Alpha Men

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by baccustd

Most of the list provided for the alpha's were honorary members.
From MLK to Manley to Frederick Douglas. Question? Does Frederick Douglas know that he is an alpha? He was given this honorary distinction after he was dead. Can we truly call him an alpha? This is the reason why the NPHC was formed, because of the alphas doing these types of things. (Look it up if you don't believe me) However, they are not the only ones. The vast majority of these organizations do these things for money purposes and to claim their accomplishments as their own. Whenever these lists are printed most of the prominent members are honorary. These same marketing tools are used to lure new members. Why? I wonder how many of these people would still have pledged these orgs. if they knew the truth from the beginning? Shameful. Some of these people never even saw the inside of a university.

How do you feel about this honorary thing and the way it is used to fool people?

Posthumous honorary induction OF COURSE precludes the person's knowledge and consent. Especially when you passed away in 1895 before the fraternity was founded. But none of that matters because someone obviously gave it the go ahead years ago.

As far as the rest of your post, I hypothesize that the average aspirant doesn't care too much who the famous or prominent members are and whether or not those famous or prominent members are honorary. I have YET to have an aspirant at the collegiate or alumnae level admit to me that she became interested in Delta AFTER seeing a list of famous or prominent and/or honorary members.

[Senusret I]

Here we go again.....

The majority of these members are NOT honorary.

Not that I have to justify it, but please let it be known that Martin Luther King PARTICULARLY is not honorary.

Otherwise, DSTCHAOS is right.... it's not like our orgs are saying "Join us! Alicia Keys/Hubert Humphrey/Sheryl Lee Ralph/The Temptations/etc are all members!" then you cross and everyone says "Psyche your mind!"

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Otherwise, DSTCHAOS is right.... it's not like our orgs are saying "Join us! Alicia Keys/Hubert Humphrey/Sheryl Lee Ralph/The Temptations/etc are all members!" then you cross and everyone says "Psyche your mind!"

LOL!

"Just my imagination....."

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Posthumous honorary induction OF COURSE precludes the person's knowledge and consent. Especially when you passed away in 1895 before the fraternity was founded. But none of that matters because someone obviously gave it the go ahead years ago.

As far as the rest of your post, I hypothesize that the average aspirant doesn't care too much who the famous or prominent members are and whether or not those famous or prominent members are honorary. I have YET to have an aspirant at the collegiate or alumnae level admit to me that she became interested in Delta AFTER seeing a list of famous or prominent and/or honorary members.

Exactly!

What some folks on the outside looking in need to understand is that WITHIN our respective orgs., we look at OUR members for the qualities that they possess, not their "marketing value." Each and every org. has members that are "famous" in their own right, even though they may not be "famous" by the overwhelming majority of society's standards.

[7thSonofOsiris]

I don't have a problem with the induction of honorary members, as long as they know that to most of us whom are already members of whatever organization they are inducted into (in this case A PHI A), aren't fazed by their membership. Hell, in my opinion, some of the chapters that belongs to all Black Greek Letter Orgs., have an 'intake' process that might as well be like that of an Honorary Induction. Forgive me, I digress. Anyway, I have met both Charles Mann, and Charles Hailey, both of whom played ball in the NFL, and they were both down to Earth, and no one treated them as coveted Bruhs. It's all about the blanket of welcome that's present when these men and women become Bruhs and Sorors, and its all about you operating with an air of distinguished regality as a member yourself, so that when they meet you, its you whose shine blazes like the stars.

The 7th Son of Osiris,