Hazing
suspension raises issues about fraternities
TCU should do more to investigate instances of fraternity hazing
at all times to prevent further incidents.
Commentary - Jeff Dennis
With
the recent suspension of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, the issue of
hazing has been brought to the forefront for a short time.
I am not aware of what exactly went on with the Kappa Sigs that
led to their suspension. The university has reportedly dealt with
the matter, so there is little reason to pursue that issue any further.
The more important issue at hand is how often hazing happens within
other campus organizations.
Understandably, most campus organizations have initiation rituals,
most of which are harmless. However, for those of you who are in
or have good friends in fraternities, you likely know a different
story.
I have no first-hand knowledge of being a pledge, but I know many
people who are fraternity members, both at TCU and at other schools.
There is no doubt in my mind that hazing takes place more timesthan
any of us are aware, yet due to loyalty within the organization,
very few details of these practices are likely to come out.
In the Greek system, its difficult for a pledge to come forward
and speak out when hazing rituals get out of hand. There is strong
pressure from within the group to tough it out and stay loyal.
Is TCU doing anything to investigate hazing, or do they merely wait
until something bad happens and then decide to deal with the situation?
Clearly many fraternity members have parents who are alumni and
donate to TCU, so you decide whether TCU is going to investigate
fraternities unless they are forced to once some hazing ritual goes
wrong and becomes public knowledge.
Having heard first-hand stories about hazing practices, I am still
dumbfounded as to what the attraction to Greek life is. Sleep deprivation,
being urinated on, and being beaten are just a few of the practices
Ive heard associated with pledging.
Pummeling new members to promote brotherhood sounds a lot like rationalizing
spousal abuse as a way to build marital stability.
We have to make sure out fraternity system is not a neverending
cycle in which freshman pledges are hazed, and, rather than quit
because they realize the ridiculousness of it all, they just wait
until next year when they get to do the hazing.
The Greek system has many positive aspects, and provides excellent
opportunities for its members, yet somewhere along the way the process
of instilling loyalty in new members got mixed up with flat out
torturing them.
For now, there is little that can be done about hazing in the Greek
system. Members will no doubt tell you that they avoid such practices
completely. Just like any other secret though, certain stories will
leak out and become common knowledge among students.
Until something drastic happens, Greeks at TCU and other schools
will continue to humiliate and degrade the newest members in their
fraternities. They will in turn do the very same thing next year.
I guess thats one way to make friends.
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