Historically Black Fraternity Inducts Bill Clinton As Honorary Member

NEW ORLEANS — A historically black fraternity has voted to induct former President Bill Clinton as an honorary member.

Phi Beta Sigma President Paul Griffin Jr. said Friday that Clinton is the first U.S. president to be inducted into a historically black fraternity.

The fraternity voted Tuesday for Clinton's induction at its 95th Anniversary Conclave in New Orleans, La.

Stevie Wonder, Al Roker, the Rev. Al Sharpton and jazz musician Ramsey Lewis are also honorary members of Phi Beta Sigma.

The fraternity was founded in 1914 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. It has more than 150,000 alumni and college members in about 500 chapters throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Africa and Asia.

Comments

[nowarpleez]

Why?

[booboo111]

Because Bill Clinton was our first black president.

[BigAl72]

True. Obama is actually second.

[StillIRise]

Says who?

[RJII]

he gets props for opening shop up in Harlem-- around all the brown eyed girls

[PoliticalRockChick]

Very true. LMAO

[Eric8]

Clinton did nothing for African Americans during the 90's. He used race baiting in Hilary's primary campaign last year. But what it comes down to I guess, is that the elites of the world stick together, like bees to honey.

[dct1999]

Ths is John Lewis' way of apologizing for having to switch his endorsement from Hillary to Obama. He loves him some Clintons.

[ECB]

Clinton is a "Q Dawg".

[shaboopus]

I'm a Que! Watch your mouth ECB! lol

[ECB]

Sorry wants to be a Que !

LOL !

[Tanyars5]

My first boyfriend was a Que. Watch your mouth.

[Whalen1776]

That is awesome!

Here are the distinguished Alumni from my Fraternity

http://www.alphachirho.org/Home/AboutUs/DistinguishedAlumni/tabid/65/Default.aspx

[RJII]

impressive

[Gloria5]

What a gracious idea. Good for that fraternity.

[fya]

Are you joking?

[RJII]

I think its a good thing.

[dct1999]

There is some speculation that John Lewis is behind this bulllsheeet. He's a sigma and he endorsed Hillary during the primaries; . He even talked about how much he loves the Clintons.

[robXdion]

Classic case of Stockholm Syndrome if true.

[Hobay]

Please tell us all how?

[dct1999]

Remember how he didn't switch his endorsement to obama until his district went overwhelmingly for him?

[AbbieXHoffman]

so...are you saying because he's black he can't love the Clintons?

[dct1999]

No, I'm saying that he talked about his love for the Clintons. What part are you having trouble grasping?

[MIKEBC]

Remember last decade how they used to call Bill the first black president!

[dct1999]

Who is "they"?

[Thaencyder]

us, you know?

[AbbieXHoffman]

Toni Morrison...but she clarified that her comments where about Bill being found guilty on allegations before even being tried just like many AAs have been in our history.

[booboo111]

They is us after eight years of Reagan and four years of Bush 1. Your memory is short.

[fya]

Sometimes, I wonder ................

[Burkelbile]

Play 'em a video of Slick Willy's quote about Obama winning the 2008 South Carolina primary and then ask them if they still want to honor their "honorary brother."

[punkingale]

Play the part of the video where the reporter asked Bill Clinton a question and the media only showed his answer. Show the question!!!!!

[dct1999]

The question asked was "what does it say about Barack Obama that it takes two of you to beat him?"

None of the reporters mentioned Jesse Jackson. Bill Clinton was the ONLY one who made reference to Jackson's SC win.

Stop the bulllsheeet.

[fratricide08]

They can't do that just like they too ignorant to realize that Jesse Jackson wasn't an insult. Who's insulting who? People who remember know the Year of Jackson and what it meant. If you think it's an insult you're a victim of GOP lies.

[fratricide08]

Bill didn't say anything bad in South Carolina. I'm sick of ppl. pushing that bull. Jesse Jackson wasn't a joke when he won SC. That year was labeled Year of Jackson because of his success. Ppl dogging on Jesse now have no idea how he was viewed back then and what his campaign meant. Jesse was an inspiration back then regardless of how ppl view him now.

[fya]

Oh please. I'm so sick and tired of black people thinking that Bill Clinton is "black." Some love him because he played the sax on the Arsenio Hall Show and smoked some pot. I ask my black friends, "What did Bill Clinton do for blacks as POTUS." They have no answer.

[dct1999]

He made the trains on time...oh wait, that was Mussolini and Hit...ler.

[StillIRise]

"I'm so sick and tired of black people thinking that Bill Clinton is 'black.'"

How many black people do you know who think Bill Clinton in black??? Personally, I don't know ANY! In fact, not only didn't I know any when Toni Morrison said that he was our first black President, but not even Toni Morrison believed it herself.

I also don't know ANY black people who love Bill Clinton "because he played the sax on the Arsenio Hall Show and smoked some pot."

Your post makes me wonder what kind of black people you claim to know, or if you know any black people at all.

Actually, what I'M sick and tired of is people who're not black assuming that they have the authority to speak for those of us who are, or who attempt to define us or explain us through the limited prism of their stereotypes. I'm also sick and tired of people who need to lie to try to make a point!

[robbep]

you know your absolutely right on this one. Clinton talked the talk but his center right policies did a lot of damage to the black community. His signing of NAFTA has contributed to millions of jobs moving out of black communities he did nothing to stop the genocide in Rawanda and we still continued to celebrate him.

[Fabienne]

He did NOTHING for blacks and Latinos and Latinas when he was President, or the LBGT community, for that matter, except hang out with them, so why do they all revere the narcissistic Clintons? Makes no sense.

[Softnsweet]

Oh hell to the naw!!

[dct1999]

LMAO!

[triplbee]

Were the members of this fraternity in a coma during the Democratic primary? Did they miss the part where Bill and Hillary tried to win the nomination by appealing to white racism?

[dct1999]

Co-signing big, like John Hancock.

[robXdion]

He did the same thing to win in 92. To be frankly honest, some blacks don't get it. Many are influenced by older blacks who remember worse times, so Bill is their hero by historical default. Political subterfuge confuses them and they resent being awoken from their quest to win acceptance by any means necessary. This is not to say they should eternally be at odds with whites or anyone else, but you'd think they'd have some self-respect. Even many whites can appreciate and respect that.

[dct1999]

"...Bill is their hero by historical default."

Exactly! I wish I'd said that.

[MyNameIsJames]

Yup - If anyone deserves to be called the first "Black President" in terms of contribution to African American progress it should be either LBJ or FDR

[FanofPaine]

And this. Seriously.

[Elburro]

Bill should tell them to shove it.
They didn't say s**t when he was smeared left and right to get to Hillary.

[sbrown80]

Bill smeared himself. Bill always smears himself and blames others

[dct1999]

Dayum straight, Bill's wounds were self-inflicted.

[robXdion]

Bill has smeared black people in general ever since Rickey Ray Rector. You know full well he and Hillary the former Goldwater Girl (who had the hardworking white voters) damaged themselves. Don't be upset because some blacks had self-respect to call out that nonsense.

[NeoStar9]

He wasn't smeared at all. We all know what he said and why he said it. Did they truly mean it? I doubt it but others can come to their own conclusion. Even still it was wrong to do and he was rightfully called on it. President Clinton and then Senator Clinton hurt themselves. Not just with the whole South Carolina issue but that "dodging bullets" story didn't help much either.

[punkingale]

The only reporter with guts enough to tell the truth was Craig Crawford. He said a reporter had asked Clinton a question in South Carolina and the media only showed his answer. Even the reporter who asked the question never came forward so the media could smear Bill Clinton. And, boy, did they succeed!!!

[StillIRise]

Except for your first sentence and your willingness to give him and Hillary the benefit of the doubt ("Did they truly mean it?), I agree with your post.

Bill Clinton was very much smeared as was Hillary, and they did it to themselves. They both exploited the racial divide in an effort to gain votes, and in their attempt to marginalize President Obama, they marginalized and thereby offended all African Americans. It also didn't matter whether or not they meant it ... putting it out there was what mattered, and neither of them hesitated to do that.

I think most blacks (except for this fraternity obviously) embrace the Clintons at an arms distance. While we can support them and work with them and respect them in a given capacity (i.e. Hillary as SOS), we know who they are now, and we're not going to forget the side of themselves that they showed us.

Fool me once ...

[spankies space]

What a disgrace.

[Ravenback47]

Whatever...