[15406] in APO-L
Promises
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joseph M. Fisher)
Sat Nov 9 17:43:20 1996
Date: Sat, 9 Nov 1996 17:41:45 -0800
Reply-To: "Joseph M. Fisher" <jfisher@RacerX.mse.jhu.edu>
From: "Joseph M. Fisher" <jfisher@RacerX.mse.jhu.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
I find it difficult to understand why we are talking about a *promise* we
made to the all-male chapters. WE did not make that promise, or at least
not the vast majority of us - the delegates and officials at the 1976
convention did. We may choose to uphold their decision; but if we don't,
we are in no way breaking OUR word. APO is a students' organization; our
leadership changes continuously. The promises we make and the programs
we run are maintained not by the force of our word, but by the brothers
coming after us who share our point of view. We cannot hold future
brothers to our promise. We can only try to do what is right, and hope
that in trying likewise they come to the same decisions.
I must add that there *are* some promises we have made as a fraternity
that we have not broken, and cannot break, while we remain true
brothers. They are the core of APO beliefs... things which have not
changed from our founding... our commitment to LFS, for example, if not
the Oath we swear (I'm not sure whether it's been changed). These things
are essential to our experience as brothers; that is why they cannot
be changed. We have also, as I'm sure somebody is going to point out, had
all-male chapters since our founding - but do we really want to argue that
this is essential to the APO experience?
(Note: this is BAIT, attached to a really sharp rhetorical hook. Please
think *carefully* about this before you take it!!!)
-- Cyrano
