stated earlier.

Our strength as a race has always been our diversity and willingness to adapt to a variety of seemingly endless obstacles placed in our way. Please stop allowing your own egocentrism about the organizations you're apart of keep you from recognizing the strength that is Black America.

PhDiva

P.S. I do agree with you all about the artwork. These images are synomous with particular organizations and folks should refrain from using them as their own.