As a member of the Rituals and Traditions Reference Committe at the 2004 National Convention, there are a few things about this issue i would like to say (since we spend an ENTIRE day on it!)
First off, it DID make it out of our committee, we recommended the change, just wanted to clear that up (it was discussed for 2 hours, voted on, etc).
Everyone always seems to focus on the gender and tradition aspects of the Toast song, so i won't go into what everyone already knows.
**People need to stop thinking about this issue on a CHAPTER level and see how these words are effecting APO as a WHOLE.**
Alpha Phi Omega is a fraternity but also a Business. We raise money, spend money, hire and fire people just like a business does. We are considered a not-for-profit organization which means there is business activity that goes on. So who cares and what does this have to do with the Toast Song?
Alot, actually.
~Marketing is important in a business. We market that we are the largest national co-ed service fraternity. But this seems a little fishy to some when they hear our song. Businesses refuse to work with us because of the Toast Song, therefore we cannot raise funds to help our organization as a whole. (And while you may say- well how are they going to hear our song.... trust me, they do!)
~We had a prominent member of the APO Endowment fund that resigned because of the song alone. There was a conflict of interest on the behalf of her government job and this organization. Let's change the song, so we don't lose MORE impt people like this.
~There are places in this country that WILL NOT allow our organization to open a chapter because of this. It doesn't matter how much you explain that this reference is not an elitist statement- it DOESN'T MATTER.
~~If we are losing money because of this song, why not change it to cover our butts and give APO the chance to raise more money.).
And while some say, well if you change "men of" to "true to" then what is next, brothers, fraternity, etc. This is not true. While there are members that are upset about all of these usages, the MAIN conversery is over the term MEN alone. (I would like to refer you to another site that explains this a little better...
http://customink.com/cink/r.jsp?E=bw...n.edu&F=trueto 
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