Sorority racism article Crimson White

Parents Forum Parent Cafe
41

<p>They will be on CNN tonight on Erin Burnetts show</p>

42

<p>I think it likely that the actual words used were more likely coded. I can just imagine: “X is just a lovely girl, but I don’t think she would be <em>comfortable</em> here.” Hard to pin down in a court of law. But the nationals can, of course, cut through that BS if they wish behind closed doors.</p>

43

<p>Consolation: You may have read my rush thread on a different site. Yes, comfortable is the word. As in, Who will you feel comfortable marrying? But, having said that I know that if you look at other chapters of the houses they are multi racial and religious. This is NOT those chapters nationwide. I did speak to a friend today who is heartbroken. She is ashamed. She kept repeating this is not us. And it isn’t.</p>

44

<p>I grew up as a military brat. The armed forces were desegregated in 1948. Congress went berserk–the military was primarily made up of Southern Protestants at the time and the South did not want desegregation in the armed forces. Thanks to President Truman it happened. It took about 2 years after the Presidential executive order for it to actually happen. The U of Alabama has had 50.</p>

<p>I don’t think most people understand how important the military was to desegregation. For example, NCOs and officers who couldn’t get on-base housing got housing allowances. But they did not get those allowances if they lived in segregated housing. I went to high school in the Midwest. Segregation was rampant. However, when local apartment complexes learned that if they continued to deny access to African-American military families, that meant no Caucasian military families would live there either, they caved. It wasn’t announcing the policy that changed it. It was the fact that suddenly they had vacant units while the apartment complexes which accepted African-Americans as tenants had waiting lists and could charge higher rent. </p>

<p>The same thing happened with schools. The military paid a certain amount for each military brat enrolled in a nearby public school, to make up for the fact that many military families weren’t paying local taxes. After the Civil Rights Act was passed, the military did not pay this money to any public school system that was segregated. Instead, it set up on-base schools that were integrated. The loss of that funding lead many Southern schools near military bases to integrate.</p>

<p>So, here’s an idea. Write to your Congressional rep. Ask him to end all ROTC scholarships and all federal funding to the U of Alabama unless and until the Greek system changes.</p>

<p>i don’t want to get into a gay debate here, but remember what happened when the federal government said if you don’t allow ROTC on campus (because it discriminates against gays) well…then… you’ll lose all federal funding? It took the Ivy League about 2 weeks to cave. </p>

<p>So, write your Congressional rep and say enough is enough. Withhold all federal funding from the U of Alabama. </p>

<p>I won’t cut off kids who are already there. But as of next fall…no ROTC scholarships, no new federal grants of any kind.</p>

<p>Enough is enough.</p>

45

<p>I was shocked by this story. I’m glad the current kids are reacting - good for them - but, bluntly, I could never be a member of a group that acts this way.</p>

<p>As an aside, that this happens at Alabama is … well, the same people are extremely happy to watch all the African-American football players win games and national championships. I think that speaks volumes in words I can’t use here.</p>

46

<p>My NE fraternity chapter had its charter pulled by National for allowing a black man to join - in 1957. It was reinstated a couple years later when National changed the charter.</p>

<p>I had a frank discussion with a member of one of those SEC school fraternities. He said “they (AA students at this SEC school) knew better than to come to the front door” of the fraternity house. If there was a need, they were to use the servant’s entrance in the back. It is not often that someone from inside the culture will admit to the institutionalized racism that still exists.</p>

47

<p>What distinguishes a top tier house from a bottom tier house?</p>

48

<p>Here is a nice essay from an African-American student at UGA who is in a “white” sorority. </p>

<p>[First</a> person: An African-American in UGA ‘white’ sorority | Momania: A Blog for Busy Moms](<a href=“http://blogs.ajc.com/momania/2013/09/13/first-person-an-african-american-in-uga-white-sorority/?cxntfid=blogs_momania]First”>http://blogs.ajc.com/momania/2013/09/13/first-person-an-african-american-in-uga-white-sorority/?cxntfid=blogs_momania)</p>

<p>UGA also has houses that are diverse religiously as well. </p>

<p>I was in a Jewish sorority back in my day. I remember very little involvement of alums at rush. In fact, I think there was just one and she was our chapter adviser. However, I have spoken to friends in the last few days and apparently the alum thing is simply huge at many houses. I cannot imagine grown women caring about rush.</p>

49

<p>The actions of the current members of the Sororities covered in the article…including the editors of the CW coupled with concerns of Sorority alums here and elsewhere to register their strong disapproval of the racism in the rushing process at UA is great and should be lauded. </p>

<p>

</p>

<p>I’m not sure one can say the Ivies necessarily caved considering the US Armed forces did end DADT and allowed gay and lesbians to serve openly around the same time. In that respect, the Ivies got what they wanted in a sense because through that policy change…the military could no longer be said to be discriminating officially against gay and lesbian service members or those aspiring to join. </p>

<p>The Federal government and military also through that policy change, took away a strong argument the Ivies had in keeping them off campus because their previous policies violated their anti-discrimination policies. Not to mention that the Ivies’ very visibility meant the Federal government and military embarked on supporting bringing back ROTC on those campuses partially to make an example of them. </p>

<p>It would be interesting to see if they decide to push this towards schools with a much more anti-military student cultures like my LAC. From my own experiences on campus and from talking with younger alums, any suggestions of bringing back ROTC will register an overwhelmingly negative response from the vast majority of students even now. </p>

<p>The negative response from most older alums…especially those from the late 60’s onwards tend to be even more vociferous. Not too surprising considering the kicking of ROTC off campus in the '60s is still strongly celebrated among alums from that era and afterwards. Even if it included blocking the cars of the ROTC personnel to the point they were prevented from going to the bathroom for several hours according to one account I read which I felt was wrong if true. </p>

<p>Here’s a link to a discussion about ROTC at Oberlin from 2011:</p>

<p>[Thought</a> Process / Oberlin Alumni Magazine / Fall 2011](<a href=“http://oberlin.edu/alummag/fall2011/thought.html]Thought”>http://oberlin.edu/alummag/fall2011/thought.html)</p>

50

<p>What is a tier? First of all, Panhellenicly speaking there are no tiers. The reality is that there are tiers, but in the end it truly doesn’t mean that much. Top tier girls are prettier, sometimes wealthier (in my daughter’s house that wasn’t true), more connected (sometimes) and more desirable. </p>

<p>These are perceived tiers. You won’t find a house that doesn’t have bright, pretty, together girls. On the inside, there are houses where the girls love each other…and those who have petty spats all over the place. And that is everywhere.</p>

51

<p>My college didn’t have a Greek system so this is all foreign to me.</p>

<p>It all seems pretty superficial.</p>

52

<p>

</p>

<p>My LAC has officially banned fraternities/sororities since the 1870s because they didn’t want to encourage the creation of campus/student organizations which were exclusionary on anything except academic merit*.</p>

<p>On the second, I agree to some extent, but with the caveat that this depends on the individual college and/or chapter. Some are more inclusive whereas others continue the good ole’ boy/girl exclusionary policies. </p>

<ul>
<li>Why Phi Beta Kappa is allowed.</li>
</ul>

53

<p>My college had a greek system and we rushed the first week on campus of our freshman year. I was flabbergasted when I wasn’t invited back to Kappa Kappa Gamma because “they never invite Jewish girls back.” This was in 1966. I still have no idea how they knew I was Jewish.</p>

<p>I pledged a sorority (not a “top tier”) and wound up “deactivating” in the Fall of my junior year. You’d think I was radioactive the way I immediately became persona non grata. Because we were not “top tier,” we were much less picky than some houses.</p>

<p>I went to Northwestern, and while I was there, a sorority pledged the first black girl. Of course, it helped that she was jaw-dropping gorgeous. She wound up being the first black model on one of the young women’s magazines. From what I heard, she pledged the sorority but never participated in any activities.</p>

<p>I hate sororities. Why do we need to have formal organizations where these people are your friends and those people aren’t? Real life is a lot more fluid than that.</p>

54

<p>Aside from the racism, there is no story on here about sororities that is making me want my D to consider pledging when she goes to college. Yes, yes, many of the do 'good works" but the emphasis on looks, money, status, making it possible to meet the “right man” (ugh, puke) and tiers is a little sickening to me. </p>

<p>I’m taping the CNN show-it should surprise me that in 2013 racism is an issue at a school in the deep south but it doesn’t. And yes, yes, I know that there is racism everywhere. But I’ll just say I’m very happy this particular school is not on D’s list.</p>

55

<p>

</p>

<p>Has Emily been suspended from her post at UA?</p>

56

<p>I think one can do “good works” outside of the Greek system. The honors college offers a number of volunteer opportunities.</p>

<p>After doing a little research, I advised my son to steer clear of fraternities. I asked him what the buzz is on campus and he didn’t know. Among having a busy academic schedule, being involved in a number of campus activities, and hanging out with friends he made in the volunteer experience held before school started, it’s not on his radar.</p>

57

<p>"I hate sororities. Why do we need to have formal organizations where these people are your friends and those people aren’t? "</p>

<p>That is not what ALL of them are about.</p>

<p>These are our current initiatives</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.aka1908.com/service/program-initiatives.html[/url]”>http://www.aka1908.com/service/program-initiatives.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>On Monday, my local grad chapter, and those of other others worked at a college fair.</p>

<p><a href=“http://ucangotocollege.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/9-9-13_U-CAN-14th-Annual-HBCU-College-Recruitment-Fair-Flyer_California_FAIRFIELD_Mt.-Calvary-Baptist-Church.jpg[/url]”>http://ucangotocollege.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/9-9-13_U-CAN-14th-Annual-HBCU-College-Recruitment-Fair-Flyer_California_FAIRFIELD_Mt.-Calvary-Baptist-Church.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It was pretty inspiring, and nobody was “taking” anybody’s “spots”.</p>

<p>We spend all year raising funds for annual scholarships, given locally. Any woman can apply, and we honor many young men in our community, but yes, we reach out to young women of color. Check this out.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.akaeaf.org/[/url]”>http://www.akaeaf.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

58

<p>I think I have heard of exactly one good reason to join a sorority from the many students I have known going off to college in the past few years. One young woman I know when to a large state university and enrolled in the college of engineering. Her classes were almost entirely male, and she felt like she was not making enough female friends. She decided to rush so she could make more female friends and have a chance to live in a sorority house with a large group of women to offset the rush of testosterone in all of her classes.</p>

59

<p>“Greetings,
I want to register my outrage as an alumna at the racism shown at Alabama.”</p>

<p>The first line in my email to my sorority (which is legally a fraternity due to the very early days of Greek Letter Organizations)</p>

<p>I hope every alum on these boards makes a statement with their organization, and urges all of their brothers and sisters in the organization to do the same.</p>

60

<p>We had a similar situation at my sorority 30 years ago. My roommate was on the rush committee and told me all about it. We decided to remain active members while in school but never participated as alums.</p>