[20382] in APO-L
2 Fraternities, All-Male, etc.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mark Stratton)
Mon Mar 29 23:26:54 1999
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 23:27:18 -0500
Reply-To: Mark Stratton <stratton@INDY.NET>
From: Mark Stratton <stratton@INDY.NET>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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Brothers,
I know there are those who are tired of this thread but, regardless of =
the decision of the past National Convention, it will continue to remain =
with us. As a result, I offer my thoughts and reflections. Take them =
as you will; all I ask is that you remember we are all Brothers in this =
great organization, men and women.
First, I cannot conceive how we could have two organizations as one; =
perhaps the thought just escapes me, or perhaps I "just don't get it." =
Tell me how, and I ask this in all sincerity, such an organization would =
be managed, administered, etc. I'd really like to know because, from =
the surface, it seems that it would be virtually impossible. I think =
back to some of the words of our Fraternity and the symbolism of our =
Crest, our Key, our Motto, our Handclasp, and those other symbols that =
represent the great Principles and people of our organization. They =
STAND for something - ONE organization, not two, ONE set of goals, not =
two.
Second, I hear time and again how Frank Reed Horton founded this =
Fraternity as all-male. Why would I dispute something which is =
factually true? Think of the times, though - how likely would it have =
been that he could have created a FRATERNAL organization that included =
both men and women? Not likely. And given his GRAND purpose to give =
people the right start in life, by "holding before them a standard of =
manhood that would withstand the test of time," it would have been =
nearly impossible for him to do that by starting with a broad scope. =
The principles that our Founding Brothers set before us, nearly 75 years =
ago, apply to ALL individuals, of all races, all genders, and all walks =
of life who choose to enter into our ranks. Some might argue that there =
are other organizations that would be co-ed, and they would be right. =
And yes, they might offer leadership, friendship, and service, I'd =
agree. But would they offer Leadership, Friendship, and Service as =
Alpha Phi Omega does? EVERYONE has the capacity to be a leader, to be a =
friend, and to be of service, and Alpha Phi Omega offers a unique way to =
do that. I don't think sending potential members to other organizations =
is the way to go. And if you feel that it is, why can't *you* go to =
another organization that allows you to remain all male? I don't think =
THAT is the solution, either.
Third, I'll go on record here as virtually NOTHING has a recorded vote =
at the National Convention. I firmly believe that delegates should =
stand behind their vote, and in particular, the members of the Board of =
Directors. I don't mean to be critical of them - I just believe (and =
those of you who know me know I am completely sincere about this) that =
LEADERS aren't afraid to stand behind their convictions, even on =
controversial matters like this. I voted for the resolution that, in =
general, allows all-male chapters to remain all-male. I am still not =
convinced that having all-male chapters on co-ed campuses is good for =
the FRATERNITY; it may be good for those chapters, but I don't think =
that's true for the Fraternity as a whole. I think those chapters =
should make efforts to integrate anyone, women included, who meet the =
requirements for membership, REGARDLESS of gender. I voted FOR the =
resolution because I am still not convinced that suddenly forcing a =
chapter to go co-ed serves any useful purpose, either. Perhaps a delay =
in implementation of two years, perhaps some other delaying mechanism - =
I'm not sure. But I don't think the solution is just as simple as =
saying, "Go co-ed or go home." That's not fair to those Brothers in =
those chapters. Somewhere down the road, I honestly believe, there has =
to be some middle ground, and I just don't know what that is. But for =
now, leave the chapters as they are. =20
Times will change, attitudes will change, and chapters will come and go, =
whether they are all male or co-ed. =20
The SPIRIT of Alpha Phi Omega lives on in its Brotherhood, and will =
always do so as long as we maintin the highest standards of =
Fraternalism.
In Leadership, Friendship, and Service,
Mark Stratton
Section 52 Communications Chair
Delta Xi Alumnus (1994)
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<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Brothers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>I know there are those =
who are tired=20
of this thread but, regardless of the decision of the past National =
Convention,=20
it will continue to remain with us. As a result, I offer my =
thoughts and=20
reflections. Take them as you will; all I ask is that you remember =
we are=20
all Brothers in this great organization, men and women.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>First, I cannot =
conceive how we could=20
have two organizations as one; perhaps the thought just escapes me, or =
perhaps I=20
"just don't get it." Tell me how, and I ask this in all=20
sincerity, such an organization would be managed, administered, =
etc. I'd=20
really like to know because, from the surface, it seems that it would be =
virtually impossible. I think back to some of the words of our =
Fraternity=20
and the symbolism of our Crest, our Key, our Motto, our Handclasp, and =
those=20
other symbols that represent the great Principles and people of our=20
organization. They STAND for something - ONE organization, not =
two, ONE=20
set of goals, not two.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Second, I hear time and =
again how=20
Frank Reed Horton founded this Fraternity as all-male. Why would I =
dispute=20
something which is factually true? Think of the times, though - =
how likely=20
would it have been that he could have created a FRATERNAL organization =
that=20
included both men and women? Not likely. And given his GRAND =
purpose=20
to give people the right start in life, by "holding before them a =
standard=20
of manhood that would withstand the test of time," it would have =
been=20
nearly impossible for him to do that by starting with a broad =
scope. The=20
principles that our Founding Brothers set before us, nearly 75 years =
ago, apply=20
to ALL individuals, of all races, all genders, and all walks of life who =
choose=20
to enter into our ranks. Some might argue that there are other=20
organizations that would be co-ed, and they would be right. And =
yes, they=20
might offer leadership, friendship, and service, I'd agree. But =
would they=20
offer Leadership, Friendship, and Service as Alpha Phi Omega does? =
EVERYONE has the capacity to be a leader, to be a friend, and to be of =
service,=20
and Alpha Phi Omega offers a unique way to do that. I don't think =
sending=20
potential members to other organizations is the way to go. And if =
you feel=20
that it is, why can't *you* go to another organization that allows you =
to remain=20
all male? I don't think THAT is the solution, either.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Third, I'll go on =
record here as=20
virtually NOTHING has a recorded vote at the National Convention. =
I firmly=20
believe that delegates should stand behind their vote, and in =
particular, the=20
members of the Board of Directors. I don't mean to be critical of =
them - I=20
just believe (and those of you who know me know I am completely sincere =
about=20
this) that LEADERS aren't afraid to stand behind their convictions, even =
on=20
controversial matters like this. I voted for the resolution that, =
in=20
general, allows all-male chapters to remain all-male. I am still =
not=20
convinced that having all-male chapters on co-ed campuses is good for =
the=20
FRATERNITY; it may be good for those chapters, but I don't think that's =
true for=20
the Fraternity as a whole. I think those chapters should make =
efforts to=20
integrate anyone, women included, who meet the requirements for =
membership,=20
REGARDLESS of gender. I voted FOR the resolution because I am =
still not=20
convinced that suddenly forcing a chapter to go co-ed serves any useful =
purpose,=20
either. Perhaps a delay in implementation of two years, perhaps =
some other=20
delaying mechanism - I'm not sure. But I don't think the solution =
is just=20
as simple as saying, "Go co-ed or go home." That's not =
fair to=20
those Brothers in those chapters. Somewhere down the road, I =
honestly=20
believe, there has to be some middle ground, and I just don't know what =
that=20
is. But for now, leave the chapters as they are. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Times will change, =
attitudes will=20
change, and chapters will come and go, whether they are all male or =
co-ed. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>The SPIRIT of Alpha Phi =
Omega lives=20
on in its Brotherhood, and will always do so as long as we maintin the =
highest=20
standards of Fraternalism.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>In Leadership, =
Friendship, and=20
Service,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Mark =
Stratton</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Section 52 =
Communications=20
Chair</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Delta Xi Alumnus=20
(1994)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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