Tri-Delta coming to Howard?

[WhiteDaisy128]

Originally posted by Wolfman
I think it's so ironic the reactionary stnce taken by some people concerning the PIKES coming to Howard, and the sense in which BGLO traditions are embattled. How ironic since, at one time, African American youth, chose the Greek-letter model as the means by which they woulld soldify their vision and provide an avenue of perpetuating organizations that would be profitable for African Americans. They had no qualms about copying the extant models of white Greek-letter groups, to be used for their purposes. (According to Alpha historians, white Greeks even gave some of their founders their rituals in helping them accomplish this task.) And, likewise, these older groups drew upon the legacy of college literary or debating societies and other similar groups, which can be traced to certain practices of the medieval guilds of scholars. There is enough history, in turn, for everybody to "hate" on others for being copy cats or shameless imitators. Everybody has added something to the mix, and it's really funny that anyone would "hate" on others for doing this as long as the traditions are respected and everyone is given there due respect.

And, however uncomfortable it may be to some of us, non of us can rest on out laurels organizationally. For African Americans, the promise of desegregation is a two-way street: we have more opportunities in the larger society, and we also are open to the influences of groups from the larger society, even in our institutions of higher education. This is the price we pay for our vaunted "freedom." Thus, as the history of Greek-letter organizations has shown, people will use this model to accomplish whatever goals they see fit, wherever they see themselves being shut out or marginalized, or whatever. In Greekdom this has gone from issues of class/station in life to religion( Jew-Gentile) to race(exclusion of African Americans) to other identity groups of late and to issues of sexual orientation. This trend in Greek transmogrification continues, as it has since 1776 and the emergence of Phi Beta Kappa, which the founders of the Kappa Alpha Society in 1825 (the first social GLO of continuing influence) based their fraternity on, and were soon followed by Sigma Phi and Delta Phi there at Union College in response to KA Society.

(And on the Tri Delt rumor, I once had two coworkers, one an AKA(made at Howard) and a Delta (made at Hampton), rave about Delta Delta Delta as the "bomb." They agreed that it was the only non NPHC women's group that mattered. Funny!)

I just wanted that reposted for those that missed it. I think it's a terrific post that needs some "snaps." I couldn't agree more with what it says...well 'cept for the Tri-Delt being the only one that mattered.

Our rituals, methods, and procedures make us different, but we were all (black glos, white glos, purple glos, green glos, etc.) were founded with similar missions (to further ourselves and society through helping each other and our community). Remember these missions as the argument continues.