Fraternity...What is it?
It's defined on dictionary.com as:
1. a local or national organization of male students, primarily for social purposes, usually with secret initiation, rites and a name composed of two or three Greek letters.
2. a group of persons associated by or as if by ties of brotherhood.
3. any group or class of persons having common purposes, interests, etc.:
4. an organization of laymen for religious or charitable purposes; sodality.
5. the quality of being brotherly; brotherhood.
6. the relation of a brother or between brothers.
This may be a concrete definition of the word and meaning, but what do you think of when you hear the word? Does anything positive come to mind? Anything negative?I know when I mention one certain frat around a group of ladies, I always hear the same screeching sound full of disgust and regret.
Not a good look.
Why do people join fraternities?
Why do people pay a good amount of money to join an organization when they could just simply joint a club for free?
I hear it looks good on your resume, it teaches you how to be a 'better man', it gets you involved with the school and different charities, but I honestly don't see that...
People constantly tell me- 'Lucius, you look like a _____. You should pledge!'
Can you really look like you belong to one??
It seems that the meaning behind fraternity has been so watered down over the years that it no longer holds substance. They seem to now be just a way to get popular, pull women, and have a right to do a certain dance.
What's the difference between a fraternity and a gang? I mean, is there even a difference? They both do a certain dance, they both have a certain call, they both claim a specific color, they both disrespect each other, and when it comes down to it- they fight one another.
Where is the line to separate the two?
The drugs?
Not there, because I'm sure you've all been to a social party thrown by a frat and have tasted the different alcoholic drinks served to the public- Nupe Juice, Omega Oil, Blue Juice...
Does the line stop at murder?
I don't think so, because if you disrespect a fraternity, things may get out of hand...very out of hand. But besides people outside the frat, how about those inside the fraternity? I'm sure you've heard about the horrific hazing that takes place during a 'hell week', some of which leaves innocent students in the hospital for months, holding on tightly to their life! Making people walk and fall into water blindfolded? They died...
If you don't know, now you do.
Maybe I'm completely wrong and have my information completely twisted, because I've only attended one university and seen only one chapter of each frat. I only attend their events, and hang in their prescence. Maybe it's different at other schools.
Maybe it's different at HBCUs...
Is it?
YOU tell me!
Please don't think I'm disrespecting any fraternities or hating on what they do...not at all. I'm just looking for the reason that people join them. They pay thousands of dollars, deal with hazing, and let it take over their lives...for what?
I already have a band of brothers...we call ourselves The Brethren, and we're there for each other no matter what. The only time we have to pay anything is when we have to spot one another for food, or an event. The only time we haze each other is well...never. We don't live to harm each another, we try to help one another. We make each other into better men by helping each other up when we fall, and making sure we don't walk the same way we were to keep us from stumbling again. Are we a fraternity?
Maybe not, because we don't harm one another, nor throw special parties to get into women's pants, we all dress differently, and we all share different interests. We don't have a special call, and we all do a different dance- yet it looks so right when put together. We're all different ages, and we don't think that we're on a pedistal above anybody...I love my brothers, and we weren't put together by chance, or 'chapter'...
I mean, that IS all a frat's about, right?
I want your feedback.
Let me clear the air really quick...please understand that in no way, shape, or form am I downing fraternities. I'm just giving my opinion about them all, and trying to see if I can find the answer to my question. I'd have no problem with joining one- as soon as I find a reason besides the ones listed above! Please, no hate mail...let's keep it mature. Share your opinion!
Let me take the time to show love for some of the chapters at Valdosta State University.
Those Q-dogs (Omega men) doing their usual creative thing at the stroll off...
A sexy Delta, a beautiful Zeta, and a brand...lol
Those deltas smashing the yard- as USUAL! 
Throw that diamond up!
Battle! Sigmas, Qs, Alphas... 
Those pretty in pink AKA women...
Iota? Eh? No comment...lol. JK.
Peace & Blesings
Lu
4 comments:
well..
to me..the fraternities are going to be different at every school...the different chapters do different things u kno? i kno at my school our alphas are very involved in the community and so are our sigmas...but i feel like u cant jus look at a certain chapter a greek organization you have to consider the organization as a whole..wat they stand for wat they represent..and when u do decide to become a part of that organization and u dont like how they are represented on ur campus u can change that...but fraternities are not for everyone..i definitely dont think its for the weak minded..u have to already kno who u r and wat u want and dont let the organization define u..u should define the organization...for example..Martin Luther King Jr..Alpha Man..W.E.B Dubois..Omega Man..and the list goes on...if anything u should join the organization because their is power in numbers and when a group of people unite for a great cause..they are unstoppable...
I truly randomly ran across your page and I felt compelled to comment. What's the difference between a gang and a bglo (black greek letter organization)... where do I begin.
#1 - Scholarship. The biggest thing you left out of your comparison was that there is a gpa requirement to join these organizations
#2 - Service. Service is at the heart of all BGLOs. You have to have a record of community service to join these organizations and each chapter is mandated by their org to service their community. Unless you personally know a memeber of an org you might not know that they drag themselves out of bed early the morning after that party you saw them at to go volunteer somewhere. You might be a friend of someone in a frat or sorority and still not know about what they do off campus. Many greeks don't brag about their service activities because they do it for themselves and their org, not for any shine from anyone.
#3 - Fellowship. I'm not greek but I have plenty of friends who are and my older sister is greek. When my mother died the road to healing was hard for my sister and myself. We have big age gap between us so we're not peers in that sense. I was so thankful that she had her line sisters and chapter sorors to lean on. Fraternal relationships last well beyond college. My sister pledged 15 yrs ago and she still has tight bonds with her sorors. My best friend's mother pledged a sorority at the college I attended. My besty pledged that same sorority at a different school. When she came to visit me her mother's chapter sorors from my campus embraced her with open arms and were so excited to meet her and connect with their old skool's family. Your letters mean more than just a connection with your chapter. You should be able to walk on campus, or into a city virtually anywhere in the world and find not just a friend but a sister/brother who will embrace you and treat you as such... that's more than worth the dues.
#4 The money has a purpose - Joining an org is expensive but the money is going into the org. That money funds the programs that the organization holds for the community and for it's members. Also it's not thousands of dollars. Most frats are under $500 and sororities are around $800. People pay $100s of dollars for gym memberships they don't use and waste money on things that are a lot less productive.
#5 Alcohol and Drugs are different - You can't compare Oil to la cocaina, not even the gov't does that which is why they DEA and ATF are two very separate agencies. No one is gonna jack you for your cup of oil... possession of that cup of blue juice won't get you locked up and no greek is sitting on the corner peddling big red cups.
#6 - Yes the line does stop at murder, actually well before it. Gang violence has plagued communities across the nation for decades and turned black neighborhoods into war zones. You belittle that struggle by comparing it to a greek fight. Have I seen people injured and hurt at a greek party.. sure. Have I heard of someone going to the hospital while they are online... yep. Did those girls who walked into the water know there was a chance they could get hurt... yes! Was that chapter acting outside of their org's rules yes! Can you name more than just that one incident? Can you name one this year? No to either of those? People get killed by gangs daily. People get hurt by hazing on rare occasions. You can't compare the two.
... continued from above:
I think the only reason to join a frat or sorority is because it's in your heart. There is a specific sorority I want to join. Not because my sister was a member. Not because I think they look cool on the yard. Not because I think they're fly, but because I've done my research, I've read about what they do on a local and national level, I've read how and why they were founded and I am awed by their accomplishments and their goals. I believe in their founding principles and all of that inspires me to be a part of it.
I hope some of what I said was helpful and I hope you're not as jaded as you sound. Rule of thumb, going greek can make you into someone else, it can only enhance who you already are.
Hey man I pledging Alpha when I go to Norfolk State(just thought i should put that out there).It sounds like you have the right idea completely. Maybe you have only been exsposed to the negative aspects of Greek Life who knows. Personally I think you should look into getting the "Brethern" reconginized more I think it would make a good Frat with you as a founder. I mean hey change has to start somewhere.
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