"I love Phi Beta Sigma, I just hate the niggaz in it."~ TLT
I gave her my weekend schedule with the straightest face. "I need Friday and Saturday for the re dedication and the champagne sip."
"You have got to be kidding" said my baby mama in the most rudest of ways. "You still claim that?" As she held back her laughter I couldn't help but really ponder her words. She's not the only one who questions it. I mean I've been asked at least a thousand times on why I even claim membership.
It's really simple. It’s not hard, and despite what any snarky mofo thinks I really do love my organization. With that said
Wait you didn’t know that I was a man of Sigma? There can only be two reasons for that:
A) You've never paid close attention
B) I'm doing my job.
I am a member of Phi Beta Sigma. I am a brother of Phi Beta Sigma. I've been one since that fateful morning where I cried on April 3rd 2002 at 3:18:12am. I've loved it 6 years before that.
I love it today. I love the principles. I sing the song at some point during the day. I often recite the 12 inch rule. I'll will defend it against the world. I love the royal blue and pure white. I tried to live by the 12 inch rule and the one I love the most: best performance of duty. I go over history and facts in my head as I go about my daily routine.
I love its rich history and culture. I love the fact it was the first BGLO to have a chapter in African, to introduce legislation against anti lynching, and at the corner stone of the Harlem Renaissance. I love the fact it was at the fore front of the civil rights movement and the Black Power Movement. I love it single handedly ran the Million Man March. Shit I love PBS. I really do.
All of my heroes are men of Sigma. Alain Leroy Locke, Dr. Huey P Newton, Mayor Harold Washington, A. Philip Randolph, Hosea Walker, Ben Muhammad, The Temptations, Blair Underwood and Emmitt Smith; all men of character, race pride, excellence and dignity. Its funny that before I became a Sigma, all of these men where heroes, hell my father used to work for the late Mayor. So if it was good enough for them, then it was good enough for me.
I love the concept of brotherhood, scholarship and service, for it truly through that order will we achieve liberation. The concept of culture for service and service to humanity is fundamental in understanding that we, Black people, are the movers and shakers and must claim what we want and at the same time serve.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc, is indeed the people's frat. The founders of my wondrous band really were ahead of their time. It is no wonder that PBS is truly the sum of all things.
Shit to be honest and I mean this as no exaggeration, Phi Beta Sigma is Black Studies and it is Black History.
And to be apart of that means my legacy within Black Studies is cemented. Its on more piece of a larger puzzle, one more reason to affirm why "I am Black Studies".
"But if you feel that strongly Terrance, why aren’t you active"?
Good question Snarky mofo reading this.
I'm not active simply because I hate the niggaz in it. I also believe that my inability to make Sigma define me, rather I define it keeps me away. I believe there are far to many little boys who've experienced nothing and use this to make them feel whole. But that's a blog for another day.
Today I'm not active because I just don’t see the legacy anymore. I see my org that cant decide if it wants to be dark skinned Alphas or literate Ques. I see my org unable to decide if its a street gang or a frat.
I see far to many men using my org as some kind of low budget business and not a brotherhood.
And I simply refuse to be apart of it. Like my relationship with Fisk, I will take what I can, throw away the rest; I will build when needed, serve when asked but keep my distance.
I will do so until we stop making betas and living out our crip fantasies, I will do so until we stop coming up with weak ass social service projects.
I will do so until I feel different.
But the truth is I made a pledge and took and oath. I promised God I would do right by this and I have not. The truth is I get back into the game.
The truth is even if I don’t need Sigma, even if my heart pumps Red, Black and Green and not blue, even if I was a man before I became a MABster, PBS needs me.
and I miss it.
God I love Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc,
and sometimes even the niggaz in it.
Happy Founders Day Brothers!
TLT
Straight, No Chaser
4-09-2008
12:01am
10 comments:
sniff sniff....
What's Good Frat! Just wanted to stop by on Founders Day to say GOMAB...
www.thecoppersun.wordpress.com
// TCS
How did you know what I was thinking? GOMAB.
You have got to be kidding that you hold the fraternity is such high regards but allow those that are not doing anything to keep you from being a financial member. You took a oath...live your creed!
I feel you Frat, but I just left the Conclave and I gotta tell you, I see few thousand points of light starting to flicker.
I understand frat's frustration with some of the imperfections of Sigma. All of the BGLOs have these and other problems and our org is no different. But I think what is often forgotten is that members make the letters and not vice versa. After a 14 year hiatus from activity, I have returned back to Sigma as a member of Omicron Alpha Sigma last year. I'm here to serve and at a point when I can serve. I encourage brothers to represent the org through achievement, sevice, and inclusion just as the 12 inch states. The purpose of Sigma is service to the community and not to oneself. GOMAB!!! Happy Belated Founders's Day!!!
PROTECT AND DEFEND IT... EVEN AGAINST WORLD. GOMAB
Deep Brother!!! And I do mean Brother. I'm a past two term president of an undergrad chapter, the question I asked each candidate is " What can you do for Phi Beta because Phi Beta can't do anything for you." I was never the most liked when to ran our Chapter but most respected. When you're doing what's right and in the organization's best interest, you will never be popular. But you do it for the chapter. That was 14 years ago and now all those brothers have matured and understand why I was do tough. And those brothers are the very ones organizing our reunion this summer. You must Lead even in the face of opposition because it's what's best for the organization. You sound like a good Bro. Phi Beta needs that. If you love it Lead it. GOMAB
"Today I'm not active because I just don’t see the legacy anymore. I see my org that cant decide if it wants to be dark skinned Alphas or literate Ques. I see my org unable to decide if its a street gang or a frat.
I see far to many men using my org as some kind of low budget business and not a brotherhood."
Damn Bruh! You had some truthful words in here. Somethings that you stated are true. But at the sametime remember discretion bruh!LOL Naw im not lecturing you, I felt the same way for a long time. I was brought in a certain way Fall 03 8 V.I.B.E. Nasty "Chi" Chapter, but an older bruh one more that made me the Sigma Man I am today said, "You know Bruh, we can sit on the sidelines and spectate or we can get in the game and initiate change."
I dont know about you but I didn't go thru 10 weeks of hell, fire and brimstone to step back and let the frat I love be dominated by less worthy bruhs. Young or old no brothers letters are bigger than another. We are approaching our centennial and it's time to we reclaim our Frat and reinstitute the ideals our founders set forth. *And by the way Bruh if you were MADE Blu and White you bleed Blu and White
Our cause speeds on it's way. GOMAB BRUHS.
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