Toast Song
 

So changing the Toast Song again did not happen at the 2004 National Convention. What are everyones feelings on this? Had it made it out of committee, the delegates from my chapter would have voted to change it (we're a predominantly female chapter, and we already sing "true to alpha phi omega" as opposed to "men of alpha phi omega." Do you forsee this ever changing?

We also sing "brothers clasp the hands of SISTERS" as opposed to brothers. It's odd for all of the girls in our chapter to refer to ourselves as brothers. What's everyones thoughts on this?

This board is too dead! Theres nothing like controversy to spice things up!

YILFS and APO luv
ashley

Personally, I don't feel that there is a need to change our toast song. We should stick with only one version of the toast song. I mean we recognize that this is a coed organization, but this is also a fraternity meaning that this is a BROTHERHOOD. If members wanted to sing sisters or call each other soror or sister then they should have respectfully joined a sorority. If your chapter is dominated by more females than males then deal with it. When things are changed it only becomes confusing for others to adapt to. Let the toast song be and let it remain.

I really hope people realize once and for all that the Brothers on the whole don't want the song to change.

And, as I say every two years, I don't see why some musically inclined soul doesn't decide to write some additional fraternity songs....

it would make more sense to write another song reflecting the whole co-ed thing than to change the toast song. I do not agree with changing the toast song and will never agree nor sing the toast song any other way. Alpha phi Omega has lost so many traditions so let just keep the one we have.

I agree with my brothers on this one. We have lost so much tradition in our beloved fraternity. Let the toast song remain as it is. As far as other songs, I cannot assist with that one, but I can come up with a few chants.

D-E-L-T-A P-H-I..............
First chapter at an HBCU
Known as Delta Phi

We stand loyal and we stand true.......
Holding our head high to the gold and blue......

D-E-L-T-A P-H-I.........
First chapter at an HBCU
Know as Delta Phi

From the female prespective....

Although there are men in teh frat I am in (zeta phi) , we are still predominately female, and personally, I DO NOT think the toast song shoul dbe changed. Let me put you up on game...

That toast song is apart of the rich legacy of our frat, and to up and change it in my eyes is sort of disrespectful. Here's my suggestion to you---since you guys are predominately female, write some songs for your chapter that acknowledge the strong presence of female and at the same time revels in the legacy of brotherhood that our frat so greatly admires. I know with the chapter of Zeta Phi, we have made many song significant to our chapter...from the olds heads who songs sounded like doo wop, to the new flava we currently have our pledges sing.

Now there is one thing you should always remember, you joined this fraternity with full knowledge that there are no 'sisters' in this frat and no woman is acknowledge that way here.

My advice to you is to look at the toast song as though one looks at the bible. Yeah, everything is refered to in the male since, but it represent all of mankind, since woMAN came from MAN. You're still represent whether it says man or person. just look at teh song objectively instead of subjectively.

Good luck

Amen. I'll go so far as if to say that if you think the toast song should be changed because you find the wording offensive, you should probably resign from APO.

I'm gonna have to agree. Delta Phi is now predominately all females and would hate to see the toast song changed. I knew coming into this organization that is was a fraternity based on brotherhood and that's what I love about it. Women are able to enter into this frat and be on the same level as a man. So why change a song that holds so much history and dignity of this great fraternity.

Just because we are females and we are called 'brothers' doesn't make us inferior it makes us unique. Be true to yourself and think about why you chose this service FRATERNITY.

Actually lost
 

I can remember losing a member of an interest group over the issue.

Randy

I never think that the toast song should be changed but I will admit that at Epsilon Mu(UMD- College Park) we added a verse.

Sing we now both men and women, brothers all are we
Hearts as one, we praise together our diversity
Ever growing, ever learning, so that we may be
Joined in Alpha Phi Omega, for eternity.

We never chaneged the fact that we are all brothers. We just expanded on the fact that we're all brothers(not matter what the sex of the person is).

And then there is...
 

Unofficial Third Verse)
Back your girl into a corner,
Turn the lights down low.
Place one hand upon her bosom,
The other down below.
When she starts to shake and shiver,
Tell her so she'll know--
That's the secret handshake of
The men of A-Phi-O.

(Unofficial Fourth Verse, in retaliation by the female brothers to the Third Verse)
Lead your guy on to the dance floor
Press your bodies tight
Tell him what he wants to hear
That he'll get some tonight
Let him walk you to your doorstep
Let him think you're cheap
Then send him home in agony
Where he can BEAT HIS MEAT

OK, obviously I'm in the minority here. But I do have a few things to point out.

1. Saying that I should resign from APO because I feel the toast song is outdated (not that I'm saying its bad, but had the toast song been written AFTER the fraternity turned coed, the words would surely be different) is flat out rude. Anyone who would do that is obviously not in APO for the right reasons.

2. I find that adding unofficial verses (especially lewd ones) is a lot more disrespectful than simply changing a couple words.

3. I'm obviously from a more liberal region than most. I'm not disrespecting the organization. Every single person in my chapter agrees that it should change.

4. Just because things change or should change does not mean they were bad in the first place. Simply outdated.

5. If the words were already "true to alpha phi omega" you would have nothing to complain about. Why specify "men" if not necessary (and yes I understand the whole men meaning people standpoint, but why even raise the question?)


The quasi-rude posts really aren't necessary. Just because i have a different viewpoint doesn't mean you need to jump on my back.

Well, I can't say that I've ever actually heard these sung, but rather found them here...
http://www.martinek.us/humor/songs.html , from Epsilon Lambda at Michigan Tech. The few brothers I have met from up there tended to have an odd sense of humor.

The tune certainly isn't originally ours. :)

Randy

The Toast Song is not going to change so you should leave it be. Brother such as myself is not gonna allow for such an event to take place. Alsom going back to the words that you all sing in your chapter (since you all are female) is disrespectful to my beloved organization. As I have stated before, there is a diversity issue in Alpha Phi Omega. Some people make a it a fraternity while others (like yourself) is trying to make it into a fraority and that is not what it is.

OK, now *that* is a bit harsh.

First of all, lurker's chapter is not *all* female, if you look at his original posting. And from what I understand from the National Office, there are now more women as active brothers in the fraternity than men. (Obviously more male alumni than female and the percentage of men who pledge is higher than those who initiate which is higher than those who stay active).

In some ways its humorous in that people like Jesse Bridges feel that the requirement that all chapters (especially to him, the HBCUs) activate/reactivate co-ed in his mind has already pushed us to being a Frarority.