They are not who we, as men of Pi Kappa Phi, are. And they cannot be who we allow our brothers to be.
Our Creed talks about a common loyalty that transcends any personal selfishness; but at its root, it requires a common loyalty that transcends any personal differences. Our tradition of service before self demonstrates the value of understanding and elevating people of different abilities, backgrounds and perspectives.
If you are to truly build the ideal chapter Ñ if we are to truly build the ideal fraternity Ñ then our commitment to embracing the differences woven into the fabric of our fraternity must be more than words on paper. Our commitment to building a diverse and inclusive fraternity must be more than a desire to be politically correct or an attempt to avoid negative press. Our commitment to respecting all differences must continue to be as sacred as the oath we swore on the night of our initiation into Pi Kappa Phi.
Chapters of our fraternity must be places where people of all races, religions, ethnicities, national origins, abilities, and sexual orientations are welcome. This brotherhood must be built on true friendship, on dignity, and on respect. As men of Pi Kappa Phi, we must strive each day to better the world around us.
In conversations on your campus and within your chapter, the recent events at the University of Oklahoma will certainly spark a wide range of opinions and perspectives. These are not times to tout the best of fraternity Ñ to justify our existence to the world around us. These are times for self-reflection, for listening, and for open dialogue across the differences that too often divide us. It is our actions, not our words, that will reveal our true character.
The ideal chapter is not what we judge ourselves to be, but a measure of how we conduct ourselves. The ideal fraternity will never be a distinction we claim as a checkbox on a strategic plan. Instead, we must strive each day, through our words and actions, to live the ideals and values of Pi Kappa Phi. To better the world or become the ideal may be a distant and lofty goal. To be men of empathy and integrity, understanding and inclusivity, however, is not.
I pledge to do my share every day to make our fraternity and our society a more accepting and inclusive place. I challenge you to do the same.
In Pi Kappa Phi,
Tracy D. Maddux
National President