Tri-Delta coming to Howard?

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
My alma mater has a College of Nursing. They all get BSNs. What does that make them?

I think, after passing state boards, they become Registered Nurses -- a step "higher" than LPN's.

As I recall from the link I posted, an LPN must work under the supervision of an RN.

[sigmadiva]

Originally posted by L.O.C.K.



I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's an interesting look at things.

It does. Thank you for the book reference.

However, even if we have distinct cultures or ethnicities, just because someone else tries to learn about others traditions and culture is not a problem if it's done right.

True. While I was in grad school, we had a number of students and post-docs from different countries. So for Thanksgiving, instead of having the usual department sponsored turkey, we thought it would be great to celebrate the holiday by having people bring a dish from their native country. We had food on the table representing Spain, Korea, China, India, Finland, and of course the US. It made for a great meal.

I highly doubt all the WGLOs are going to start stepping any time soon (I could be wrong though ),

I agree!!!

so there is no reason to fear a loss of one's cultural identity. That remains. Let people try. Let them experience it, and through your relationship with those who would like to learn, you can form bonds of friendship and learn about them and their culture.

That way, something great can be achieved.

Yeah, I see your point. But to an extent, in this country one's cultural identity tends to get watered down. I can assure you that Taco Bell is not real Mexican food, and at best, it is a sad imitation of Tex-Mex.

It is foolish to say that something is one's "own culture".

I will have to disagree with you here. Some things can be one's own culture. Others who are not of the same culture may choose to particiapte, but I do feel that populations can have distinct cultures.

It has always seemed to me that just about every group in this country can celebrate their culture except for Black Americans. We have St. Patrick's Day, here in Texas, we recently had Cinco de Mayo parades, in the fall, there are Oktoberfests, people to go out to see the celebrations for Chinese New Year and up in NYC there is the Puerto Rican Day parade. But, good lord, mention MLK Jr Day and people get a bee in their bonnet. Do you know why we celebrate Black History Month (which started out as Black History Week)? We celebrate Black History Month because if you were to go by most of the history books used in schools, they would have you to believe that the only thing Blacks did in this country was to work as slaves.

And look at your own fraternity. Didn't you say that you all are like 95% Asian? The members of your fraternity share (I presume) some common cultural identites that may not be found as prevalent among the membership of other fraternities, i.e., HWGLOs and HBGLOs. I think that if it was truly all sunshine and roses you would not feel the need to associate with others that look like you and share the same cultural background.

This page gives a brief overview of stepping:
[URL]http://comp.uark.edu/~phisig/history_of_stepping.html/URL]

The author writes:
"Stepping began with groups of guys singing acappella, and when groups like the Temptations and the Four Tops were popular in the 50's and 60's brothers started mimicking their steps. This was how stepping evolved. This is why it is called "Stepping" now. Brothers would try to come up with the best steps while they were singing to please the ladies. If you got the ladies you got more recruits. Much like it is today..."

"...Please note that some people want to give the credit to the South African Boot Dance, but it would be unfair to ignore everything that stepping was in the beginning and it is now. Stepping is an original art form that was influence by many elements from our past..."

Without a lot of those things, where would stepping be today? Stepping in and of itself has been modified over time. It has grown and grown, because that's what traditions do: they change and grow over time.

I've read articles that say something slightly different. They attribute stepping to be based in African dance steps (no pun intended). But hey, no matter what *I* still can't step.

K, I gotta go pack

Me too!!!

[33girl]

Originally posted by sigmadiva
You can work with your greek counter-parts and not have to behave like them. I remember back when I was an undergrad that the Tri Delta chapter and the DST chapter on campus got together to sponsor a fundraising event called 'It's a Delta thang..you wouldn't understand!!' It was succesful as I recall. And you know what, the Tri Deltas were not running around flashing the DST handsign and the DST chapter did not decide to adopt the dolphin as another mascot.

Why would they? It was a onetime event, and more importantly, they were already in a GLO. That's like when my sorority and the other 3 in the "Farmville Four" get together and have events - we celebrate the fact that we were all founded at the same place, but it doesn't mean we are going to run around in each other's letters.

A new sorority just colonized at Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellon has a spring carnival that is a HUGE deal. They make buggies and have booths and things. Now I'm guessing there are very few other chapters of this group that do that sort of thing at their campuses, but this new chapter is more than likely going to participate. I know that's kind of simplifying things because the black/white issue isn't there, but just pointing out that different chapters do things differently and everyone conforms to their campus.

Question: If these men had chosen an NIC fraternity that doesn't have the same heritage as Pike - say KDR or DU or another fraternity that is predominantly northeastern - would that make a difference?

[DSTRen13]

Originally posted by sigmadiva
[BIt has always seemed to me that just about every group in this country can celebrate their culture except for Black Americans. We have St. Patrick's Day, here in Texas, we recently had Cinco de Mayo parades, in the fall, there are Oktoberfests, people to go out to see the celebrations for Chinese New Year and up in NYC there is the Puerto Rican Day parade. But, good lord, mention MLK Jr Day and people get a bee in their bonnet. Do you know why we celebrate Black History Month (which started out as Black History Week)? We celebrate Black History Month because if you were to go by most of the history books used in schools, they would have you to believe that the only thing Blacks did in this country was to work as slaves.
[/B]

I'm pretty much your standard early immigrant mix American (mostly German and English with a sprinkling of other stuff, but my family's been here since Independence so who even knows), so I don't really strongly identify with any particular foreign culture. I'm still going to go to the parties - St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Oktoberfest, whatever people I know happen to be celebrating, I'm probably going to go. Celebrating culture is fun, regardless of whose culture it is - some of the best Fourth of July parties I've ever been to have not been exclusively American affairs.

I don't really see how this relates to MLK Day, but I think that may be because I live in Atlanta. MLK Day is big here (definitely a bigger deal than, say, Oktoberfest or Chinese New Year). Some people who were from out-of-state at GT seemed surprised, so I guess this isn't the case across the country?

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by ladygreek
SigmaDiva,
You are alright with me, sistergreek

Me, too.

[jessikay1922]

Originally posted by 33girl

Question: If these men had chosen an NIC fraternity that doesn't have the same heritage as Pike - say KDR or DU or another fraternity that is predominantly northeastern - would that make a difference?

To whom? As far as HU goes, I think it would have made a difference somewhat.

As far as the people here?????

[33girl]

Originally posted by jessikay1922
To whom? As far as HU goes, I think it would have made a difference somewhat.

As far as the people here?????

both, I guess.

[jessikay1922]

As I have said before, my understanding of the HU perspective was that there were concerns for two reasons: (1) the men who joined wanted to join other organizations and were rejected or the organization they wanted was not available to them and (2) the perceived history of this particular fraternity. There are various other organizations at the campus and I think they are pretty much accepted. The issues of them strolling, using the hand sign (of another NPHC organization), etc. came later, but I think the response to those issues was framed by the first two issues.


As for people on GC-- that has to be answered by each person.

For me, my concerns have nothing to do with Pike itself, but the concept of LOCAL vs INTERNATIONAL/ NATIONAL. And after learning that its really a difference of opinion, I can't say my opinion has changed, but I understand the issue better.

[sigmadiva]

Originally posted by 33girl
Why would they? It was a onetime event, and more importantly, they were already in a GLO. That's like when my sorority and the other 3 in the "Farmville Four" get together and have events - we celebrate the fact that we were all founded at the same place, but it doesn't mean we are going to run around in each other's letters.

I was responding to, I believe, L.O.C.K.'s idea where he expressd that cultures (glo's) can come together and swap traditions like people swap receipies. I was only citing this incident as an example that yes, different greek orgs can work together but their working together does not necessitate all this tradition swapping. I agree with you.

Question: If these men had chosen an NIC fraternity that doesn't have the same heritage as Pike - say KDR or DU or another fraternity that is predominantly northeastern - would that make a difference?

If I am reading what you are saying correctly, no, if it had been another fraternity, then it would not make a difference. My issue is not with PKA. My issue is that these young men at HU chose a HWGLO - fine, but yet they want to incorporate NPHC characteristics that are currently non-existant in the HWGLO that they have / are joined. So my question has been: why join a HWGLO (where none of them seem to have NPHC characteristics), then go around acting like you are in a HBGLO? What was the point of joining the HWGLO?

[RedVelvet]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Does one have to be white to be a red neck, racist, or a bigot?

Playing the race card.

[sigmadiva]

Originally posted by DSTRen13
I'm pretty much your standard early immigrant mix American (mostly German and English with a sprinkling of other stuff, but my family's been here since Independence so who even knows), so I don't really strongly identify with any particular foreign culture. I'm still going to go to the parties - St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Oktoberfest, whatever people I know happen to be celebrating, I'm probably going to go. Celebrating culture is fun, regardless of whose culture it is - some of the best Fourth of July parties I've ever been to have not been exclusively American affairs.

I don't really see how this relates to MLK Day, but I think that may be because I live in Atlanta. MLK Day is big here (definitely a bigger deal than, say, Oktoberfest or Chinese New Year). Some people who were from out-of-state at GT seemed surprised, so I guess this isn't the case across the country?

I think you have expressd the point I have been trying to get people to see. There is this view that Blacks in America really have no culture, therefore anything we do is automatically usurped by the masses, and quite frankly seen as a souce of entertainment. The examples I listed are relevant to MLK Jr. Day because he was / is part of the Black American culture, as are the other events that represent their respective cultures.

I still go to the parties and festivals too, but I recognize that my ancestors in the US have had to develop our own idea of an African-related culture in America since we really don't know exactly where we came from in Africa. If your last name is O'Shaunessy, it's a good bet that you are of Irish decent so you'd probably go out and celebrate St. Patrick's Day. If your last name is Kleinermann, you can be fairly confident that you are of German decent, so you'd probaly go out and celebrate Oktoberfest. Given that the last names of many AfAm in this country were derived not from where they were from in Africa, which could indicate their line of decent, but more than likely their slave owners, then an imporant part of our culture has been destroyed. But AfAm as a people have still been able to develop our own culture in spite of our history in this country. And what we have developed has just as much right to be claimed, recognized and celebrated by us just as anyone else's culture.

[sigmadiva]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
Me, too.

Thanks!!

[divainred]

Originally posted by 33girl

A new sorority just colonized at Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellon has a spring carnival that is a HUGE deal. They make buggies and have booths and things. Now I'm guessing there are very few other chapters of this group that do that sort of thing at their campuses, but this new chapter is more than likely going to participate. I know that's kind of simplifying things because the black/white issue isn't there, but just pointing out that different chapters do things differently and everyone conforms to their campus.
[/B]

I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University and have participated in the spring carnival. I was not in a sorority then because there are very few sororities at CMU. Carnival at Carnegie Mellon is almost the equivalent of a huge Homecoming weekend for many other universities and colleges. Alumni return home and everyone (faculty, greeks and non-greeks participate). It isn't so much about conformity to the campus in any way, it is simply a weekend full of events aimed at the entire Carnegie Mellon family (past and present). The new chapter that just colonized more than likely will not participate just to belong, but simply because of the excitement of being a part of this weekend. There are many people who belong to multiple organizations and participate in Carnival through all of those orgs. I understand what you are trying to say, but I think you may be oversimplifying the issues with this comparison.

[33girl]

yeah, I'm sure I am, it was just the first thing I thought of. Every campus has its things that are super important there and not so much elsewhere.

[divainred]

No harm done, completely understand.