Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 October 2001 — Page 8

PAGE A8

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2001

payment

Fall(Creek Place

Where the past is just the beginning.

Do Black fraternities andi sororities have value? *

African-American students and alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) are again enjoying the enormous success of Black college football games, known as “classics.” These events are hosted by many major cities across the country and bring together two Black college football teams and their "battle of the bands.” These events bring in thousands of people to the host city and millions of dollars in revenue. Also in attendance are thousands of individuals, young and old. who claim allegiance to a Greek fraternity or sorority. African-American people are quick toclaim allegiance to any idea or philosophy that they think is “hip” or popular. We claim allegiance to Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo, the colors blue and red, music groups, sides of town, and even a misguided Greek ideology. How many ancient people from Greece are of African descent? How many ancient people from Africa are of Grecian descent? How many of the current African Americans who pledge, haze, chant and stomp, are of Grecian descent? Do you think a man or woman who has Greek ancestors, bom in Greece, and have Grecian parents would ever call himselforherself Kenyan? Do you think anyone bom and raised in Italy, would call themselves Ethiopian? We wear clothing and hats that support the Yankees, Knickerbockers, Raiders, Rangers, Tigers, Lions, and Bears. But many of these Black college students do not support or pledge allegiance to anything African. If a university sport team was called the Alabama Africans, or the fighting South Africans, would the Korean students, or the Japanese students, pledge undying loyalty to their teams chosen mascot? Why do African-American college students endure the punishment and mistreatment from their colleagues to become a “brother or sister?” Aren't we supposed to already be brothers and sisters? Do they join because of the commu-

Education

Does

Matter

By Leroy Robinson #■

nity service these organizations are said to provide? Or do they join solely to party, attract unwitting girls or boys, be a part of the “incrowd," or to square off and physically fight the other fraternities and sororities? Or do they join to lead the masses of Black college students away from theirtrue Africaq identity into a European Grecian culture? Do those that march around with their Greek letters plastered on their shirts, license plates, walls, and unfortunately branded on their bodies, realize that they are promoting a ideology that originated in Africa? George G.M. James makes this point in Stolen Legacy, 1954, “The Egyptian Mystery System was also a secret order, and membership was gained by initiation and a pledge to secrecy. The teaching was graded and delivered orally to the neophyte; and under these circumstances of secrecy, the Egyptians developed systems of writing and teaching, and forbade their Initiates from writing what they had learned. After 5,000 years of prohibition against the Greeks, they were permitted to enter Egypt for the purpose of their education.” Remember Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates? Rememberhow we studied these men and how they were held in such high regards by all of society? Actually, very little is known about the early lives of any of these men. The most we hear about their past is that they were great thinkers! scholars, and writers. We are not told about their early educational background. Well, now you know why.

James goes on to write, “FirJ after the Persian invasion and seJJ ondly through the invasion of Alexander the Great, the royal temples and libraries were plundered and pillaged, and Aristotle's school converted the library at A1-’ exandria into a research center.” Not to take anything away from' Aristotle, but to write the thou*- 1 sands upon thousands of books that' he is credited for, could prove to be^ a physical impossibility for any human being. So why do we have millions of African Americans pro^ moling an ideology that denied' them, and all of their initiates, thd knowledge of self? Would a wise man claim to be something that he is not? Why not trade in the Greek letters for the Egyptian hieroglyphics? It is truly a sad day when we see Black fraternities and sororities' fighting those outside and inside of their brother and sisterhood. And we all know it happens on every. Black college campus across the country. J If I cannot be your brother, be-' cause I was bom one, and not takd' your mental, physical, and verbal abuse, and possibly the loss of m^ life, then I will have to be an only child. With all of the secrets that you claim to share amongst yourselves, and keep from me, there is one that I feel obligated to share with you. Brother and sister, the community service, the volunteering, and the close bond that you claim promote, as a reason for your exists ence, is really no reason at all. tfil you really claim to be about help^ ing, uplifting, and strengthening the Black community specifically, and the entire community generally, begin your initiation process with the true meaning of “Know () Thy Self.” Subscribe to the free parent^ newsletter, Parents and Urban Education by writing me at: [email protected], or 9701 E. 63rd St., Indianapolis, IN. 46236. Call me at: 317-393 v \ 2188.

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