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  #1  
Old 06-27-2000, 08:52 AM
L-Dawg
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Red face Do BGLO's = equality???

I am constantly bewildered as to the purpose of the BGLO. "Minorities" constantly fight for equality, but then separate themselves by creating groups and organizations that continue to exclude another race. I understand that BGLOs were created because the GLO was viewed as predominantly white and minorities felt they needed a group they could identify with; however, if the GLO called itself the WGLO it would not only be racist, but it would probably be immediately eliminated. I'm not trying to say that a WGLO should exist, but I feel that in order to get past racial tension and divisions, we need to work more on creating more diverse groups that do not include race in the title, thereby implying segregation. I don't want to trivialize feelings of hatred and segregation, but I think that it is time that we tried to look to the future instead of focusing on the past. I am in NO WAY a racist, I am just trying to understand how we're suppossed to work past such hatred by continuing to divide future generations.
  #2  
Old 06-27-2000, 09:07 AM
ZetaAce ZetaAce is offline
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None of our organizations include 'race' in the title. BGLO is an unofficial term, that's all. We use the term 'black' because our memberships are primarily made up of African-Americans. However, we do not discrimintate, and people of all races are welcome (and do!) join. The term WGLO does not offend me, (and I doubt it offends many other people), since the organizations in the NPC & IFC are primarily made up of white members. That goes for LGLO's too.

Our organizations were created because the predominantly white organizations would not let us be members. We are not going to throw away years of history because 30 or so years ago it was finally decided it was ok for us to be members of the WGLOs.

We can work past hatred by education and interaction. I don't think we should rid ourselves of groups whose purpose is to serve our communities.

Now my questions for you is: What are you doing to help erradicate hatred? Or to make any groups you are involved in more diverse??

ZetaAce



[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited June 27, 2000).]
  #3  
Old 06-27-2000, 09:28 AM
L-Dawg
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I think your organization does contain race in the title. Just because it is an "unofficial" term, does not negate the fact that the B in BGLO stands for black, which, despite diverse enrollment, does separate people. I also disagree that people would not have a problem if it was called the WGLO. This is an argument that has gone on for years...yes, it is true that minorities have been discriminated in the past, but the first step to breaking down barriers is to accept that fact that people are finally viewing each other as equal and wanting more diverse groups. It is evident from your response that there is still a lot of animosity towards the GLO for not wanting other races in their organization. But if you don't acknowledge that that is not the case anymore, how will this problem get better? I am not saying you should throw away ANY group that helps the community...but the only way to educate and interact is to actually DO IT, and not just say "this happened thirty years ago." I go to an inner city school that is naturally diverse. I, as a white person, am the "minority" at my school and it doesn't bother me at all. I think it is great that many races all attend the same school and benefit from each other. I am not saying that my school is perfect, and I am sure there is still racism, but I observe plenty of diverse groups of people who interact on a daily basis, in an educated and friendly environment, where race is not viewed as a divider.
  #4  
Old 06-27-2000, 09:38 AM
Finer Woman10-A-91 Finer Woman10-A-91 is offline
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Well said Soror!

Just an FYI, people of color are NOT the minority. So every time we say minority and group people of African descent in there, we are actually promoting a false truth. So lets stop it.

There is a theory in psychology called "minician" thought that is constantly being perpetuated in the USA. Basically the premise of this idealogy is "we" the broad populous equate what is right, correct, pure, positive upstanding etc. with people of white skin tone first, olive skin tone second, and moving up the color spectrum to brown skin tones last.

For instance if there are 3 men lined up in a room accused of a crime and one is African, one is European and one is Asian the first person you will automatically assume committed the crime will be the African, then the Asian and last the European. I say this to illustrate a point. We need to stop thinking outside of the box of convention and start checking our venacular and behaving accordingly.

Peace and Blessings...

Quote:
Now my questions for you is: What are you doing to help erradicate hatred? Or to make any groups you are involved in more diverse??

ZetaAce

(edited June 27, 2000).][/B]


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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!
  #5  
Old 06-27-2000, 09:42 AM
AKAtude AKAtude is offline
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Finer Woman10-A-91, well said.
  #6  
Old 06-27-2000, 09:47 AM
ZetaAce ZetaAce is offline
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I have no animosity towards WGLOs. My point is that we are not going to simply get rid of our organizations (organizations that have been powerful in our communities) just because we are now allowed in the others.

The name of my sorority is Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Where does that indicate race? I say again that the term BGLO is unofficial. That's all.

One of the reasons that BGLOs are under a different organization than WGLOs is because we simply do things different. Our 'rush' is different. Our primary focuses are different.

You don't think that 'minorities' are still discriminated against?

I, as a black person was a minority at my college. That is far more common, by the way. Whether we want to see it or not, in a way we are still segregated in many aspects of our lives. We still live in seperate communities, and tend to interact with people who are 'like us'. A significant amount of interaction is not going to simply happen overnight and it's definitely not going to happen by everyone getting into one big great group and singing.

I say again, we need to be 'educated' about each other, and that's the way to erradication. I interact with white people on a daily basis, as most minorities do. Have you ever met a black person whose first interaction with a white person was in college? I doubt it. However, I have met a white person who had never spoken to a black person until she had gotten to college. So I ask you again, What have you done personally? Going to an inner-city school doesn't count as trying to educate others about our differences.

ZetaAce

[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited June 27, 2000).]
  #7  
Old 06-27-2000, 10:17 AM
L-Dawg
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I am not saying that you should get rid of your organizations. I agree that your organizations are worthwhile and reputable, that is not the issue. The issue is that they are called "B"GLOs. Do you understand, that be it unofficial or not, that title includes a description (B standing for Black) that IMMEDIATELY separates people according to race? Being unofficial has nothing to do with it. Stereotypes and rumors are also unofficial, but they often mold the way many people think. I am not saying that discrimination doesn't exist anymore...I am saying that it SHOULDN'T exist anymore. Of course this change is not going to happen overnight because it involves millions of people, but being the youngest educated generation in our society right now, I think it is perfectly viable to say that we are capable of getting past years of stereotypes. Why is it wrong to look at a person for who they are and not what they look like on the outside? I will admit that I am not starting a movement to erradicate racism, but on a personal level I would not be a part of a group that is based on the fact that we are all white. The first black person I came into contact with was not at college. I just used that example as an almost ideal situation to start working against ideas of separation. College is an experience unlike any other. You are constantly being educated as well as interacting with others. Dormitory life makes it very difficult to separate yourself into a race dominated community. I think by making examples of saying things that have happened in the past is the main reason why progress in this issue is so slow. I agree that people should be educated about other races, but I think they first step in this process is acceptance. I could learn everything there is to know about Asians, Africans, Europeans, etc but that does not mean that I accept them. This is about accepting people for who they are, on a personal level, not a broad racial level. I am proud of my culture and I am also proud of myself as a person, but if someone said they were educated about me because they were educated about whites in the United States, I would be offended, as I'm sure you would be offended if I made the assumption that I was educated about you because I knew facts about African-American heritage. I think I disagree with you on the first step being education. The first step should be acceptance of others on a personal level. It would be easy for things to grow from there.
  #8  
Old 06-27-2000, 10:27 AM
ZetaAce ZetaAce is offline
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How can we accept others without being educated about them? I don't think we can. Whether you want to believe it or not, we are different. Biologically, we are all the same, true. But things in the past SHAPE they way things in the present and things in the future happen. Our thoughts and experiences are what make us, not our skin color. We tend to bond with people with similar experiences, that's just a fact of life.

I am not a member of my sorority because we are all black, (we're not), I am a member of my sorority, because it is a great organization, period.

I don't ask that you start a movement to erradicate racism, I ask that you actively try to pursue the diversity that you want to see and try to help erradicate racism through different channels. Just saying "I think we should see each other for who we are and not for skin color" doesn't help anybody. Most people want that, but just talking about it isn't going to cut it. If you are not doing anything, than you really can't complain about it.

ZetaAce!

  #9  
Old 06-27-2000, 11:00 AM
L-Dawg
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I think I can complain about this. If you are in an organization that is not all black and you are in it because it is a great organization then why do you associate the word "black" with it? THIS is what I'm talking about. Words that automatically divide people into a group, whether or not it is true or not. I totally agree with you that thoughts and experiences shape who and what we are, not our skin color. When I am talking about education and acceptance, I am talking about educating yourself and accepting people on a PERSONAL level and not in a broad sense. Relating person to person, as we are doing now, is really the only way progress can be made. So by keeping an open mind and trying to get to know people I come into contact with, and seeing what we do and do not have in common, aren't I educating myself about people and aren't I doing something to alleviate this problem? I also think its possible to grow and learn from people who you do not have much in common with. I agree with you that mostly everyone's closest friends consist of people who share many of the same experiences and beliefs, but we also learn a lot from people who are different from us. If all of my friends had the same beliefs and experiences as me, we would all have very dull and boring lives. I am saying that I try to have an open mind and learn as much about other people from other races, therefore, all of the people from other races that I have a relationship with, also have a relationship with me. It may sound simple and general, but if just one of those people had an open mind about someone they might not consider someone they had something in common with, the idea of having an open mind would spread. Case in point, calling yourself "B"GLO gives the people the idea in its title, whether it is unofficial or not, that you are primarily focused on one group.
  #10  
Old 06-27-2000, 11:12 AM
ZetaAce ZetaAce is offline
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LDawg- Settle down. We are not relating 'person to person' right now. You have no idea how I have come to my conclusions about race and what experiences I have had to make me draw these conclusions. All of my friends don't have the exact same experiences that I do and YES that would be pretty boring if we did, but we do have things in common.

Again, we are called BGLOs because we were created by African-American's and we consist primarily of African American's. That's the only reason. Not because we want to 'seperate' ourselves or exclude other people.

I think it's possible to grow and learn from people who are different from us, that is just the nature of life. For example, I have learned A LOT about WGLOs just from reading this board, stuff that I didn't know even though I attended a predominately white college. Have you learned anything about BGLOs or are you just seeing the term 'black' and automatically assuming separatist?

ZetaAce
  #11  
Old 06-27-2000, 11:44 AM
keekee
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I agree L-Dawg. This thread however has turned into a mess. It seems as if people are being attacked and that's not the way it should be. L-Dawg's original message was just a well stated observation. There is no need to be up in arms about it. I think she makes a good point about the purpose of the B in BGLO...it's not needed and regardless of if it's the intention of the group...it does create a division.
  #12  
Old 06-27-2000, 11:57 AM
ZetaAce ZetaAce is offline
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Well, that's your opinion. Since I am an adult, I can agree to disagree.

At exactly what point did this thread become 'a mess'? I have not attacked L-Dawg in any way, and I don't recall him/her attacking me. I have simply stated my opinion. If you want to see a thread that has become 'a mess' then you should check out the 'Curious' thread.

ZetaAce
  #13  
Old 06-27-2000, 01:40 PM
DELTABRAT DELTABRAT is offline
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I wasn't going to post because I could "appreciate" the dialogue between Zeta-Ace and L-Dawg. But keekee, I don't understand why you have to call the dialogue a "mess." There are MUCH messier topics on this board than this one, I guarantee. You wanna see a mess go to the one about white women and black men. It has like 135 posts as of now. I think both people were very respectful of one another's opinions. If L-Dawg just wanted to "state his observation" without a response, then he wouldn't have posted here. How dare you say what is "needed" in MY Sorority. And if so much division was created then why are ther people of ALL reces representing within my and other B yes BGLOs? I am "up in arms" as you so wrongly accused others of being. Naw, you wrongly accused Zeta Ace for being (I think your post was obviously slanted in favor of the L-Dawg arguement).
  #14  
Old 06-27-2000, 01:43 PM
AXO Alum AXO Alum is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ZetaAce:
Well, that's your opinion. Since I am an adult, I can agree to disagree.

At exactly what point did this thread become 'a mess'? I have not attacked L-Dawg in any way, and I don't recall him/her attacking me. I have simply stated my opinion. If you want to see a thread that has become 'a mess' then you should check out the 'Curious' thread.

ZetaAce
ZetaAce - Once again I must commend you on your exemplary efforts at replying and posting with grace and style. Your posts are very educational & informational, and although we may not always agree on certain topics, you always make me proud to be a member of the greek system! Just wanted to say thanks!

[This message has been edited by AXO Alum (edited June 27, 2000).]
  #15  
Old 06-27-2000, 01:52 PM
prettygyrl prettygyrl is offline
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ohhhhhhh lawd! Ldawg sweetie have you ever stopped to think for a moment that it was white people who more than likely coined the actual term BGLO and it was coined so that one would not get them BGLOS mixed up with the GLOs. Today it is not used as a racist title it is still used to distinguish between the two. They are both under different councils hence the NPC and the NPHC all this seperation came about at the hands of the White people that did not want to affiliate with the Blacks. You might as well refer to the GLOS as WGLOS because that is what they are. Whether it is said or not. There are a difference between the two that is obvious. GLOS are never really addressed as WGLOs because white people never feel like they need to be the ones to actually put the name of their race in front of their orgs because they run almost everything. Its the same with our HBCUS. They made a big deal about those so they had to add that "historically" part to the phrase now. Still the schools are mostly Black. Michigan state or Yale University need not call themselves HWCUS because that is evident and always have been. So for you to now say that BGLOS should not think of themselves as so is petty ans selfish. It is not much in this world that my people do and are allowed to tkae the credit for. So we take pride in anything that is/was Black ran and owned. So there is no way we should take our name off of it whether it be the greek orgs. or the colleges. If it bothers a white person that they are callec BGLOS then I would advise them not to join. If it bothers a Black person that glos ar mostly white then I advise them not to join.
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