Happy Founders’ Day A Phi A

by Tre B. aka Ice-Solation

Just wanted to take a moment to reflect on the legacy of what started as a book club/literary society to insulate and support its members in an oppressive environment and has now become the largest Black college fraternity in the world.  The two fundamental attractions of youth of all ages: comradeship and the spirit of high idealism.  These ingredients have fueld the growth and survival of all BGLOs, even to the point of their current impotent state.

I have mixed feelings about my beloved organization and all Black “Greek” organizations, partly because of the ridiculous spiral of death we’ve created by banning proper pledging activities, and partly because of a lack of focus and meaningful objectives for Black people in America (calling ourselves “Greek” is also pretty retarded).  We have so much potential, but what are we doing with it?  We have so many members who are so dedicated to their organizations that they would do anything for it without question…blind allegiance.  If these aren’t the makings of a revolutionary force, I don’t know what is.  But no, instead we squander our potential and disgrace our legacy striving for corporate sponsorships and professional success in a white world when we could create a world of our own.  We are the reason DuBois had to revise his theory on the Talented Tenth to account for the fact that many of these educated House Negroes have no loyalty to their people and are fueled by an incessant need to succeed and “integrate” without first building a strong base in their own communities.

Not only are Black fraternities and sororities divided between organizations along superficial lines, but we are also divided within the organizations themselves; the old (pre 1990/1991 generation before pledging was banned) and the new generation that still pledges, but without the wisdom or guidance they desperately need.  Without unity there is no progress.  Without a vision and a noble purpose, there is no unity.  When your motto/slogan/mission statement becomes something you just rattle off when you’re pledging and not a lifestyle, your organization loses its reason for being.

We’ve wasted the last 40 years doing nothing.  The next 100 years need to be different if we hope to survive.  If we fail to change, we deserve the demise that will surely come.

Here’s how we do it:

1) Stop calling ourselves Greek and start calling ourselves Afrikan.  Much of Greek culture came from Afrika, we’re paying homage to the wrong people by even using Greek letters in our names.

2) Revise mottos and mission statements to singularly focus on the advancement of education, independence and self-determination for Afrikan people in America and throughout the world.

3) Revise the admission guidelines and pledging process.  There are a list of books that no educated Black person should not have read (Blueprint for Black Power by Dr. Amos N. Wilson being the most important).  These should be required reading before even applying to join a frat.  The pledging process should focus less on fraternity history and more on Afrikan history and the history of Afrikan people in America.  If we’re going to brainwash them anyway, we might as well put the newly minted robots, I mean pledges, to good use for their people.

4) Start an edowment to fund the organization’s operations and provide scholarships for members.  College brothers should not give money to the frat; it should be the other way around.  There’s no reason any member should ever have student loans.

5) Focus on investing and entreprenuership amongst members, and promote Black businesses to the members.  Start a Private Equity company funded by all BGLO members.  We need ownership and productive assets…period.

6) Support responsible HBCUs (i.e. the ones that don’t want to be the “Black Harvard” but, instead, don’t even judge themselves by white standards and aim for absolute excellence) and curriculums made by our people, for our people.  The Afrikans in America must transcend our competition, not imitate them.  Like Malcolm X believed, only a fool would trust his enemy to educate his children.

I’ll think of some more points later, but this is enough to keep us busy for a few years.