Liberal and creative alumni - is there a place at the table?

[Firehouse]

Pretty good: "...it's really interesting to see where people were in their youth, and where they are now."

[Psi U MC Vito]

Hey Firehouse, out of curiosity, why would you say Psi U leans way to the left?

[Firehouse]

Re your question as to why I consider Psi Upsilon liberal/left, let me say that I have enormous respect for your Fraternity. I love the old songs ("Dear Old Shrine" might be the best fraternity song ever), and because of your individual chapter escutcheons, Psi Upsilon has the richest heraldry among all fraternities.
However, the fact that Psi Upsilon permits co-ed membership in some chapters places it to the left of other mainstream fraternities.

[MysticCat]

Somehow missed this thread last month.

Originally Posted by brightblue

As a freshman, I didn't know what conservative and liberal were, and I sure didn't know that organizations leaned one way or the other. . . .

When I pick up the alumni magazine, I see pictures of people who value money, power, and prestige. The featured alumni seem to be chosen by how quickly they've risen in the ranks of corporations. I rarely see anyone who isn't wearing a suit on those pages.

I haven't yet seen a feature story on an eco-friendly alumni, or someone who's become a high school football coach, or on a 25-year old who's traveled to Australia and spent a year enjoying life and discovering more about himself.

If these are you example of liberal and conservative, I'd say you still don't know what liberals and conservatives are. I know many "eco-friendly" conservatives and many liberals who are interested in money and power.

Originally Posted by brightblue

Haha, thanks. What's that quote from St. Francis - something about the peace to accept what we can not change...?

That's Reinhold Niebuhr, not St. Franics:

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

I'll agree with the others who say find ways to get involved and work for change if you think there needs to be change.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by Firehouse

Re your question as to why I consider Psi Upsilon liberal/left, let me say that I have enormous respect for your Fraternity. I love the old songs ("Dear Old Shrine" might be the best fraternity song ever), and because of your individual chapter escutcheons, Psi Upsilon has the richest heraldry among all fraternities.
However, the fact that Psi Upsilon permits co-ed membership in some chapters places it to the left of other mainstream fraternities.

I thought that might be the case but was just wondering. Yeah I always though Psi U was interesting because of how deeply we hold our traditions and history, yet we do things that would be considered ultra liberal.Though in a way we are still conservative because from the beginning we didn't have anything in our constitution banning women soooo.

[Firehouse]

Psi-U is one of the great fratrenities in my book.

[ree-Xi]

Another thought - If you want to make a difference join an alumni group where you are collectively given a vote for officers at the conventions and changes to your constitution, etc. Work for change. If there are policies you feel strongly about, talk to other alumni groups about your concerns. There may be regulations around lobbying, but there are ways to get the word out for proposed changes, etc.

I hope to return to this thread in 6-8 months and hear that you've done something to get involved in some way. The Fraternity works on a I/National level because people commit to it.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Another thought - If you want to make a difference join an alumni group where you are collectively given a vote for officers at the conventions and changes to your constitution, etc.

If his fraternity provides for that. I don't know that all do. (And if they don't, that may be another change to work for.)

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

If his fraternity provides for that. I don't know that all do. (And if they don't, that may be another change to work for.)

Thank you for the addendum. It's the equivalent of telling someone to get involved in local politics so that you get help get the guys with similar ideas elected. These are the guys who end up making the decisions that affect us on the most basic levels, or who have access to the decision makers.

[Psi U MC Vito]

LOL no need to backpedal or defend yourself. I find it fascinating seeing what people in other fraternites think about mine lol.