Hazing's verdict

There's no room for hazing at the 'U'

The University's Greek system has faced many problems this year, and pounding headaches after a night of hard partying is not the biggest one: What houses are subjugating their pledges to hazing?

The answer is known by some, but the solution eludes nearly all, and the Greek community is struggling for control. Hazing poses a serious threat to the safety of University students, and it is only after someone gets hurt that the necessary attention the issue needs is applied. The serious dangers that hazing poses became very clear to the student body and the administration after an incident involving a BB gun at Alpha Epsilon Pi. This episode sparked campus-wide concern and lead to the welcomed visited by David Westol, executive director of the Theta Chi fraternity's national chapter, to speak to University students about the evils of hazing last week at Rackham Auditorium. He admitted that he was a victim of hazing and later participated in hazing others when he was a Theta Chi member at Michigan State University.

Westol's goal was to motivate University students to stand up to hazing and stressed the idea that it only takes one person to stop it. This type of membership ritual and custom is not only found in Greek organizations, but also in sport teams and military organizations. There are cases where a death of a young soldier was not at the hands of the enemy, but rather his fellow comrades. It is just another example of the brutality that can exist within organizations that are supposed to promote brotherhood and unity.

Even though not all hazing horror stories are not smeared across the front page of the Daily, this type of brutal and inhumane treatment is still a problem at the University. The exposure of a few hazing events does not make the problem disappear or evaporate. The threat of hazing still exists at the University. It is a problem that can not be taken lightly. It becomes a tradition or a ritual event in a house that gets passed down through the generations - and it will stay in a house for years and years. The longer it persists the more severe and important the hazing becomes for the brotherhood of the fraternity or group membership.

Fraternities and sororities are not about hazing and punishing each other. It is an organization that should bring friendship and leadership to the lives of its members. Greek houses focus on community service and building strong ties within in the campus. The safety of students is not only compromised through hazing, but also the strength of the house suffers.

Hazing does not bring unity and friendship, but rather pins one group of students against older members in a house. Hazing validates the use of position and power to torture and embarrass. It has no place on this campus or any other. It is surprising that at an institution where students fight to abolish inhumane treatment of others and rid the world of injustice there is still the presence of hazing. As Westol made clear, it only takes one person to stand up and say no to the abuse.