By Kerry Gilliard
Delta Mu Chapter, Bowie State University

Okay, now that I've got your attention, let's get with the real article. Actually, it's related to this little eye-catcher----- recently on the NPHC list, there's been drama (as the many of you on the list know), and somewhere there's always drama. Folks of all letter variations and combinations are always beefing with each other somewhere over something. Such is life. Get over it and move on. Recently on the Times, Soror Shanice Stewart submitted a discussion question on how folks should carry themselves in public. I recently witnessed an incident in a chat room (ala incognegro, not using my real name), where members of some other greek letter organizations claimed to be members of "the f**k club-don't ask why, ask how"-- proudly displaying their membership in a particular organization in their screen names (I believe someone pulled one of them up on it privately because they changed that part of their tagline a few seconds later). Many of us constantly see someone post something IGNORANT, sexually explicit, or just plain silly, to a particular greek website and then have the NERVE to put their organizational status PROUDLY behind it. At this point, many of us, especially older heads in our organizations, are quick to jump up and say "RESPECT YOUR FOUNDERS" , "RESPECT YOUR ORGANIZATION", or "RESPECT YOUR LETTERS". Many have sat and decided to analyze the problem of why "younger members" carry themselves in such fashion, all of which adds credence to the Oprah/NY Undercover/School Daze stereotype that has characterized black greek letter organizations, especially into the 90's.

"How could they do this to my beloved organization" is the question commonly asked when older members hear about lawsuits resulting from younger members indiscretions and taking things too far when pledging (not intaking) a line. Many continue to wonder what makes undergraduates (and some grad members as well) participate in underground pledging. Many wonder why new members don't have the respect and the love for the organization that older members had "when I came through".

The solution to this question is very simple. Being in a greek letter organization hasn't meant what it used to since 1990 (and even before then). People don't respect their history, their culture which spawned the formation of black greek letter organizations, or the significance behind our traditions. They don't respect the letters.

They don't respect their founders.

Now before you start sending me SkataHata mail, read the rest of the article. Pledging is a part of our history. It was a part of the collective black greek experience since day one back when the first black masonic organizations and greek letter organizations came about in the late 1800's. It was around in 1904 when Henry Menton formed Sigma Pi Phi in Philadelphia. It was around in 1922 at Butler University. It was still around, even moreso in 1963 at Morgan State University. Always has been (in one form or another) and it always will be. Period. No amount of policy, suspensions or expulsions will change that. No terminology change can erase that. We can't just "doublespeak" (y'all need to peep out George Orwell's 1984 to understand) the words and history of our organizations away. Being a member of a black greek letter organization is a privilege and an honor- not a right to be extended to anyone with the grades and money. I firmly support a structured, rites-of-passage based, exclusivistic PLEDGE process (lets stop sugar coating it and call it what it is!!). Let's come to grips with it, accept it.

Now that we have that clear, where'd I leave off...oh yeah-

they don't respect their founders.

Oh, I'm not talking about just undergraduates anymore. See, they had to learn from somewhere. Undergraduates wouldn't have the foggiest idea of what an old school process looked like or how it was ran if older brothers and sorors didn't brag about it like a badge of honor. When they talk about it, the undergraduates see the gleam in the eyes of the older members and hear the pride in their voice. They want that same love. That same feeling. That same pride in the organization that the old school brother or soror has when they talk about the way they came in.

In short, undergraduates learned it from older members.

And now, some of these same brothers and sorors are the same ones who say that we need to eliminate undergraduate intake.

Chain of transmission through chapters, as anyone knows, can only last for so long before certain traditions begin to die out or become forgotten. Each line comes in differently, and goes through some things a bit differently. By the time stories get to anyone after 1993 (which is when most pledging really began to "die out"), only the violent details (in some cases) remain, giving younger members of our organizations a distorted version of the story- almost like looking through a cloudy fishbowl at the world. The few of us who do get full oral tradition passed down to us intact, are eclipsed by those of us who haven't. As a result, when you get half of a story, you conduct and concentrate on half of a process.

And very many times, it's the wrong half.

I'd like to move back to an earlier comment I made and that I hear all the time - membership in our beloved organizations is a privilege, not a right which should be open to just anyone with the grades and the money. Look back in your history. Look back in OUR history. Look at the way older members of our organizations describe the history. Words such as beloved and revered constantly fill the pages when referring to the early history of our organizations. Listen to our beloved fraternity hymn. I've taken time and analyzed each stanza and have found so much meaning in each verse. Our founders loved our fraternity-they didn't just throw words together- they had meaning behind them!! Our founders LOVED Sigma and Zeta with an equal amount of zeal and enthusiasm. Even later members of our organization retained that same love which shows in the biographies written during those time periods chronicling the events of our organizations.

Look at our history now. When you attend an intake session, what are you taught? What is required of you before you are allowed to become a member of the organization? How much are you required to know about Sigma? How much are you required to know about Zeta? How much are we required to know about EACH OTHER? What happens if you don't pass the written test? How much respect do we give to that bond which is Zeta Phi Beta Sigma?

Why is history so neglected now? Why are we not REQUIRED to know more about our organization? It's easy to say "well, you can always research it afterward", but taking a peep through an old Sigma Light, I see there was a HELLUVALOT more that we were REQUIRED to know before we would even be allowed to see the light of Sigma. Now, even with the "intake process", why was this part of our tradition taken away? We walk around now with more of a concern about who is going to vote for us instead of knowing the history of our organizations correctly and making sure this information gets passed on correctly.

Again, this is not just a Sigma-Zeta problem- EVERYONE's feeling the pinch on this one. I've corresponded with members of all the organizations, including independent, non-bglo orgs and more. It's system-wide,across the board for ALL greeks, regardless of color.

Many a member of the greek letter scholarship committee has cried afoul of the membership intake process, which was unjustly forced upon members without prior notice (although, retrospectively, we now see the pattern of where it all came from, since hindsight is always 20/20). Undergraduates never bought into the new "process". Suddenly, anyone could be a Sigma. Or a Zeta. Or a Kappa. Or a Delta. There was no motivation to learn the history of the organization any longer. My blood, sweat and tears of Spring 1989 became someone else's sign on the dotted line in 1991. It was unfair, unjust and unthought through. Searching for survival in a quickly disappearing culture, pledging was driven underground and, as one article stated, that's where it got even more dangerous.

Is it just me, or have we had MORE chapters suspended, MORE lawsuits (creeping into the MILLIONS with KAPsi [$2.2-1996], PBS [$650k-1993], Omega [$650k-1997], Alpha [one big one pending], Iota [if there have been any suits, I haven't heard of them]---and the 90's being the decade of the frivolous lawsuit didn't make things any better), more people HURT, more VIOLENT acts related to pledging.......need I go on? Many a member from the "old school" has expressed to me that while things WERE difficult (both physically and mentally) pre-1990, things were structured, ordered and had a purpose. There are always those "bad" pledge experiences with those who have been permanently scarred because of an ill run pledge process, and in return they are now advocates of intake, but those numbers are small in comparison to those who have had positive experiences. Even though the above ground process did not begin to develop (in the form we have today) until the late 20's into the 30's and 40's (per my understanding of course. I could be wrong-it may have existed earlier), even older brothers who did not endure it, still had a respect for it that many today do NOT have for the present process. The present intake process is a knee-jerk response to all of the negative pledge stories, potential (and real) lawsuits which have developed and a general lack of self control by a MINORITY of members of our organizations. As such, to prevent further damage, without thinking, but with keeping the financial interests of our organizations at heart, the council of Presidents of the NPHC decided upon the elimination of pledging. Unfortunately, it was not well thought through, as is evidenced by the problems already mentioned.

What problems has the intake process caused? In brief- it's placed a LARGER wedge between older members (who although they say "don't pledge", have the intake vocabulary and the pledge mentality) and younger members. Split chapters? Oh yes. Many older members won't go visit their home chapters because most of the folks coming in aren't known-older members don't know "how" these folks came in, what they know and if they really have a "love" for the organization (and many times, they don't). You see, when you take away a chapter's final decision on who becomes a member of the chapter, you, in effect, slap them in the face. You tell them they can't handle business and need to be treated like children. You subordinate brotherhood and sisterhood for motherhood and fatherhood. You become an authoritarian parent. And please save the "but look at the statistics" drama- the few chapters that CAN'T handle business are far overshadowed by those that CAN. Speaking of brotherhood and sisterhood- how in the world do you expect brotherhood and sisterhood to develop in the space of a very short period of time? In my other articles on this subject, I've went into detail on the subject of pledging and the bond created by shared experiences- as well as the fact that an extended process gives a chapter time to screen out those who are really about the organization and those who are just BSing. I used this example: when you are in school, during the first week of class, you don't know anyone (most of the time). By the first three weeks of class, you may know a few of the people around you, may have even exchanged phone numbers and such. By the eighth week of class, you have established a bond with some of the people in your class because of shared experiences (e.g.-bad test grades, jokes about the instructor, common learning experiences, etc....).

So to it is with pledging. Do not mistake- pledging done correctly does build bonds. Folks have and tendency to equate pledging and hazing (which is incorrect pledging)- and many of them are older heads who claimed to have came in "correctly" and who brag about it. Many people take time to focus on the negative- what about all of those of us who had POSITIVE pledging experiences??? What about those of us who've bonded with members of our chapter, including our line brothers/sisters for life? What about those of us who sing the praises of the organization because of how we came through and what we were required to learn? What about those of us who, in times of stress, refer BACK to pledging and relate it directly to life (since a well run process is really just a boot camp for life)?

Let's talk for a second- we're letting people into our organizations. Letting. LETTING. At both my Conclave and Eastern Regional Conference last year, we spent many hours discussion potential solutions to this problem. We exchanged stories of many "shirt wearers", who, as a result of the "intake process", had nothing stopping them from becoming full fledged members of Sigma. Since their initiation, they have not been seen or heard from.

Let's see- split chapters, no brotherhood or sisterhood, folks moreso about partying than taking care of business, more in love with BEING in the organization than the organization, more shirt wearing, more lawsuits...................gee, do you think the intake process is working?

Okay, so we've established that the intake process was basically the equivalent of placing a band-aid over a gunshot wound. Big deal. So now, seeing the blood still flowing, and more than ever, people are yelling "CUT THE WHOLE ARM OFF AND PUT A BAND AID ON IT!!!" (the equivalent of ending undergraduate intake). I've dealt with this whole question in two previous articles (The Rumors are True and Backlash from the Rumors) so I won't belabor those points again. Undergraduates are the lifelines and the foundations of all black greek letter organizations. Period. No ifs,ands or buts.

I am not, nor do I pretend to be, privy to what it's like to be and executive director of our beloved organizations. Lawrence Miller and Vercilla Brown have a HELLUVA job. I do, however, have insight from the basis of an observer. I feel the stress myself from the vantage point of being a chapter president and knowing what running an organization is like, especially when funds are low, bills are calling and everyone's taxed to their limits for support. Brothers and Sisters, Frat and Sorors, FRIENDS (which is what I consider everyone who supports this site regardless of organizational affiliation)- we need to get back to square one. We need to sit down and take a look back at that history book. We need to dig out those old "brains", notebooks, pledge pads, whatevah- and RE-LEARN. I'm not just talking to the "new heads"- I'm especially talking to our older brothers and sisters.

We need to step back in time and realize that as organizations, we've stepped away from what our Founders envisioned these organizations to be. More than just "social clubs" for a few people with titles behind their names and a stipend in the pocket. Some have become more concerned with networking and getting ahead than with community service, no matter how much we may publicize that we do service projects. Just sitting back and LETTING the negative stereotype of BGLO's go unchallenged instead of actively- PROACTIVELY- fighting that with positive news. People focusing more on politicking than on getting the job done; anyone who knows me knows that I HATE POLITICS. I can play the game quite well, but I hate politics. I hate bureaucracy and red-tape. I'm a results person- if it doesn't work, stop it, let's try it another way. Why MUST we all play this game every election year? All of this serves to denigrate the reasons upon which our organizations were founded. I know a few of you recall an e-mail sent to Sigmas and Zetas (oh yes, it got to some sorors) denigrating certain members of our organization last year a few months prior to Conclave. I promptly e-mailed the author of the letter (who obviously did not have the balls to respond back to me on the issue) and asked why this was necessary. Politicking has just gotten WORSE since 1990, with everyone jumping on the politically correct "stop the hazing" platform.

I could list more problems, but by now, you get the idea.

Change is needed and it is needed soon.

Now let's bring it all home. The history has been neglected. We accept almost anybody now, since we no longer have time to screen them out ADEQUATELY and get to know them (since anyone can BS for a few days, weeks or sessions under normal conditions, whereas pledging gives little allowance for BSing your way through). Traditions have been ignored. We've split into two factions- the graduates and the undergraduates. Brotherhood and Sisterhood have been rejected for clique-isms and treating this more like a social club than a fraternal organization. We are more concerned about politics and political correctness than about the purpose of the organization.

In short, we don't respect our founders.

As the problems of our organizations are myriad, so too the solution will be just as complex. But it is my conviction that it begins with the type of people we let into our organization. It begins first with not only WHO is brought in, but HOW they are brought in. What are you instilling in potential members when you sit them in a classroom? Brotherhood, Service, Scholarship, Sisterly Love and Finer Womanhood cannot be taught from a book- they must be experienced in order to be appreciated. Until we start using the pledge period to teach them correctly, we will continue to have problems on a local level, which will trickle up to the National Level, since most undergraduates go inactive because they can't deal with the politics and BS that happen on the National Level. This of course, leaves older members to constantly RECYCLE each other for leadership and changes their attitude toward their undergraduate brethren, thinking that they have nothing else better to do with their letters than party, haze and step.

I would next venture to say that we need to start treating each other as brothers and sisters again- I am PROUD to say that many older brothers in my beloved fraternity reached out to myself and my undergraduate brethren at Conclave 97 in Orlando. Brother Meredith Jackson, myself and Bro. Parrish Swann of Rho Tau chapter had a nice long talk in the lobby until around 4am one night. Brother Anthony Samaad and our beloved National President Honorable Bro. Peter Adams, Esq, during their presidential campaigns, gladly extended a hand to undergraduates (Hey Bro. Samaad where are you? Don't forget your promise!!!). Bro. Marvin "Recycled" Cheatham has always been an advocate for undergraduates as has Bro. Dan Tann, Esq. our present Eastern Regional Director.

I know the "old process" wasn't perfect, otherwise we'd still have it. I know the "new process" has caused more problems than it has solved. Perhaps midway, there is a process which we can create which will instill the principles of our organizations into new members and still keep things "real". Perhaps older members will stop looking down on undergraduates and start reaching down to help and UNDERSTANDING what it's like to be an undergraduate member once again.........

I'd like to be able to look at Phi Beta Sigma in 2014, when I'm 42 years old and Sigma is 100, and still see new members with #1SP14 coming in with that same glow, pride and enthusiasm that I had for the frat when I came in. I want to hear them singing songs that I sang, doing steps that I did (or their own for that matter) with the same love that brings a lump in your throat and a tear to your eye to mention Sigma. But unless we address these problems in our organization NOW, this may not be a possibility. And please- let's address it NOW. Not wait until another knee-jerk reaction happens and then everyone wants to complain. Let's address it and deal with it NOW. Boule 98 is a few months away as is Conclave 99. Get your dues paid, get your voice together, rally your support and take care of business. No excuses- you know what they are *big smile*.

Respect your letters. Respect the organization. Respect your founders and let's get this done.