Minority members of IFC and Panhellenic

[Phasad1913]

Seriously, I am not being facicious or sarcastic. I would like to know what this term really means.

I am a stickler for terminology and the use of words...it must be the lawyer in me When people use terms, I like to know precisely the purpose and context that the word is meant to convey.

Let's discuss.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Phasad1913
This brings up an interesting question that I have had for a while. What is "ethnic"? When people say she is a ethnic woman or these organizations are ethnically based, etc. What exactly is the term ethnic relative to?

Here is the definition for you:

2 entries found for ethnic.
eth·nic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (thnk)
adj.

Of or relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage.
Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture but residing outside its national boundaries: ethnic Hungarians living in northern Serbia.
Of, relating to, or distinctive of members of such a group: ethnic restaurants; ethnic art.
Relating to a people not Christian or Jewish; heathen.

n.
A member of a particular ethnic group, especially one who maintains the language or customs of the group.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Middle English, heathen, from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikos, from ethnos, people, nation. See s(w)e- in Indo-European Roots.]
Word History: When it is said in a Middle English text written before 1400 that a part of a temple fell down and “mad a gret distruccione of ethnykis,” one wonders why ethnics were singled out for death. The word ethnic in this context, however, means “gentile,” coming as it does from the Greek adjective ethnikos, meaning “national, foreign, gentile.” The adjective is derived from the noun ethnos, “people, nation, foreign people,” that in the plural phrase ta ethn meant “foreign nations.” In translating the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, this phrase was used for Hebrew gym, “gentiles” hence the sense of the noun in the Middle English quotation. The noun ethnic in this sense or the related sense “heathen” is not recorded after 1728, although the related adjective sense is still used. But probably under the influence of other words going back to Greek ethnos, such as ethnography and ethnology, the adjective ethnic broadened in meaning in the 19th century. After this broadening the noun sense “a member of a particular ethnic group,” first recorded in 1945, came into existence.

[Download or Buy Now]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


ethnic

adj 1: denoting or deriving from or distinctive of the ways of living built up by a group of people; "influenced by ethnic and cultural ties"- J.F.Kennedy; "ethnic food" [syn: cultural, ethnical] 2: not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and Islam [syn: heathen, heathenish, pagan]


Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

-Rudey

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Phasad1913
I am a stickler for terminology and the use of words

I am, too.

The misuse of terms like "ethnic" and even "cultural organizations" symbolize how normalized and therefore invisible whiteness is in this society. It is overlooked because it is more mainstream and is therefore the baseline of comparison. In terms of research, if you aren't white then you are (of course) non-white and are categorized as this "subset." Many studies compare minority groups with each other and then compare "white" with "non-white" for this reason.

This is why I am glad that someone said "whites have culture, too." This culture isn't discussed because it is often viewed as "(mainstream) American culture" whereas other groups' cultures are viewed as deviations from this.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Rudey
Here is the definition for you:

2 entries found for ethnic.
eth·nic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (thnk)
adj.

Of or relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage.
Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture but residing outside its national boundaries: ethnic Hungarians living in northern Serbia.
Of, relating to, or distinctive of members of such a group: ethnic restaurants; ethnic art.
Relating to a people not Christian or Jewish; heathen.

n.
A member of a particular ethnic group, especially one who maintains the language or customs of the group.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Middle English, heathen, from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikos, from ethnos, people, nation. See s(w)e- in Indo-European Roots.]
Word History: When it is said in a Middle English text written before 1400 that a part of a temple fell down and “mad a gret distruccione of ethnykis,” one wonders why ethnics were singled out for death. The word ethnic in this context, however, means “gentile,” coming as it does from the Greek adjective ethnikos, meaning “national, foreign, gentile.” The adjective is derived from the noun ethnos, “people, nation, foreign people,” that in the plural phrase ta ethn meant “foreign nations.” In translating the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, this phrase was used for Hebrew gym, “gentiles” hence the sense of the noun in the Middle English quotation. The noun ethnic in this sense or the related sense “heathen” is not recorded after 1728, although the related adjective sense is still used. But probably under the influence of other words going back to Greek ethnos, such as ethnography and ethnology, the adjective ethnic broadened in meaning in the 19th century. After this broadening the noun sense “a member of a particular ethnic group,” first recorded in 1945, came into existence.

[Download or Buy Now]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


ethnic

adj 1: denoting or deriving from or distinctive of the ways of living built up by a group of people; "influenced by ethnic and cultural ties"- J.F.Kennedy; "ethnic food" [syn: cultural, ethnical] 2: not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and Islam [syn: heathen, heathenish, pagan]


Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

-Rudey

I guess we could ALL simply look up the dictionary and encyclopedia entries. Not appropriate for critical analysis and intellectual discourse, though.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
I am, too.

The misuse of terms like "ethnic" and even "cultural organizations" symbolize how normalized and therefore invisible whiteness is in this society. It is overlooked because it is more mainstream and is therefore the baseline of comparison. In terms of research, if you aren't white then you are (of course) non-white and are categorized as this "subset." Many studies compare minority groups with each other and then compare "white" with "non-white" for this reason.

This is why I am glad that someone said "whites have culture, too." This culture isn't discussed because it is often viewed as "(mainstream) American culture" whereas other groups' cultures are viewed as deviations from this.

But there is no one white culture.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Taualumna
But there is no one white culture.

Really?

There is "Black culture" so why not "white culture?"

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
Really?

There is "Black culture" so why not "white culture?"

Brain fart day....I meant to say that there is more than one white culture. You can't lump it all together and call it "white culture."

Don't forget that many NPC sororities were created because one or more girls weren't allowed to join existing GLOs due to their background (whether they be Jewish, Roman Catholic, etc)

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Taualumna
You can't lump it all together and call it "white culture."

Don't forget that many NPC sororities were created because one or more girls weren't allowed to join existing GLOs due to their background (whether they be Jewish, Roman Catholic, etc)

More often than not, you actually can. Just like people try to lump "Black culture" together instead of delving into the "African Diasporas."

You labelled these as "different white cultures." But, they are still "white cultures," according to you, as opposed to being classified under other ethnic affiliations and being called "different European cultures" or something to that effect.

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
So, again, why aren't organizations like Sigma Chi and Tri Delt "cutural organizations?" Is it because people believe it is a MERE coincidence that these organizations are predominently white on a national level? Is it also a mere coincidence that their philanthropies TEND not to focus on minority communities, specifically?

I don't know if this has been answered, but orgs like Sigma Chi and Tri Delta are not considered "cultural organizations" simply b/c they do not have a focus on promoting different or a single culture.

One example of a "cultural" greek org. might be Kappa Delta Chi. From their website it says: "A sorority based on serving the Hispanic community, Kappa Delta Chi is the strongest network of Latina leaders in the country. " On their information page it also states part of their purpose to be: "The Purpose of Kappa Delta Chi is to promote the values of Unity, Honesty, Integrity and Leadership among women at colleges and universities. Through numerous service events, sisterhood retreats and academic and cultural workshops, KDChi’s learn more about themselves and each other."

Based on the information from their website, I would say an organization like Kappa Delta Chi is more of a cultural org.

There are also "multi-cultural" orgs that celebrate and promote many different cultures (through culture awareness programs or things of the like) like Zeta Sigma Chi.

The difference between say KDChi and Tri-Delta (since you used it as an example) is that Tri-Delta's purpose does not mention anything about promoting or catering to a single culture. Their purpose (from their website) is listed as: "THE PURPOSE OF DELTA DELTA DELTA shall be to establish a perpetual bond of friendship among its members, to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life, and to assist its members in every possible way."

[AKA_Monet]

DSTChaos,

It is interesting that most of the folks lamenting about the "differences" in cultures are coming from SORORITIES--meaning they are of the "female culture"... Hmmmm???

[Tom Earp]

"Cultural Organizations" that is a amazing phenom isnt it?

Are not All Organizations stemed from "Cultural Organizations", doesnt that Mean that We as a Group get together for a common thought?

I didnt know Color was ever Brought up about the idea?

Okay, not in the current standards as We know them.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by texas*princess
I don't know if this has been answered, but orgs like Sigma Chi and Tri Delta are not considered "cultural organizations" simply b/c they do not have a focus on promoting different or a single culture.

Whether it is implicit or explicit, the argument can be made that they do.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Are not All Organizations stemed from "Cultural Organizations", doesnt that Mean that We as a Group get together for a common thought?

In a sense you are correct. All of us are participants of "Greek culture" and there are variations to this culture based on organization-type and more general demographics.

If you can follow the logic, Tom, the variations (and why some are deemed "cultural" and not others) are what I am getting at.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
Whether it is implicit or explicit, the argument can be made that they do.

How do you mean? My GLO's philanthropy is diabetes. Diabetes can affect anyone. How is that "cultural"? I don't really see anything "culturally specific" about my GLO, unlike GLOs that were founded for various cultural causes.

[Tom Earp]

Well, You can argue for any side of the coin you want to!

Many times Your points are not well taken as there is no points to be taken.

So speak your peice and let GCers see what You are all about. Sad, too sad to say it leaves a lot to be desired.

Speak Your venom and people will see what you seem to attemt to be.

I and others are not really sure what that is?

Oh, I have My Iron Jockey Shorts on to see the Tripe You will next propose.

What is wrong with being posotive? Not Your Style?