Please Distribute Widely:
Colleagues,
I am planning an AEJMC convention ’08 panel (with a
9/07 deadline) and a book on media representation of HBCU campuses and social
impact of that representation. The working title is ‘Stamp
the Yard: Media Representation of HBCU
Campuses.” Copied below is a DiversityOnline article
about HBCU Black Greek Fraternity/Sorority representation in film and its
impact…just to start you thinking. What about “A Different
World;” “Cosby” HBCU sweaters and “Hillman”
series cameos; radio representation on the Tom Joyner Show tours; news coverage
of HBCU’s, implications of international play of any of these? What about
the media representation of Black women/ sexual orientation/ HIV-AIDS/
interracial relationships/ class differentiation/ values/ religion, etc. at
HBCU’s?
Please send a 500-word chapter proposal
including what you will study and how. Remember to write for the popular
vs. the academic audience though include endnotes in
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Department of Communications
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Thank you in advance for your
Scholarly & Creative Activity
Referrals -
Lectures, Performances, Workshops,
Consultation Related Info: http://home.earthlink.net/~ekdaufin/
From Diverse Online
Current News
Perspectives: From ‘School
Daze’ to ‘Stomp the Yard:’ Why Black Greeks Must Go
By Ricky L. Jones
Feb 5, 2007, 07:52
Most
Americans are not very familiar with Black Greek-letter organizations. Their
small numbers and obscurity, however, do not lessen their threat, and it is
high time we give it serious attention. I would advise college and university
administrators, students, parents and all others of good conscience to educate
themselves.
Mainstream
Almost two
decades later, another theatrical representation of Black Greek life has
entered into
It should be
understood that Black Greek-letter organizations are almost exclusively
populated by college-educated African-Americans. Hence, one would expect them
to be in the vanguard of the struggle for an egalitarian society. This,
however, is not the case. Organizationally, Black Greek voices are, in fact,
absent in most discussions of today’s pressing issues. When have they
substantively addressed Black poverty, political disempowerment,
disproportionate incarceration, police brutality, etc.? Make no mistake, the
intentional or unintentional simultaneous glorification of certain aspects of
Black Greekdom coupled with the refusal or inability to speak to its underbelly
literally has deadly consequences.
When I
finished writing Black Haze, the
only book to date to solely center on the violence of the Black Greek pledge
process at the end of 2002, I did
not give the idea that the organizations may need to be eradicated any serious
consideration. Since then, Black Greeks themselves have forced me to reexamine
that commitment. At various speaking engagements on campuses around the
country, I have talked about students being abused, injured and killed while
pledging. Non-Greeks in the audiences often sit with mouths open —
aghast. Greeks, however, are unflinching — emotionless. Often, they even
openly defend the processes in spite of the deaths and damage recounted during
our sessions.
It was
disturbing. Their attitudes persist in the wake of hazing deaths and damage
across the country. Joel Harris at Morehouse: Dead. Shawn Blackston at
In October
of 2005, in the wake of an injury at Fisk University involving my own
fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, I penned “Is it Time to Disband Black
Greek-letter Fraternities and Sororities?” for Diverse, then Black
Issues in Higher Education. The very title of this short piece
ignited a firestorm of the likes Black Haze never
did. The reason, of course, was simple. Even though I had not arrived at the
point where I openly pushed for the dissolution of Black Greek fraternities and
sororities, I certainly posed the question as to whether or not they should be.
I never took that step in Black Haze.
I must now not only pose the question, but answer it with a resounding
“yes.”
Here are a
number of stark and disturbing realities we must consider. In an effort to
eradicate hazing, Black Greeks have constructed various Membership Intake
Programs, which, in many respects, created more problems than they solved.
Pledging did not die, it simply moved underground. So many chapters augment
illegal underground pledging to the point where it is now the norm instead of
the exception.
Black Greeks
continue to deploy the empty argument that pledging and hazing are not the same
thing. This is a semantic ruse only effective with those not familiar with the
organizations. In fact, the activities are inextricably tied.
National
organizations refuse to admit that hazing is not an activity limited to small
groups of “renegade” members. In fact, it is deeply rooted in the
cultures of the groups and is actively or passively condoned by a majority of
members. Little has been done to effectively curb it. This indicates that the
groups’ leaders have largely lost control of their memberships.
Consequently, they have resorted to rule changes and public stances which they
hope will shield them from legal attack, but have little or no effect on
stopping the dangerous behavior of their members.
So, what is
to be done?
Greek
leadership, like alcoholics, must first publicly admit they have a serious,
deep-seated problem that they have little idea how to stop and seek real help.
To date, they have proven that they cannot, or do not want to, stop hazing on
their own. It is essential that they, and their members, stop making excuses
and demonizing those who offer real and legitimate critiques. Until then, they
must accept responsibility for each and every injury and death resulting from
hazing in their organizations.
National
organizations must immediately adopt a real zero-tolerance policy on hazing.
Any chapter involved in such activities should not be suspended — it must
be closed forever. There are too many instances of the same chapters incurring
suspension after suspension without end. In fact, some see frequent suspension
as a badge of honor rather than a mark of shame. If Greek leadership is serious
about stopping hazing, these chapters simply will have to cease to exist.
Black Greek
leadership should also proactively seek legislators in every state who will
sponsor bills to make hazing a felony instead of a misdemeanor. When faced with
hazing cases, they should then join in the prosecution of hazers to the fullest
extent of the law. I wonder how many Black Greeks will be committed to
“keeping it real” when people are sent to jail or prison?
If none of
these measures stops the hazing in these organizations, they must disband. If
they will not do so voluntarily, colleges and universities should mobilize
their in-house counsels to seek legal redress and have them banned from their
campuses. There is no other choice. From an administrator’s point of
view, these groups are risk-management nightmares and can no longer be
tolerated in their present incarnations. From a concerned citizen’s point
of view, they offer a continuous threat to life and mental health, and that
cannot be tolerated either.
In 2006,
while attempting to join Kappa Alpha Psi, Florida A&M student Marcus Jones
was beaten so badly that he required surgery on his buttocks. At points, Jones
and others were literally knocked out by Kappas, revived and hazed more. I
stated my belief to a
I still
think I do.
Like many
Black Greeks, I love my fraternity and believe in its ideals. But after years
of this hazing madness, I must, without apology, take the stand that either
Black Greeks have to stop it or they must go! I hope other reasonable people of
good conscience will join me.
Dr. Ricky L. Jones is associate professor and chair of the
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© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
We sometimes have problems with our server
rejecting incoming email. If your reply to this email is returned to
you, PLEASE call me at the number below. Apologies...We are
working on it. Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. E-K. Daufin, Professor
Department of Communications
334.229.6885
Thank you in advance for your
Scholarly & Creative Activity
Referrals -
Lectures, Performances, Workshops,
Consultation Related Info: http://home.earthlink.net/~ekdaufin/