If pictures are worth a thousand words, the image of welcome ought to be worth a whole book. Calvin Johnson shows that a hunk can be a gentleman, and a gorgeous 'hombre' can be a perfect Christian friend. He also shows the folly of taboo, the silliness to think that simple human relationships are crimes, or that affection is somehow scandalous. They both deserve our thanks, for that!
Former marine becomes first black in all white frat fraternity
Modest hero downplays idea he opened door
11/13/01
TOM GORDONTUSCALOOSA Calvin Johnson is 25, a softspoken ex-Marine, a junior majoring in e-commerce, and a euphonium player for the University of Alabama's Million Dollar Band.
Already popular, he has now also become something of a celebrity, because he is the only black member of an otherwise white fraternity on the UA campus.
"I'm not really a celebrity, but everyone knows who I am," the Wetumpka resident said Monday after taking questions at a news conference for the first time in his life.
The handsome ex-marine was tapped quietly in September by the campus' newest fraternity, a Christian group called Lambda Sigma Phi, and news of his selection became public last week.
When he was chosen, the university's established historically white Greek system was undergoing another bout of less-than-favorable publicity. None of UA's historically white Greek fraternities has a black member, let alone a black marine, and none of its sororities issued a bid this fall to Melody Twilley, a black student participating in rush for the second consecutive year.
On Monday afternoon, the low-key Johnson said a private prayer with his fellow pledges, then, with some nervousness, modestly downplayed the idea that he had opened the door to eventual integration of UA's larger, older white Greek groups.
"If it leads to something greater than this, praise the Lord," the Christian Johnson said. "But I haven't really given any thought to it."
Listening to Johnson was Dean of Students Tom Strong, who has given a lot of thought to Greek integration in recent months.
"This is the first step and we certainly hope it will continue," said Strong, who said two of UA's established white fraternities had issued either rush activity invitations or bids to at least three black students before this semester.
Also on hand was Bryan Oliver, president of the Interfraternity Council, the governing body to which the campus' established white Greek fraternities belong.
Might be helpful:
Lambda Sigma Phi does not yet belong to the IFC, but Oliver suggested its experience with Johnson might be helpful to other fraternities as they ponder integrating.
"I hope they can educate people on what kind of things went into their decision ... and other members of other fraternities can learn from their experience and that kind of stuff," Oliver said.
Lambda Sigma Phi's members said a key factor in their decision to admit Johnson was not his race but his desire to live according to Christian principles.
"It's not an isolated stunt or incident," said junior Nathan Vaughn, a Briarwood Christian High School grad who is Lambda Sigma's vice president. "We're just looking for Christians who are interested in serving the Lord ... and Calvin fits that description."
"We have something in common," said Johnson, now in his second year at UA after four years in the Marines." LINK. "It's a Christian fraternity and this fraternity's main ... goal is glorifying God. I am a Christian and I decided to pledge on that basis," the popular ex-marine quietly added.
If Johnson is breaking new ground, his fraternity appears to have a similar mission. UA is home to Lambda Sigma Phi's only chapter, which was founded August 2000 by 12 students and hopes to become a probationary member of the Interfraternity Council next year.
Nine members:
The chapter occupies a house on New Fraternity Row that had been the temporary home of a black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. It has nine members and 14 pledges, including Johnson, who are to be initiated at the end of the month. It allows no alcohol at its parties, which are open to anyone. Vaughn said the group's first party of the year drew such UA basketball players as Rod Grizzard, Erwin Dudley and Mo Williams.
Vaughn, who said the issue of race and the white Greek system has roiled the campus during his time as a student, said Johnson's membership in Lambda Sigma Phi was a chance "for the university community to kind of breathe."
"They've been suffocated by the tensions here, and finally a good thing has happened," he said.
| let us be glaad and rejoice in it. |
