Comments on The Integration of Black Greek Letter Organizations
Bro. Ahab El'Askeni
Iota Alpha Sigma Chapter, representing the East Bay and Northern California

Because I maintain a site by the name of the Temple of Blue,( http://3n1promo.com/temple/ ), I come across many comments and questions about various BGLO issues. Not to long ago I recieved a comment about a page where I discussed the integration of Black Greek Lettered Organizations. This is the discussion in full. The sections called comment are the issues posed to me, and the section with Response is my response to the issue.

COMMENT

Greetings My Nubian Brother... I don't know if you remember me, but again, my name is Ahira Smith and I am a senior at Kentucky State University. I came upon your website and read your article about "intergration" among black greek - lettered organizations, and I must say, that I alot of what you were sayin' I agree and they are some that I did not. In my personal opinion, I feel that the Black Greek Organizations were established for a reason.

RESPONSE

Greetings Ahira. Good to hear from you. You are right BGLO's started, as a collective, for a reason. On the individual level each organization within in that collective have their own personal reason for existing. My main point is that many people think that the collective reason is because of Racism from White Fraternities. As a collective that is not simply not true. You can use Phi Beta Sigma as an example. We started at a HBCU for the reason of increasing the amount of Service to the community and to provide a brotherhood for the common man from all walks of life. Now for each organization there may be some personal things that deal with racism from white fraternities, but that wouldn't be most of the organizations since most where founded at HBCU's.

COMMENT

To me, before we can unite with other races, we MUST FIRST have to unite within ourselves, as individuals and then as a family and then a race.

RESPONSE

You are right, but at the same time I feel if there are white people who sincerely can help us in this goal I accept the help. If Bill Gates is willing to give several million for the cause and pledge his support for whatever I need, I will put him down real fast. The problem we run into is that some of the division we see amongst ourselves has existed for years and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon, because there are many of us who choose for it to stay. It would be nice if we were all on a collective mind, but we are not. So if there are others outside of the race who sincerely want to help our cause I want that help. It is kind of like when I was trying to find a job. I tryed hooking up with as many of our race to get the hook up, but I got none. Along came a white guy with a job offer. I took it because he was the only one out there offering. Now if a brother or sister was offering the same or better I would have went with them, but this white guy was the only ! ! one offering. He helped me get on my feet and I thank him for it and I would be a fool to not accept his help.

COMMENT

I am in environment right now, where the some black students do not considered themselves black but white. Now, color should have no bearing, but in society today, it's a reality that is shoved in one's face on a day-to-day basis.

RESPONSE

I hate to hear that exists, but there are those of our people who will feel that way no matter what you present them with. Yet, I feel that their problems are based on their choices. They choice to consider themselves white. For me if someone decides that is what they are then I know that they are not down for the cause. They are only on the bandwagon because it pays to be on the wagon, for the moment.

They don't care for the collective goal. We have people like that in BGLO's who jump on the bandwagon. Yet, it boils down to a choice. Does a person choose to recognize that GOD made our dark skin from the beauty of heaven, or do they see our beautiful dark skin as a curse. For me I love being dark, I love my pigment, and I praise GOD daily for blessing me with the Blood of the Nubian Kings, and the spirit of the Nubian Queens.