[23087] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] Brown
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Kami Bush)
Fri Nov 1 01:59:33 2002
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 01:59:31 -0500
Reply-To: Kami Bush <kbush123@YAHOO.COM>
From: Kami Bush <kbush123@YAHOO.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
This is my responses to some of JayBEE's comments on what brother Brown had
to say.
JayBEE:
It all depends on your version of what a Que is. No Ay-Phi-Que would ever
call themselves simply a "Que." I can say that factually because I know
the nature of an Ay-Phi-Que. Some guys are just flustrated beyond repair.
Others have patience, but also have hope. While still others have
determined that because of the changes within, they've realized Alpha Phi
Omega is not for them. Family becomes more important than an organization
that was preceived to be never in your corner because you were culturally
out of sync with the majority.
Bush:
Ok, so we know that he was shortening what everyone is calling them. We
know that they are not the original Ques. You'll have to excuse some
people if they don't have the energy to type out the whole thing. (As I
have tonight seeing as I'm typing much slower than usually because of a
finger injury.) "Culturally out of sync with the majority." Culturally...
we are all part of the American culture. We have ethnic backgrounds.
Until you view yourself as part of the American culture as a whole with an
ethnic background. Then you will be culturally out of sync with the entire
nation. I know I'm African American but I'm first and foremost an
American. When I go outside the US and open my mouth they call me an
American, because of the way that I speak and the belief that I was brought
up with. So yes, you have you family, but remember that you are part of
something greater. You are a citizen of one the few countries in the world
where you can be any religion or ethnicity that you want. No it=92s not
perfect but its better than being treated as the ethnic Albanians were or
being treated as the Hindus and Muslims were in India. So before you go
trying to seem like you are being oh so oppressed, look outside and see
that you=92ve got it pretty good. It could oh so much worse.
JayBEE:
Brown. Have you been to any of the cultural events within any of
those races or have you generally been to things that you like. I go back
to something that I know you didn't understand. I went to school on a
campus that basically looked white and black. And later I found out that
there were several hundred asian, hispanic and a host of other
nationalities on that same campus. 27 that it was. I began to realize
that asians and hispanics have lives too. Outside of my world. They have
to have a place of worship, and a place to entertain themselves. A place
beyond my vision. Because they meet each other. And marry each other. My
point is that everybody has a world that doesn't interest you. People are
borne into these worlds. These worlds exist in front of you but you still
may not see them. It's great to have racial diversity, but it is also
great to have everybody doing what everybody wants to do within a culture
as well. Yes we can have diversity at the level as we do within a chapter,
but why
don't we trust an individual group to have chapter of their own.
Especially while they have more in common amongst themselves than we
would ever have with them.
Bush:
While you are trying to get Brown to come to one those =93cultural=94
events you speak of. Why don=92t you try to go the A-Phi-O events with a
more open mind? You speak of everyone else opening their minds, but its
obvious that yours is not as open as you want everyone else=92s to be. If
you allow yourself to enjoy something then you enjoy it. If you go into it
with a preconceived notion that you will not like it, then you of course,
you won=92t like it. It just like with trying new ethnic foods. I
understand that you see other ethnicities hanging out together. It human
nature, we cling to what we feel is same as ourselves and are uncomfortable
with what is not. This same trait has cause many wars and unnecessary
bloodshed. In a world as interconnected as today=92s, you can=92t decide to=
cling only to what is familiar. You must branch out and see what is beyond
the cocoon which is holding you in. You can do whatever you want in a
culture. That=92s why we have rules and laws. I mean think about it, if we=
allowed everyone in the American culture to do whatever they wanted then
you might not have even lived to see the age you are now because, dare I
say it, the Klan might have gotten you by now. And remember that A-Phi-O
is not a culture, its an organization within a culture, the American
culture. When you became part of this organization you knew what it was,
because as you say you=92ve read the history. You knew what the =93majority=
=94
of the organization was like and still decided to join. You couldn=92t have=
expected the whole organization to change and become like the chapter that
you pledged. That=92s not how the =93majority=94 thing works. And to your =
why
don=92t we trust and individual group to have a chapter all their own.
Because you aren=92t on your own, you are part of a whole. You represent
something larger than just your chapter. If you want to be something all
your own then you should start your own organization and create with the
rules and laws that you want it to have. Not try to change an already
existing organization.
JayBEE:
Man, you see If we had on the table to create a completely coed
organization in 1976, do you think it would have been passed? In 1976, we
created female membership. And gave chapters the right to determine there
own membership. I know I'm right about that one. But I heard one guy
state that in 1986, they "re-affirmed" the 1976 decision. Which is
Ludacris. What happen in 1976 happened in 1976 and what happen in 1986
happened in 1986.
Bush:
So they re-affirmed the decision. It=92s just like re-affirming your weddin=
g
vows. You do it to remind yourselves of what you pledged. You do it for
symbolism so that other can remember what you pledged. Just because it was
re-affirmed doesn=92t mean that something was wrong with it.
JayBEE:
And after that one page is read then what. I think it was a coed
brother who stated that we should treasure the initial history books. I
personaly have an interest to read the history book that what published in
1927. But I have some history that have 8 pages more than we have in our
current pledge manuals. With all the females who are in Alpha Phi Omega, I
think it was great that they mentioned them in the manual as well. Of
course, I wouldn't have done it at the expense of the fraternity history.
Bush:
You wouldn=92t have done it at the expense of the fraternity history. The
females in this fraternity are part of the history and have been for over
20 years. They should be mentioned just as much as the older history. The
older history is told the pledges. If your chapter decides not to do so
then that fault is on you. But my chapter told us more history than was in
the handbook when I pledged. I feel that I know what I need to be a
dedicated brother.
Brown:
Actives run the Fraternity.
JayBEE:
No the national board runs this fraternity. Let me know otherwise.
Bush:
I=92m sorry to say but the actives run the fraternity. They make the
decisions that affect the entire fraternity. I=92ve sat at voted at Nationa=
l
convention. Listened to every debate, spoke when necessary, and was there
when decisions were made. If something doesn=92t pass, it's because the
ACTIVES decide that they don=92t think its good for the fraternity as a
whole. Not the national board, they are there to help with the things that
younger people are not as adept at doing. Most college students can=92t
create a budget for an endowed million-dollar organization. That would be
like a freshman undergrad coming into to school and becoming the CFO of
their university. That kind of budgeting takes and education that the
undergrads are getting, and then, if they later decide, they can use to
help the fraternity. We learn from our elders so that we do not repeat
past mistakes. It=92s only when we (young people that is) think that we kno=
w
all that we go astray. That=92s why we are brought up in our parent=92s hom=
es,
so that they can advise and impart their learned wisdom upon us. I still
call my grandmother once a week with my personal problems, because even
though today is different, she has the wisdom of over 70 years of
remembered living. Nothing can beat that. The national board advises the
Actives, but they do not mandate.
JayBEE:
You have the "Ques" of Alpha Phi Omega pegged wrong. Alumni should
not be "running the show." They are and will always be in an advisory
capacity. Now the alumnistic National Board is another story. I think it
would be nice to have an undergraduate Regional Director. Some how I don't
think that was where you were going.
Bush:
Alumnistic National Board. Would you rather they not be brothers? By them
being brothers it makes it possible for them to understand what is like to
be an active, they remember those days. So they try not to repeat and
unnecessary mistakes made by their predecessors, though there are some
decisions that they have no control over. And I must say that an
undergraduate Regional Director would be hard to do. With the amount of
travel, the cost of that travel, and the time commitment that undergrads
must make to their studies, it would be almost impossible. It=92s hard to
have undergrads on the section staff, let alone be region director. As an
undergrad my exec position gave me the option of running to other chapters
once a week. Many times with me riding in the car with a laptop doing my
papers and CS programs while I had a friend or even a family member drive.
I did my duties but I had to keep ungodly hours to keep up with my studies
they way I wanted and to do my duties as I wanted. A region director
travels hundreds of miles and ends up spending a lot of money in travel.
Its well-known college fact that most college students are not the
wealthiest part of the American population. So think logistics when you
want to ask for something like that. I=92m on Section staff now and the
spending that I do to try and visit all the chapters and attend conventions
and conferences is more than I would ask any undergrad to take on,
voluntarily, by themselves.
JayBEE:
See I know you have to be an older brother. Because your
preconceived notions are just that. You actually have an idea of how some
campuses were in 80's and 70's I mean your view wasn't even taking place
in the 90's. You speak like you know how every member became a member in
the APhiQ's of Alpha Phi Omega. But I know you don't. Because I know how
plenty of APhiQ's pledged. Somepeople think that you have to pledge hard
to get dedicated brothers, that's what we have to be doing. Hard to
explain? No. We just know how to pledge-in dedication.
Bush:
First, the =93AphiQ=92s of Alpha Phi Omega.=94 You are not a separate entit=
y
inside of the fraternity. You are Alpha Phi Omega brothers. AphiQ is just
nickname you have given yourselves. Second, =93We just know how to pledge-i=
n
dedication.=94 I must say that that statement just sounds bad. It=92s almo=
st
like an abusive parent saying that they are beating in discipline. If you
have to =93push=94 someone towards becoming a dedicated brother, then maybe
they weren=92t dedicated to begin with and you shouldn=92t =93push=94 them t=
owards
it. Its like, and I don=92t like to use these kinds of examples but it just=
fits, when the slaves were beat into submission of their =93masters=94 so th=
at
they would stay on the plantation and no stray away.
JayBEE:
Greater acceptance? I know of petitioning groups that have done
everything that they need to do. Even put on a remarkable secional
conference in 1999, and still haven't gotten chapter status. Acceptance,
I don't think is desired. Wanting to be free to be who they want to be is
more of the desire of the day. Because you know how often Alpha Phi Omega
changes.
Bush:
Yes greater acceptance. If a petitioning group does not meet ALL the
requirements then they will not become a chapter. That=92s just how it
works. For some schools it can take years to become a chapter, but you
have to stick it out and do what you have to do. Not to sound negative or
mean but if you want to be free to be who you want to be then maybe you
should cut your ties and create a separate organization so that you can be
free. And I=92d have to say that A-Phi-O is quite open-minded in the types
of people that are in the organization. The only time I=92ve heard of anyon=
e
being exclusive is yes in the all male chapters but hey, they are
exclusively male, and in the HBCU chapters. By trying so hard to make
yourselves separate you created your own problem.
JayBEE:
To me, the issue of female membership should be up to the chapter or the
campus. Whatever an "Undergraduate" group decides their chapter to be.
That simple freedom would get Alpha Phi Omega growing like wildfire.
However growth is not the agenda. Being fully, totally and unanimously
coed might. It would be great to open our membership to have no gender
specifics.
Bush:
You seem to forget Title IX. It prohibits the fraternity from
excluding women the creation of new chapters. That=92s a federal mandate.
Something that they can=92t just decide to ignore. No university is allowed=
to ignore that. We are not a SOCIAL GREEK. We are not governed in the
same way as the SOCIAL GREEKS. We have to follow a slightly different set
of laws. Maybe this why the AphiQ chapters are having a hard time
understanding this. Its not the National Board against you, it is call the
government doing its job and making sure that everything is equal to both
males and FEMALES.
In L,F, & S,
Kami
Mu Mu Alumni
Section 72 Vice-Chair
