March 2004
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March 2004 |
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Message from the Province Polemarch
My Dear Brothers,
When you think of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, what image comes to your mind? Is your image that of a smooth, sophisticated and debonair Brother? Is your image of a Kappa man one that is striving for achievement in every field of human endeavor? Is your image of a Kappa man one that is a positive leader in his community? Is your image of a Kappa man, one that is consistent with the mainstream of society, acceptable reasonable behavior?
More and more, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., is being painted as an organization that has serious problems with its members conforming to society's acceptable standards of behavior. Kappa Alpha Psi is being vilified far too often by the local and national news media because of how some, a small percentage of our Brothers act. The major news wires are picking up small market news items for regional and national publication of negative Kappa affairs. Thus, the media is helping to shape an image of Kappa to those who don't know Kappa!
Our fraternity's Brothers are going to parties searching for a release of energy and to take a break from the rigors of work and school, only to find themselves being treated in emergency rooms of hospitals or being fingerprinted for an arrest record. Please let me be clear about this, the hospital and municipal incarcerations are happening as the result of what happened in the party and as a result of the party and not what happened on the way home from the party.
Call me old fashioned, but when the party was over we cleared the hotel lobbies and parking lots. If we wanted to continue the party, it was announced where the after party would be held and the party convened at that location. Increasingly, hotel or club staffs have had to resort to calling the police for assistance to restore order outside their establishment. Those outside are asked to leave by the local police only to refuse and fall into the area of being disorderly. We don't need to look outside our Province for examples of this type of behavior for there are far too many examples here in the Middle Western Province!
As we approach our 82nd Middle Western Province Council, let us be mindful of where we will be. The Middle Western Province Council will be held in the Gateway City of St. Louis, Missouri. The same city where ten years earlier, while we met in our business sessions, Kappa Alpha Psi was being picketed outside the hotel, being painted as abusers, hazers and murders. The news media will certainly be waiting for us to assemble our Council. Any small disturbance will be newsworthy. Let us, as usual, conduct ourselves as men of honor, men of culture and men of patriotism. Let us show the citizens of St. Louis and the watching nation the best Kappa Alpha Psi has to offer. Let us show our Brothers just what we think the true image of a Kappa man should be.
Yours in the Bond,
Elmer J. Crumbley - Polemarch
Middle Western Province
Polemarch@KAPsiMWP.com
The 82nd Middle Western Province Council will be held in St. Louis on April 15-18, 2004. The registration fee is $175 for alumni members, $100 for undergraduate members, and $100 for Silhouettes. The rising group of registered delegates is quickly approaching the anticipated number upon which we based the purchase of souvenirs. Therefore, you are urged to submit your registration as soon as possible so that your souvenir and meals will be reserved in your name. There are no plans to order additional souvenirs.
Act now! Reserve your souvenir and meals by sending your registration fee TODAY! Please mail your check or money order to our Province Headquarters at:
Message from the Senior Province Vice Polemarch
Destination Success
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated is a bond of fraternity that has as its fundamental purpose - ACHIEVEMENT. Let's assess. Does that mean that we are in a position of inferiority as one of the smallest Provinces? Does that mean that we must try twice as hard to accomplish success and greatness? I truly believe the answer to both questions is a resounding NO. It is time for brothers to come together in the spirit of excellence and begin a serious dialogue. That dialogue should include committing to a standard that exceeds previous standards. It should focus on the strengths of our noble clan and magnifying them, and identifying the weaknesses and becoming solution oriented to repair existing holes. We must begin to challenge each other in a spirit of brotherhood to become better organizationally and individually. We must respect our leadership and support our causes with vigor and aggressiveness. As our national leadership raises the bar, let us begin talking about similar parallels that will strengthen and improve the financial viability of our operations. Let's creatively recruit those brothers who are no longer engaged in the day-to-day workings of decision making. Reclamation is wonderful only if retention is connected. Complete solutions must be a focus of the direction in which we travel.
Now, as we march forward, I remind brothers that we are looking to place leaders in significant positions of responsibility. We must ask the tough questions and make the tough decisions that will have a lasting impact on the very existence of this fraternity. As an executive of a company challenged by the economy and the odds of human and financial capital, I am forced to create paradigm shifts to excel beyond the competition and remain competitive. As we move into a season of selection - - selection of focus and vision, ask the questions that will determine our collective success:
1) Where are we as an organization?
These are fundamental questions that we must assess to extend our boundaries beyond complacency. In order to achieve greatness; let us begin to have serious conversation regarding the organization that we have all chosen as the organization of choice. Let's renew our commitment and treat each other as brothers, but take care of the business of the fraternity in an engaged, serious manner. As I look over the past year, service to this noble clan has been an honor. I have served in my various capacities with pride and integrity. I thank each brother of this Province for your confidence and ask you to assist me in stretching my boundaries even further to serve our great fraternity. Let's move towards our upcoming Province Council meeting with a sense of purpose. I roll up my sleeves ready to work with you to make this our final outcome one that we can all be proud of.
Yours in the Bond,
2) What is the destination that we seek?
3) What goals and objectives will we set as we move forth on our current course?
4) Who will most effectively navigate that course?
5) How should we define success?
6) How will we measure the success that we have set as an end result?
7) Am I doing all that I should to get us to our level of success?
8) Am I fully engaged in the dialogue or am I allowing others to make the critical decisions?
Eplurivus D. West
Senior Vice Polemarch
Middle Western Province
SeniorVicePolemarch@KAPsiMWP.com
Message from the Junior Province Vice Polemarch
The Most Exciting Time to be in the Fraternity is NOW!!!
I would like for you all to realize that this is one of the best times to be a brother of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. I hope you all are taking advantage of the opportunities that Kappa is offering its membership. Kappa is definitely alive and can only grow stronger. Undergraduates, be respectful to what our Grand Officers are accomplishing. Although I have only been in the bond for a short four years, this 30th Administration of Kappa may be the most undergraduate-oriented I have ever witnessed. For instance, the Undergraduate Leadership Institute (ULI) that will be held in Atlanta, GA clearly shows the effort that our national office is willing to support us. Brothers, please apply for the ULI. If you are accepted, EVERYTHING WILL BE PAID FOR YOU!!! That includes travel, accommodations, and food. Sorry, you should be able to find women on your own in Atlanta. That is just on a national level. On the province level, we are quickly approaching and preparing for two monumental events that will be scribed in the history books; our Province Council Meeting and being the host province for the Grand Konklave 2005. This province council meeting will be a prelude to Konklave since it will be in the city of St. Louis, MO. We are having a joint meeting with the Central Region of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Rumor has it that there are three times more sorority members than fraternity members who plan on attending this joint meeting; but you did not hear that from me. The undergraduate chapters Beta Nu, Epsilon Eta, Iota Omega, and Mu Epsilon have been busy planning the undergraduate activities to ensure that the young brothers are able to work hard and play even harder. And of course we can not forget about preparation for Konklave. The Middlewestern Province has not hosted a Konklave since 1977. St. Louis has not hosted a Konklave since 1967. So now is the time to act Undergraduates. One of my life long mottos is to "Not Just Keep It Real, MAKE IT REAL." It is our time to stand up and speak on behalf of the undergraduates. We have approachable Grand Officers who have open minds, ears, and hearts. The Grand JVP just visited our Province and will be joining us for our Undergraduate Luncheon. Kappa is growing; but, it can and will grow even stronger when the undergraduates, the life blood of the fraternity, start taking charge of the leadership that we have been trained for since 1911.
I would personally like to thank every single undergraduate member in our Province. It has been great serving you. I believe that the past two CRWL Conferences have been two of the best in Province History. So thank you Delta Omega and Epsilon Gamma. Last year's Province meeting went extremely well. So thank you as well Eta. It is nothing that I have done. It is honestly the integrity of the chapters. So Brothers, young and old, when you set your standards to excellence, you will achieve with excellence!!!
God Bless and Yours in the Bond,
DeMarco K. Davidson
Junior Vice Polemarch
Middle Western Province
JuniorVicePolemarch@KAPsiMWP.com
General Counsel Report
Sports Illustrated recently published an article, "Special Report: Hazing, a High School Tragedy." Older players of a Long Island, New York high school football team committed certain acts against younger members of the squad during the annual preseason conditioning camp. According the article, the hazing included sodomizing the younger players with broomsticks, pinecones, and golf balls. The lead offenders ultimately pleaded guilty to multiple counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and the punishment ranged from probation to incarceration in a wilderness boot camp until age 21. The New York prosecuting attorney continues to investigate whether he will bring charges against other team members.
In Texas, several members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, on the campus Southern Methodist University, face up to 20 years in jail for forcing pledges to drink gallons of water, hot sauce, and for beating the candidates with wooden paddles. One candidate went into a coma, suffered pulmonary edema from water in the lungs, and had hyponatremia, a sodium imbalance from excess fluid consumption.
Finally, in Plattsburgh, New York, prosecutors charged members of a fraternity at the State University of New York after they forced a candidate to drink large amounts of water and he died. The members were charged with several crimes, including negligent homicide and ultimately pleaded guilty to hazing.
And, let us also not forget the unfortunate incident in California where candidates for membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority died during pledge activities in the Pacific Ocean. The criminal possibilities in that case are enormous and charges in that situation could include up to involuntary manslaughter. Those convicted could spend up to 17 years in a very unpleasant institution where "brutal hazing" is not only rampant but often sanctioned by prison officials.
Undoubtedly, it is a different climate than ten or twenty years ago. Prosecutors are under tremendous pressure to eliminate hazing type activities and many political candidates base their campaigns, in part, on the promise to eradicate senseless violence on college campuses. So, "Big Brother" is watching and he has very little tolerance for the type of activities some of you consider essential to "make a brother right."
So my advice is simple. If you insist on subjecting candidates to the type of activity this Fraternity and the law in every state banned and made illegal years ago, I hope you are prepared for the all-male environment you could very well experience. But, on the plus side, they will love you there and showers will take on a whole new meaning, especially when you pick up the soap.
Until next time, I am
Yours in the Bond,
Reuben A. Shelton (Past Province Polemarch)
General Counsel
Middle Western Province
GeneralCounsel@KAPsiMWP.com
History KornerGreetings my brothers. As winter turns to spring and as we begin a new season, let us spring forward with hope and spring into action with new vigor. As you are already aware, in 2004, our nation will conduct presidential, federal and local elections. I know you probably heard this said before, but let me state it again - one of the most important things one can do in society is to vote for the candidate of his choice. Malcolm X said, "The political philosophy of black nationalism means that the black man should control the politics and the politicians in his own community..."
If we are to be good citizens and if we truly desire a say and stake in our community's future - then we need to vote for our respective candidate(s). It matters not whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent, alumni, undergraduate, senior, neophyte, and all others in between, we need to vote. If you think politics don't matter - just remember the 2000 presidential election was won with less than a 5 percent difference. And if you believe our national media, this election portends of being even closer. Lets not become apathetic, or feel disenfranchised, your vote counts and politics do matter.
Let me give you some examples of what I talking about...How has the PATRIOT Act affected you? Are you aware that two Federal judges were appointed by the Bush administration during congressional recess even though congress did not approve them? Do you feel less threatened and do you feel more secure against terrorist's attacks, now that the Iraq war is over? Yes, my brothers, politics do matter.
When the United States was founded, the states made the rules about who could vote. In some states only white males over age 21 owning property were allowed to vote. Some states required that religious tests were met before a voter was allowed to go to the polls. By 1811, most religious requirements were dropped. All women were given the right to vote in 1920 by the 19th Amendment. All black men over age 21 were given the right to vote with the 15th amendment. Some states created tests and other qualifications that made it difficult for some blacks to vote. Those hurdles were done away with by the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The last major change to voting rights came in 1971 with the passage of the 26th Amendment, which dropped the voting age from 21 to 18 years of age.
Why is it important to know all of this? Because we sometimes take for granted the rights that we have and we forget that people have fought and even died to give us these rights. There are still many countries in the world where the citizens do not have a right to vote. It's sad to see elections where only about a quarter of the people who could vote actually turn out and vote. People give all kinds of reasons for not voting, but most of these reasons are not very good ones. Voting is easy, it doesn't take much time, and most importantly, every vote counts!
Brothers, as true men of achievement, please continue to stand up for what you believe in - and do it at the ballot box - vote.
Yours in the Bond,
Berry H. Pitts, III
Province Historian
Middle Western Province
Historian@KAPsiMWP.com
"Disenfranchisement is the deliberate theft and robbery of the only protection of poor against rich and black against white." W. E. B. DuBois
Valentine Lovers' Weekend Dance
Members of Independence Alumni Chapter and visiting brothers at the Valentine Lovers' Weekend Dance
On the weekend of March 20-21, 2004, the Independence Alumni Chapter celebrated its one-year anniversary. An informal celebration took place on Saturday where brothers reminisced about their years in the fraternity, dined together and shared in good cheer. Brothers from Jefferson City (MO) Alumni visited and offered congratulations and good wishes. A Power Point photo presentation chronicling the one year history of the chapter was shown. The Chapter presented plaques to Brothers Thomas Brown, Gary Wilson, Terry Milan and Bernard Hamblin for their hard work and commitment to the chapter over the past year.
Senior Kappa Affairs Committee (SKAC) Chairman
This is to introduce Brother Franklin db Jackson, Sr., Life Member of the Middle Western Province and Grand Chapter Life Member, our Senior Kappa Affairs Chairman. Brother Jackson is an accomplished musician who has played music throughout the United States and Europe. He served our country in combat in Vietnam. While in the United States Military Services, Brother Jackson earned the Master's Paratrooper Wings, the Medal of Gallantry with Palm, the Bronze Star and many other military decorations and accolades for more than 22 years of military service.
Brother Jackson further served the United States Government as an employee with: the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Housing and Urban Development. Brother Jackson's community service includes the Historian of The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (BSNM) a non profit 501(c)(3) in Houston, Texas (please take a look . . . http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com), the Publicity Director of the University of Colorado (at Manual) and recently served on the Community Correction and Parole Board for the City and County of Denver and numerous other services.
Brother Jackson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Marketing, a Master of Science degree in Public Administration, a Master of Science degree in Health and Hospital Administration, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Health services Management. Brother Jackson published "An Accelerated Process for Nonprofit Foundations" and co-published labor management relationship guides. Brother Jackson's son, Franklin Jr., and grandson, Richard Scott, are active members of the Denver Alumni Chapter.
Brother Jackson's philosophy is "The foundation for long-term success begins at home and includes: being at peace with God and self, guided by moral and ethical principles, committed too hard work and superior performance. Be successful and solvent in your own business and profession. Serve your communities, your church, your country and many good causes. Reach out and do something good for someone each and every day. It is not where or how much education you earn, it is what you do with it to help others."
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say any bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
PASS IT ON . . .
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. After discovering that a group of nonmedical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.
Brothers, we now have a CHAPTER INVISIBLE page on our province website, and we need your assistance in making it more accurate. We request that you review that site and provide updates to our Province Keeper of Records and Exchequer. Please help us fill in the blanks and also provide us with any additional brothers to be memorialized.
The Middle Western Province Virtual Museum is slowly but surely growing. The site is designed to preserve and display documents, photos and other articles of historical significance about chapters in our province, as well as our province-at-large. For this project to be successful and grow even more, we ask each of you to examine your archives in search of items that would be appropriate for inclusion in the museum. Many chapters are not yet represented here. Our highest priority at the moment has to do with the kinds of items that MUST be digitized for permanent keep before they might be destroyed by deterioration or otherwise lost forever.
Obviously a work in progress, we will eventually provide "captions" for items currently archived in our museum that are not self-explanatory. As you submit items for inclusion, we ask that you provide an accompanying explanation where appropriate. For instructions on how to submit documents and photos in a suitable format, please contact our Museum Curator at Museum@KAPsiMWP.com.
E-Mail Addresses
The technology of the Internet has become more than a luxury in the year 2003. Business and personal communication is now "defined" by an E-mail address and connection to the World Wide Web. Our province is clearly committed to the maximum use of this medium, and we can only be successful with your help. Should you change your E-mail address, please remember to notify us as soon as possible. And please help us identify every other member of our province who may have access to this technology. Spread the word!
25 Year Membership Pin
Pictured above, the pin is circular in design, slightly smaller than a quarter, and cast in a silver color. It is wrapped in a laurel wreath, emblazoned with the number "25" in the center with a small nugget below the number, and the words "Middle Western Province" around the bottom with "Kappa Alpha Psi" around the top on a crimson band.
We have restocked our supply and the cost is $25 each. Contact our Province Keeper of Records & Exchequer to purchase your pin today. Don't miss this one! Order NOW!
The Middle Western Province has authorized the production of a Twenty-Five Year Membership Pin to recognize those members who were initiated at least twenty-five years ago. The project was approved on a proposal from Brother Robert I. Mayes, Sr. of the Tulsa Alumni Chapter, and the proceeds are used to help fund our several and varied philanthropic programs and other financial obligations.
