Fraternity Kappa Alpha Officially Bans "Old South" and "Dixie" Parties

Fraternity Kappa Alpha Officially Bans "Old South" and "Dixie" Parties


Lexington, VA (WLTX, AP) -- The executive council of the Kappa Alpha Order has forbidden members of its chapters across the country from wearing Confederate uniforms and "Old South" regalia during fraternity-sponsored events.

The decision comes after fraternity officials received complaints of insensitivity following an "Old South" parade at the University of Alabama that stopped at the house of Alpha Kappa Alpha members, a traditionally black sorority, during their 35th anniversary party. The chapter cancelled their "Old South" parade for this year, which was scheduled for this week.

The fraternity, which was founded in honor of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, has never "prescribed nor recommended" to its members that they hold an "Old South" or "Dixie Ball," an event that was popularized during the 1920s where male participants wear Confederate soldier regalia and women wear "Southern Belle" dresses, heavily featured in films like 1939's "Gone With the Wind." An amendment to fraternity laws stated that the events were celebrated as they focused on "perpetuating the social attributes of courtesy, graciousness, and open hospitality," values they say were prominent when the fraternity was founded in 1865 Virginia.

"Old South" parades are still a staple on many Southern campuses, and fraternity officials ask that chapters that hold such events should ensure that they are "conducted with restraint and dignity and without displays of trappings and symbols which might be misinterpreted and objectionable to the general public."

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=86610&catid=2

I don't mind the war re-enactments, as those have some historical significance... ok, the ones I have seen here in the Los Angeles area, anyway. But the Frat parties... I don't think historical accuracy is what many of them are going for...

The cannon on the lawn of a KA house means one thing, and one thing only, that that particular chapter has never inducted a black fraternity member. There are only two KA houses in the country that are without cannons. One is at Westminster College in Fulton Missouri, they've admitted black members to their chapter. The other is forty miles down the road at the University of Missouri in Columbia Missouri. They lost their cannon because they were drunk idiots, stuffed the cannon full of fireworks one night and blew it up. Whoops.

I don't recall a cannon at the KA house there.

and at that time marched to the courthouse and raised the confederate flag. Had a their party catered by KFC. I know, because I went to watch with my grandma (I was 11 and didn't know much better at the time). I can't remember when they quit going to the courthouse.

Thats the question on everyone's mind (to be accurate, it was a cattle prod)


Whats sort of funny is that a stone throw away from the KA HQ, on an adjacent campus, VMI's formal uniforms look earily similar to confederate uniforms. Where is the outrage? :)

Have you seen those at West Point? "The Long Gray Line".

Why would we want to stop such a time-honored tradition for these open-minded and racially understanding young men? :evilgrin:

:)

And yeah, in that light, might as well let it persist


(BTW, I had a KA friend who was actually very liberal and open minded, believe it or not)

Are the same as West Point's except for the buttons. The design and color are based on the uniforms adopted for Winfield Scott's brigade in the War of 1812. VMI was wearing those uniforms 25 years before the Civil War.

I think that since its where the tomb of Stonewall Jackson is, I jumped to conclusions.

And putting on a Confederate uniform is the only way to learn such values? What do these manners only exist in the Old South?

:rofl:

:bounce:

I used to work with several ladies of the AKA and that was my joke with them. They loved the respect.

AKA is a fantastic organization that does really really good local acts and has been a large part of the rise of all people's rights in the last 100 or so years.

Don't mess with the green and pink



I just LOVE that a bunch of white frat boys got their narrow asses handed to them by AKA.

ARizona is the new dixie