Misapprehension
Please understand, my limited experience with fraternities comes from a campus where there was a raging feud between Greek business majors and the arts. I was an English major. During homecoming of my freshman year, the bars stopped selling alcohol at midnight. A riot ensued, during which at least two cars were upended and set on fire.
I’ve never held fraternities in high esteem. This is, apparently, my mistake. In 1982, Alpha Phi Alpha joined with the March of Dimes to create Project Alpha, a national program which provides support and education to teen males about responsibility, fatherhood, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and relationships.
As part of Project Alpha week, the University of Kentucky’s Alpha Phi Alpha chapter held a discussion with 43 African-American boys about what it means to be a father:
‘”When you become a man, you got to care about others, not just yourself,” said Teakola Smith, 14, explaining the difference between a man and a boy. “You become a man when you’re ready to take responsibility and not do stupid stuff.”‘
I think the challenge isn’t simply to get boys (and men) to acknowledge that responsibility, but to take pride in their roles.
October 16th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Exactly. There is alot of joy in being a father that I think many people disregard. I’ve never understood how a person could not care about their child.