#also the funding all the organizations were getting in zeta

[journeytojaburo]

The first time they've actually named a currency in gundam...

[melony-lemony]

people make batman too mentally unstable

like damn I get that some stuff never leaves like the pain of his parents death and the guilt of making mistakes but he's not that unhinged

he still believes in the good, that's why he never kills, that's why he's ready to lend a hand to any rogues, that's why he's continuing to help a city as corrupt as Gotham

he's shown to repeatedly care for rogues, for villains, for his children, for his city, for people, you know, positively, actively

and yes I get it if the story was meant to be darker, that's fine, it depends on the situation, but just, in general? it's so unfair to his character

people just love to bring up his mistakes and make it like it defines him, like hello?? keep in mind that there's many variations of Bruce because of several different writers and of course he's going to be different IN EVERY DIFFERENT SCENARIO. HES NOT GONNA ACT THE SAME WHEN EVERYTHING IS FINE AND WHEN THE WORLD IS ENDING. and they mention and bring up Bruce's shittier moment written by shittier writers and then be like oOOo he's such a bad dad uh huh and???? as if all the batkids and every fucking character hasn't been a shitty person once in their entire comic book career???? why are you focusing on the shitty part? it's not like the batkids are entirely innocent???? it's a different story if they were forced to do this BUT THEY WERENT. THEY WERE THE ONE WHO INSISTED ON IT. SO WHY IS IT BRUCES FAULT???

people make him be too mentally unstable like.... he carries a lot of guilt but he also has a lot of hope and love oh my gOD HE WOULDN'T HAVE TRIED SO HARD TO HELP VILLAINS WHO TRIED TO KILL HIM. BE CONSIDERATE OF CHILDREN AND TRY HIS BEST NOT TO SCARE THEM. TAKE IN CHILDREN THAT NEEDED HIM.

people actually need to see him in canon instead of like, stereotyping him and/or taking versions of him from darker storylines

he jokes around a lot and not in the haha laugh kinda way but the deadpan sarcastic one, and he also smirks, and he also trusts his team a whole fucking lot. he doesn't scold them because ohh the mission could be done better he scolds them because THEY COULDVE GOTTEN INJURED OR EVEN KILLED THEMSELVES

are you telling me this man who dedicated his entire life to making the world a better place, both within the law and outside of it, both as Bruce and as batman, who keeps on supporting homeless people and orphans and holds charity a lot and supports too much and expect nothing in return, who keeps moving forward even after all the shit he was put through, who sees the best in everyone and if they're willing to better themselves he will help them along the way, who provides a safe space for aliens and heroes and vigilantes and metahumans and children, a man who does all that, is shitty?

without him, justice league wouldn't be possible, and yeah they could become a team without him but they wouldn't be as organized as him. they may say he's too strict but what he says is right, they rely too much on their power, there's countless of times where their powers were stripped away from them, or when someone copies their power, and what do they do now? not to mention there wouldnt be anyone to fund the watchtower, the resources, the help and medicines and the zeta tubes that makes help so easily accessible

he gives gives gives but refuses to take

he's emotional, his heart is too big and it's bleeding, that's why he's like this, you think "oh parents dying is such a lame backstory" and yet he became one of the best heroes ever. because he cares, because he knows how it feels like to be surrounded and drowning in pain, and he doesn't want that to happen to anyone else.

he cares so much and it hurts that people don't see it

it's another one of his contradictions, people think he's unfeeling and uncaring, and yet he feels the most pain out of them all, and yet he cares the most

he knows how it's liked to be suffocated by the darkness, and yet he uses it to his advantage, hides in it, strikes in it, make a symbol of pain and suffering into one of hope and safety

and yeah maybe he's worse when he just started out as batman, but he's better now, he has his family and he has his friends, of course he's getting better, and it's like, another thing with him is that he's trying to move on from his parents death, aka moving towards the future, and yet people are always stuck on his origin story, stuck in the past he so desperately tries to move on from, stuck when he was in a worse place mentally

and it's so unfair to him, let him heal, let him be happy, please

[wolfjessedragon]

District 9: Reflecting The World Then and Today

Note* Hey guys I know I normally don’t write stuff like this but while looking though some old files I came across this movie review I had to do for a class assignment a few years ago and thought I’d share with y’all. Why? Well with what’s going on in today’s world I thought it would be appropriate and honestly let’s start a conversation about this. This is a one time thing, just sharing some old works, I’ll still be writing SCP stuff for Zeta 1 in the future. Be good humans, hope y’all like, and have a nice day.

Imagine a world where you risk getting shot because of one little mistake or due to appearance. While in that world, imagine your body morphing, turning to the people you trust, and in return being treated like a war-prisoner. This was the reality of the two protagonists in the movie District 9. In the world of District 9, back in 1982, a spaceship full of an alien race known as the Poleepkwa landed on Earth. A few Poleepkwa explained that they had no choice but to land on Earth, that they meant the humans no harm, and they wanted to go home. At first, people were willing to help out the aliens, but a government funded organization called MNU (Multi-National Untied) made propaganda to turn public opinion against them. Allowing the MNU to do as they pleased to the Poleepkwas for the past twenty years. These exploits included unlivable conditions, working for little to no wage, restricting access to human contact, mandatory abortions for un-licensed eggs, and violence from other humans; all stacking the system against Poleepkwas. Although District 9 is a fictional movie, it mirrors injustices in our history and present day.

There are several factors that create barriers between human and Poleepkwa. The Poleepkwas look like a mixture of anthropomorphic grasshoppers and shrimp who stand at almost seven feet tall. These creatures are incredibly strong; we see just how strong they are when an MNU officer confronts one of them and in a panic, the Poleepkwa rips his arm off. We also see they have strong bonds to their young as when an MNU worker attempts to take one’s child away, the parent gets defensive. Their diet consists mostly of raw meat, suggesting that they are carnivores. These creatures can reproduce both sexually and asexually, which is the main reason why MNU kills unlicensed eggs. Another thing that creates barriers between the Poleepkwas and humans is that the Poleepkwas are physically incapable of speaking human languages. Personally, I can understand why the humans would be terrified, can you imagine creatures like that wandering around your neighborhood?

For years, MNU had posted negative propaganda to portray the creatures as monsters. Sadly, the propaganda worked, and people started acting violently towards the Poleepkwas. In the eyes of the public, MNU portrays District 9 as a sanctuary for the Poleepkwas when in reality it is far from it, as the neighborhoods are slums. There are some commercials and scenes in the movies where interviewed humans say that they fear the Poleepkwas and do not like how their government insists on keeping them in Johannesburg. I feel this reflects our world all too well as in our own history organizations have used false info and cherry picking to gain support for their horrific actions. I would also like to note that while we don’t see many humans supporting the Poleepkwas we do get a couple of shots of a crowd of humans protesting against the mistreatment of non-humans. Which makes me believe that MNU censored the interviews going against their actions.

If this sounds familiar, that is because these connections were meant to reflect radical segregation throughout history, specifically the apartheid era in South Africa. From 1948 to 1994, these apartheid laws were extreme segregation laws that allowed the white population to have all benefits over the black population. Throughout the movie and its commercials, media of how “nonhumans” are restricted from a number of things go into certain buildings, using public transportation, and are given curfews. Laws like this existed in the Apartheid Era except instead of nonhumans, it was nonwhites. The punishment, for both the movie and real life, was severe from beatings, imprisonment, and even death.

I believe Neill Blomkamp (the director/co-writer of District 9) made District 9 because his ties to the Apartheid Era are personal as they are political. Blomkamp was born in Johannesburg in 1979, a member of the white population, meaning he was not exposed to the same discrimination as his black neighbors. Blomkamp described his hometown as “this amazing, racially charged, powder-keg city — an urban prison.” It was not until he moved to Canada that he realized what was actually happening in Johannesburg. “We were all just sheltered from what was going on,” he said, “and it was only looking back that you realized, God, that’s how it was.” (A Young Director Brings a Spaceship and a Metaphor in for a Landing)

Blomkamp is a master director; the world of District 9, which we have only scratched the surface of, comes into focus, mainly through the actions of protagonists Christopher Johnson and Wikus Van De Merwe. For the past twenty years, the Poleepkwa Christopher had gathered enough fuel to jumpstart the mothership hoping to go home and give his son a better life. When the former MNU supervisor Wikus finds the fuel canister he accidentally sprays himself and begins transforming into a Poleepkwa. Still in the early stages of transformation, he undergoes the same torture and persecution that he had supported throughout his career. On the run, Wikus takes refuge in District 9, meeting up with Christopher and his son. While helping Christopher, first out of selfishness, then out of care, Wikus reflects on his previous actions and understands the struggle of life for the Poleepkwa in District 9. He quite literally lives the quote, “You never really know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” (Lee, Harper). This realization gives way to social progression and at the end, liberation. It encourages the breaking of racist, xenophobic, and social standards; and why District 9 is a reflection of humanity’s dark history.

While District 9 is fictional, the concept, location, and actions symbolize real-world criteria. Taking on the consequences of negative propaganda; I believe that our world needs more stories like this especially now when due to the internet negative propaganda more accessible than ever. In today’s world, the demand for this media is essential to make sure the present day does not once again mirror District 9.

[ztafraternity]

Unique path leads to same sisterhood

This article was originally published in the Spring 2018 issue of Themis magazine

By Heather Matthews Kirk, Contributing Writer (@lsuzetataualpha)

The vast majority of Zetas follow a similar path to sisterhood. In college, they find their home in Zeta Tau Alpha through recruitment efforts. They enjoy Bid Day, followed by New Member Experience lessons and Initiation. Some live in a ZTA house. Many take on leadership roles. All find friendship. And upon graduation, they join the alumnae world, where sisters will support them as they start careers and/or raise families.

Yet, for a handful of women each year, alumnae sisterhood is the starting point for their ZTA journeys.

Alumnae Initiates are “outstanding women…who would bring pride to the membership” and are recommended by alumnae to join ZTA more than four years after they have left college. They have the qualities and strong characteristics we seek in new members, and as alumnae, are sought out because of their capacity to dedicate to ZTA, give back to the community or advise a nearby collegiate chapter. National Council must unanimously approve all recommendations for Alumnae Initiates submitted by alumnae members.

For Kenna Cornelius Rummel, joining ZTA has provided friendship and connection in a new place. In 2015, she moved to Columbia, Missouri—far from her home in Texas—and began advising student organizations at University of Missouri. She met ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation President Julia Marthaler Hill at an Alabama/Mizzou tailgate, and Mrs. Hill connected her with Shannon Ferguson, ZTA’s current Vice President Collegiate III, who also works at Mizzou.

“As an adult, it’s harder to make friends,” Kenna said. “In college, friends are built in, but later in life, you really have to put yourself out there. Once I met Shannon, I knew I could survive in a new place. She helped Mizzou feel like home for me.”

Pictured: Kenna (left) and Shannon (right) pose for a photo during @mizzouzetataualpha‘s Bid Day.

Ms. Ferguson saw a uniqueness in her friendship with Kenna, too. “She is amazing, and I don’t say that just because she’s one of my best friends,” she said. “She embodies all that is good within higher education and is dedicated to student success.”

In 2017, Ms. Ferguson submitted a recommendation to National Council for Kenna to become an Alumna Initiate, with the hope Kenna could also serve on Alpha Psi Chapter’s advisory board. Upon approval, she invited her to join ZTA. For Kenna, it was an easy decision.

Kenna went to a small private college that did not have National Panhellenic Conference sororities. She wasn’t yet aware of the “broader Greek experience.” “In graduate school, many of my friends and colleagues were in fraternities and sororities,” she said. “It was so cool to see what the organizations provided on the national level. No matter where my friends went, they had someone to connect with. They served a similar purpose, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Kenna was initiated into Alpha Psi Chapter at University of Missouri in October 2017, alongside the chapter’s 74 new members and with Ms. Ferguson serving as her conductor.

“It was really fun because Shannon and I had shared this friendship, so it was cool for her to go through Initiation beside me,” she said. “And to be there with all the new members—I felt like an older sister to them.”

Jumping right in, Kenna became the chapter’s Financial Advisor, and she loves it when the Treasurer or other officers stop by her office on campus for help.

“This experience has developed me personally and professionally. I get to connect with students on a different level than in my job,” she said. “I have spent time with so many people as a part of this experience, from students to advisors to housing corporation volunteers. It is humbling to see so many people invested in this idea.”

For Dr. Rachelle J. Douglass, her welcome to ZTA sisterhood happened on a grand scale. She was the Convention Initiate in 2014 and went through the service in front of almost 900 Zetas of all ages.

“That was an interesting day,” she said with a laugh. “It was nerveracking not really knowing what was going to happen, and I had to give a speech in front of so many people.”

Despite joining as an alumna, Rachelle has known about ZTA much of her life. Her aunt, Nona Douglass Richey, is a longtime ZTA National Officer who often brought Rachelle to gatherings with her sisters. Over time, she developed a close relationship with then-Executive Director Deb Ensor. Nominated by several of Deb and Nona’s friends, Rachelle was initiated at Convention, just weeks before Deb passed away from cancer.

Pictured: Rachelle (left)  enjoys sharing ZTA with former National Ritual Chairman Verna Hicks Patton (center) and her aunt, longtime ZTA National Officer Nona Douglass Richey (right).

“The joke was that she was my other mother,” Rachelle said. “She was my cheerleader, and we had a fun relationship. I always heard Nona and Deb talk about [ZTA], and I wanted to share in the sisterhood they had.”

An emergency room doctor, Rachelle’s ZTA connections provide her with a breath of fresh air outside of her busy role. She is active in the Long Beach, CA Alumnae Chapter and often travels—from Seattle to Austin to New Orleans—with sisters or to see those she’s met at ZTA gatherings.

“Any time I spend with my sisters is fun,” she said. “When I moved to California, I knew three people. I have gotten to know a new group through ZTA and some have even made me part of their families.”

Amanda Koerth Areces recommended her best friend Molly Sollie become an Alumna Initiate because of what she saw in her character.

“She is a role model of mine. She sees beauty, looks for the good in everyone, finds satisfaction in being and is humble in success without bitterness in defeat,” Amanda said. “She is a Zeta Tau Alpha if I ever met one—she just needed the pin.

“With Molly not being a Zeta, it felt like something was missing—an acknowledgment of the bond we share, the person she represents and the commitment we have to each other,” she said. “The closest, most important women in my life are my sisters, and I wanted her to be a part of that.”

Amanda also felt Molly had much to give the organization, and National Council agreed. Molly was initiated into Lambda Epsilon Chapter at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis in 2014. The collegiate officers conducted the service at International Office among a group of Molly’s ZTA friends. It was “an unforgettable experience,” she said.

“At first, I knew far more about the people representing Zeta Tau Alpha than I did about the organization itself,” Molly said. “Yet, that was what mattered the most. Everyone I met had a love for each other, their communities and their organization. Because of that, I knew membership was the right choice.”

Pictured: Molly (center) was excited to join her two best friends, Amanda (left) and Heather (right), in sisterhood.

Molly has given back to the organization through jointly funding a ZTA Foundation Scholarship with her two best friends, aptly named The Three Best Friends That Anyone’s Ever Had Scholarship.

“I don’t know how to describe what changes after years of friendship, but ZTA takes it a step further,” she said. “The scholarship is a way to celebrate that, to say ‘thank you’ and to support collegiate women.”

For all three—Kenna, Rachelle and Molly—Alumnae Initiation has brought new friendships into their lives and strengthened old ones through a recognition of shared values.

“At the end of the day—and this is what many collegiate women don’t understand just yet—even if we’ve had different ZTA experiences, we are all here for the same purpose and to love one another,” Kenna said. “That’s truly what the value of sisterhood is.”