[23086] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] The "APQ Question"
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Settummanque, the blackeagle ((LTC)
Fri Nov 1 01:33:07 2002
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 00:31:02 -0600
Reply-To: "Settummanque, the blackeagle ((LTC) Mike L. Walton)" <blackeagle@USSCOUTS.ORG>
From: "Settummanque, the blackeagle ((LTC) Mike L. Walton)" <blackeagle@USSCOUTS.ORG>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <F57C7524A2D6D411BB3B001083FD582A05C51D5E@plantation.comm.m
ot.com>
My Brother, Michael Brown, wrote a lot of really GREAT WORDS about the
relationship that the
"A Phi Ques" need to have with the rest of us in this great fraternal body
known as APO.
I would like to add a short bit to what he has stated -- not too much, for
my brother has said a lot.
First -- like my brother Mike Brown, I too am a longtime Scouter. The
relationship between APO and Scouting
is not lost on me, and was one of the reasons why I sought APO
membership. When I could not get it through
my university, I went up the road and sought it through another university
at an effort to bring it to my university.
And when my university refused to allow an APO chapter (in part, because of
things illustrated in my brother Joel Bryant's posting, but a lot more...),
we formed a special College Scouting Service Explorer Post and used some of
APO's principles in order to attain membership.
Second, I am a black man and proud of my racial and ethnic heritage. The
"predominately black fraternities and sororities" which came from those
predominately historical black colleges and universities have a place in
American history and the history of American greek life. But transforming
Alpha Phi Omega into something to "match up with" the other "black greek
organizations" isn't worth the effort.
My brother Mike Brown makes several points; I'm going to highlight and
expound on three:
>* APO is a diverse organization. We accept all, regardless of race,
>creed, color, national origin, etc. My chapter is a good illustration of
>this. We have black, white, hispanic, asian, jewish, indian, etc members
>in our chapter. So don't throw 'diversity' into the face of APO. It
>won't work.
No, it won't work. One of the reasons why APO has such a broad appeal on
many college campuses is our strenght in membership. We don't care what
ethnic or racial makeup you are. If you have a heart for others, hands to
work with others, and a willingness to accept others -- we will take you
and you will become our brothers. Not "little brothers", not "plebs", not
"candidates" -- brothers. Our pledges learn what it is to be a part of a
fraternal family through our hearts, our service to others, and our
acceptance of others. Period. We are the most diverse and open
organization of its kind in this nation....and remember, I speak from
experience. My own experience.
>* Actives run the Fraternity. While I'm not totally happy with the level
>that alums have a say in things (nor with how things are setup for our
>so-called 'National Alumni Association'), I'm not happy with what seems to
>be the general attitude from the Ques that alumni should be running the
>show. If the Ques WANT to have a say in the Fraternity, they need to be
>participating with other chapters at our Sectional, Regional, and National
>events.
So agreed!! While I am no longer an active, I don't have a say one in how
our Fraternity should be run. That's a matter for those actives involved
in the chapter. My role as an alum is two-fold: to assist my fellow
brothers into extending and growing our fraternity onto campuses and
universities without us; and to show by positive example what APO
brotherhood is about. I don't run dooky. I don't have a vote in whether
new pledges get accepted. And while my wife and I can host APO parties and
get-togethers at our home, and while pledges, actives and alumni are
welcome, we have no say in whether or not actives get to serve in key
offices nor pledges get credit for service hours.
I am a resource. Simple as that, and I enjoy being a resource for my fellow
brothers.
And my wife is a brother. Not a sister -- she is an equal in every way,
shape, form and fashion. She earned that right by participating in the
same things I did, the same pledge program, and participating in the same
rituals I did to gain membership.
Finally:
>* Its the 21st Century, not the 1950s. One issue I do have in general
>with APQ's is their use of membership
>practices that either NEVER had a place in APO, or no longer have a place
>in APO. Things have changed in the world of Greek Letter Orgs and how we
>deal with Pledges. Take a look at some of the discussions on
>greekchat.com to see what I mean. APO policies concering pledges are set
>down in our Membership Policy, Risk Management Policy, and National
>Pledging Standards. Read them and follow them. I say this because some
>of what I've read from some Ques show a reluctance of giving up these
>practices, and complaining that they are "unfairly" declared
>hazing. Sorry, they are hazing. I think APO has a very reasonable
>definition of hazing and unacceptable behavior. Other GLO seem to have
>gone overboard in this area (another personal aside, again due to my long
>time standing as a scouter, and having to take Youth Protection Training,
>I am very much 'zero tolerance' on hazing. So I think our policies are
>quite reasonable). Get in line with how things work today, and you'll
>have a greater accepance from other APO Brothers.
Exactly. In this era of lawsuits, we as a fraternal organization CAN NOT
AFFORD some of the STUPID STUFF which is being pawned off as "brotherhood
building" or "social formation". This isn't the Army -- we don't tear down
people and build them into our own shape. Our pledges come to us already
built. Most of them KNOW what they want to do, and don't need a
"pledgemaster" to tell them what they are going to do. I too, like my
brother Mike, is ZERO TOLERANT on any form of hazing and find the current
APO policies in like with reality.
While Mike and I will disagree on items. While my wife and I will
DEFINATELY disagree with things. We are still brothers and I will do
whatever I can to help either or both of them out. That's the trueness of
belonging to APO. You can call it "A-Phi-Que" if you are getting a bad
deal from those on your campus about belonging to a "white
organization"...but if you were REALLY BROTHERS, you would not care what
others thought or called your organization. This is part of the principles
we talk about in our fraternity, the ideal of being loyal and having pride
in what you are doing and what others are doing in the name of our Fraternity.
Yours forever in Leadership, Friendship, and Service,
Settummanque!
(LTC) Mike L. Walton (settummanque, the blackeagle)
http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/
APO Alum and Cheerleader
Burnsville, Minnesota
