Campus Greeks need reins

The relatively strained relationship among the Greeks on campus has reached an all-time low. Unlike the usual fun-spirited banter that typically occurs during the Homecoming step shows, the latest debacle to erupt on campus has moved far beyond the realm of stupidity and is nearly borderline infantile behavior more suitable for grade school children than college-age adults.

In case you’ve missed it, the writing is on the wall – literally. The Alpha plot in front of the Gore Education Complex was vandalized. To add insult to injury, the culprits were brazen enough to leave letters implicating a fraternity on this illegal act, defacing the school’s property, by marking the destroyed territory with red lines on one wall and the greek letters of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. on the other.

Who knows how the situation got started. However, retaliating in an immature manner questions the importance of an organization, which focuses on sustaining qualities that include good will, leadership or service. More importantly, the immature actions of a few exterminate the belief that these organizations breed prestige and distinction.

Vandalizing others’ property indirectly attacks the purpose, substance and validity of the mission that was established for Greek organizations since their origin. At the end of the day, FAMU is a stumping ground for young intellectuals to position themselves for greatness. This greatness should be upheld inside and outside the confines of the classroom.

If students who are selected to participate in extra curricular activities aren’t rational enough to conduct themselves with greatness, then it’s time that the administration take a critical look at the unhealthy rivalry that exists on this campus between some greek organizations. They should also discipline those who routinely step outside of the boundaries that the University has established for the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

NAACP leadership shouldn’t use getaway to lure leading blacks

Next month’s Leadership 500 Summit sounds like something for the leaders of Fortune 500 companies rather than a conference facilitating ideas of black leaders for the 21st century. For too long, blacks have relied on the Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons and Bill Cosbys of the black community to speak for all blacks rather than elevating new leaders in the community.

Beyond the fact that the previous generation of black leaders is not getting any younger, it is unacceptable that the NAACP is forced to use a weekend getaway in Destin to entice younger blacks to brainstorm ideas.

Those who actually care about the organization would not have to be lured into a Memorial Day weekend vacation at a ritzy Florida resort.

In today’s society, far too many blacks do not know what the acronym NAACP stands for or what precedence the organization set over the years. The NAACP claims it has over a half-million members, which is sadly the same as in the 1940s, but its active members is a topic by itself.

Of the 64 members on the NAACP’s executive board, only seven members are younger than 45, which means the organization is in dire need of younger members. If the executive board is not a good enough indicator, the 14 percent of members between 35 and 45 years old is more indicative.

If the NAACP brass is going to spend a weekend conference with the current and future of black business world, the dialogue should find ways to keep and recruit college students as members. Something Adriane Rodgers, president of the FAMU chapter of the NAACP, would certainly agree with.