Rickey Smiley isn’t afraid to talk his thoughts. Just lately, whereas on Jemele Hill’s “Spolitics” podcast, the comic and member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Integrated expressed his deep disappointment along with his fraternity and the “tradition” he believes contributed to the loss of life of 20-year-old Southern College scholar Caleb Wilson earlier this yr.
“I don’t suppose Bishop Edgar A. Love would have punched anyone within the chest. Simply, Love, Cooper and Coleman based Omega Psi Phi at Howard College in 1911. Plenty of these guys that began this tradition, I don’t care if it began within the 80s, I don’t care when it began. It’s mistaken. In 25 years within the frat, I’ve by no means put my palms on anyone.”
Smiley who has been an lively member of the fraternity since 2000 has been very vocal in his help for the Wilson household. Since information broke of Wilson’s premature loss of life, the comic has used his platform to encourage folks to wish for the Wilson household of their grief. Having grieved the lack of his personal son in January 2023, Smiley says he referred to as Wilson’s father shortly after the incident to supply his help.
“I referred to as Caleb Wilson’s dad and supplied my condolences as a result of I’m a dad that additionally misplaced his son,” Smiley informed Hill. “You realize what he stated? You’re the first member of your fraternity to name and supply your condolences.”
As he helps the Wilson household, the comic burdened his disdain for the “gang-like mentality,” he’s noticed amongst members of the fraternity lately.
“I [joined] Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, due to what it was based on, not the tradition that was created,” he defined. “Tradition begins with cult. It’s gang exercise…the final bodily altercations that I’ve gotten into as a person was with Ques. Why? Why I depart the conclave questioning ‘what am I part of? Why is it all the time some points with my fraternity? With my bruhz?’ As a result of there’s a tradition giving folks entry to be disrespectful. It’s gang-like mentality and mindset.”
“A few of these folks in plenty of these organizations, the founders by no means would have picked them,” he continued noting how dangerous hazing might be. Much like Wilson who was punched within the chest, Smiley revealed that one in all his nephews who additionally crossed Omega Psi Phi had bruised ribs from being on-line. Whereas his nephew didn’t die, Smiley says that the fraternity stays an “unstated” aspect between them and notes the psychological affect bodily hazing can have on folks.
“You don’t know what anyone went by way of to get to the place they’re. You’re already a person in case you make it out of the tasks to make it to varsity. Who’re you to place your palms on somebody?” he burdened. “Hazing has to cease. It’s mistaken; cease placing your palms on folks. Individuals come to those organizations searching for one thing they by no means had. [Hazing] isn’t what the group was based on.”
The comic famous that whereas there’s a want for main change throughout all Divine 9 organizations in terms of hazing, he famous that there are some members who’re making an attempt to interrupt “the generational curse of hazing,” significantly in Omega Psi Phi.
“I’m not throwing my frat below the bus as a result of every part the founders based it on, I nonetheless consider it…I perceive the tradition of [traditions] however that don’t make [all traditions] proper,” he stated.
And to anybody who could have a difficulty along with his feedback, he shared, “I’ll be a Que perpetually and ain’t no one going to do nothing about what I simply stated. Name me cat [a term viewed as a “slur” within the fraternity]. Name me no matter you need to name me, I do know who I’m. I don’t want no group for validation.“
