2008 Woodie Awards
Buying into brotherhood and sisterhood
Alanna Jones
Issue date: 10/26/05 Section: Editorials
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This week the lifestyles/ health and arts/ entertainment section of The Panther dedicates its pages to Greek life. With the membership intake processes currently taking place across campus, it is important to highlight what Greek life is and how its roots were planted among African Americans. The Panther will also be highlighting each Greek organization, interviewing one member from each, to showcase the depth of each brotherhood and sisterhood.
While it is nice to smile upon the legacy that all of the nine black Greek sororities and fraternities have laid, there is a more serious issue the spotlight needs to shine on; hazing. Brandie Terrell, a writer for The Panther, has written an article that defines hazing among black sororities and fraternities titled What's the True Meaning Behind Hazing? (p.14)
Terrell states that "hazing is any action or activity which does not contribute to the positive development of a person or a situation that intentionally or unintentionally endangers a student for admission into an affiliation with any student organization." With that said, why do black sororities and fraternities continue to "degrade" their own sisters and brothers into the constant whirlwind of belittlement and cruelty?
"Girl [Man], I can't wait to cross into this organization, but you better believe I ain't stooping to anyone's level and kissing people's butts," is the typical statement that many potential applicants make as they search for the organization in which they want to become members. Although these may be the words that spill out of their mouths, these are the same people who are waiting in seminar lines five hours early, buying big brothers/ big sisters lunches with their parents' money, praising current members for the letters and colors they wear, and going out of their means to become a part of the same greatness only to have backs turned in their face.
On the other hand, you have current members who look down on the eager applicants who respect them as if they can walk on water. Why do members feel as if letters and colors have made them the "high hope" of black society? Why have they set themselves apart from the "regulars" as if they did not have to go through the same struggle? Aside from Greek sisterhood/brotherhood, we are a black sisterhood/ brotherhood, so why do we choose to beat one another down? Why isn't the intelligence and courage that applicants have already shown by simply coming to seminars with interest in a particular organization edified?
While it is nice to smile upon the legacy that all of the nine black Greek sororities and fraternities have laid, there is a more serious issue the spotlight needs to shine on; hazing. Brandie Terrell, a writer for The Panther, has written an article that defines hazing among black sororities and fraternities titled What's the True Meaning Behind Hazing? (p.14)
Terrell states that "hazing is any action or activity which does not contribute to the positive development of a person or a situation that intentionally or unintentionally endangers a student for admission into an affiliation with any student organization." With that said, why do black sororities and fraternities continue to "degrade" their own sisters and brothers into the constant whirlwind of belittlement and cruelty?
"Girl [Man], I can't wait to cross into this organization, but you better believe I ain't stooping to anyone's level and kissing people's butts," is the typical statement that many potential applicants make as they search for the organization in which they want to become members. Although these may be the words that spill out of their mouths, these are the same people who are waiting in seminar lines five hours early, buying big brothers/ big sisters lunches with their parents' money, praising current members for the letters and colors they wear, and going out of their means to become a part of the same greatness only to have backs turned in their face.
On the other hand, you have current members who look down on the eager applicants who respect them as if they can walk on water. Why do members feel as if letters and colors have made them the "high hope" of black society? Why have they set themselves apart from the "regulars" as if they did not have to go through the same struggle? Aside from Greek sisterhood/brotherhood, we are a black sisterhood/ brotherhood, so why do we choose to beat one another down? Why isn't the intelligence and courage that applicants have already shown by simply coming to seminars with interest in a particular organization edified?
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