Fraternity Hazing Is Deadly

A common myth is that hazing is a “reality” in Frats and sororities. We've all seen it in movies and we've all heard stories from our friends. Hazing can be defined as people or individuals who are forced to do something that is psychologically, physically, or emotionally harmful or damaging (Merriam Webster). Greek organizations all over the world have taken steps in developing human rights policies and strict “anti-hazing” policies to get rid of hazing in all forms from all campuses and fraternities. In the 1980s the movie “Animal House”, became a hit. The movie’s “mocking” of the wild side of fraternity life: binge drinking, hazing, sexual harassment, wild parties, drug use, and poor living conditions, became the American public’s view of Greek life. Many television movies and shows depict the ‘crazy side,’ of Greek life and choose to show its negative side. In doing so, many movies and shows do forget to showcase the beneficial side of joining a Sorority or fraternity and show its positive

Students are getting sexually assaulted and even dying because the federal government does not track hazing incidents. The Piazza family wants Penn State University to take more steps that include providing students a way to report such incidences anonymously in real time. University leaders describe the challenge of reforming fraternity culture as a balancing act. Schools have taken steps to limit alcohol and mandate anti-hazing workshops, but these tragedies continue to occur with alarming regularity

In the United States, fraternities and sororities have been using hazing rituals as part of their pledging processes. Death, injury, and suspensions have all been a result of this action. Greek life has been one of the most influential subjects in multiple universities today. Typically we see the positives of Greek Organizations in media and from universities, but the negative outcomes are typically left behind the curtain. In most cases, organizations have their houses on campus. The controversy comes from these organizations getting away with the harmful actions and universities not taking action. Are these rituals ethical or not?

In “Examining the Benefits of Greek Life.” Nicole Glass explains why she believes that Greek life is a great opportunity for students in public universities. Nicole gives multiple examples of famous people in history that were in sororities. Nicole explains that the Greek life system gives students opportunity to make friends that will be with for life, have fun at parties, and learn leadership skills that students will use for the rest of their lives. The author points out that the sororities/ fraternities have a very bad name in the press, but the hazing is very rare throughout the Greek system.

Greek life can be looked upon with a closed mindset by many college students and graduates that decided to not join the social movement that is brought upon by fraternities and sororities on college campuses. An article written by Caitlin Flanagan for The Atlantic Daily takes a negative turn toward Beta Theta Pi at Penn State University for many valid reasons such as: the reoccurring destruction of their 8.5 million dollar renovated home, their degrading hazing acts which involve a pledge catching bodily waste from a fraternity brother, the lack of compassion they have toward their fellow fraternity brothers, and the lack of authoritative action taken to prevent this from happening again. The Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State

Since 1750, starting with the Flat Hat Club, fraternities have been an essential aspect of social life for numerous college settings. Over 75 nationally recognized fraternities have been established in universities around the nation. This has caused many different opinions toward these secret societies. Universities have made the push to permanently remove fraternities from campuses. Racial slurs being streamed online, mass reports of sexual assault, and excessive financial obligations are but only a few of the allegations that Greek lettered societies have received throughout their existence. Nevertheless, despite the stereotypes associated with these organizations, there are numerous pros and cons that result from their existence on universities.

Hazing is usually about supremacy and dominance, this is to make those in charge postulate that they are formidable. Though a small amount may not be included majority of college delta clubs are guilty of the act of hazing. In order to be in a certain organization, people might be asked to perform dangerous ceremonies. According to the author Ally Hirschlag, a former pledge Britteny Starling, was forced to pretend as if she was a human trash can and mop. She would clean juice from the ground and accumulate the waste from other sister’s using only her fingers and pouches. They weren’t finished with her yet, she had to stay awake all night without permission for the bathroom, to make things worse she had to stand all night. When Brittney’s leg couldn’t handle it anymore one of the so called sisters smashed her ankle causing injury. Due to this she sued, which shut down Zeta Phi Beta sorority located at the University of California. This event shows that these so called sisters just want to feel in control, the tasks set for the pledges is a test of courage WRONG, It’s for the pleasure of someone else’s satisfaction. Hazing is ABUSE; it lowers one’s standards and makes them a slave towards their so called “brothers/sisters”. Her not being able to use the bathroom, while standing up is cruel. The fact that one of her sisters hit her on the ankle when she couldn’t take it anymore was evil. An associate (sister) is meant to help the pledges guide them and show them the

After reading the article “what a Fraternity Hazing Death Revealed about the Painful Search for an Asian-American Identity”, I understand the challenges that Asian American face in the search of a connection with their ethnic group culture and in the search of their identity within the dominant society. I feel sympathy for the family and for the many other families across the country that had lost their sons and daughters to fraternities that are in the pursuit of tough members that will represent their ethnic groups. Furthermore, students join fraternity to look for personal power and influences that they might be lacking from their communities. Students are in search of popularity and a sense of belonging to something special, something cool

Hazing in universities across the nation has become an increasingly dangerous ritual that is seemingly becoming more difficult to put an end to due to its development into an "underground" activity. Though a regular activity in the seventies, hazing, a possible dangerous act of initiation to a group, has now become an activity that is banned in thirty-nine states (Wagner 16). However, this ritual has not been stopped or become less severe. In fact it is becoming more dangerous. Since it has been banned, with many colleges imposing their own penalties against those participating in it, many fraternities and sororities have pursued this activity in an underground fashion. Since these groups have gone underground, some victims of these

Hazing in universities across the nation has become an increasingly dangerous ritual that is seemingly becoming more difficult to put an end to due to its development into an “underground” activity. Though a regular activity in the seventies, hazing, a possible dangerous act of initiation to a group, has now become an activity that is banned in thirty-nine states (Wagner 16). However, this ritual has not been stopped or become less severe. In fact it is becoming more dangerous. Since it has been banned, with many colleges imposing their own penalties against those participating in it, many fraternities and sororities have pursued this activity in an underground fashion. Since these groups have gone underground, some victims of these

Ian Lovett states in his article that “Sigma Alpha Epsilon, one of the largest fraternities in the country, said it would no longer permit ‘pledging’ as part of its initiation process for undergraduates.” The change to no longer allow pledging comes at a time when hazing started to become more and more involved and causing nine deaths in the past 10 years.

Greek Life, or the presence of fraternities and sororities, exists in many colleges and universities. According to Michael Grandillo in an Encyclopedia article, “there are more than 5,500 chapters on 800 campuses throughout the United States and Canada.” Although Greek Life is so common, participation in such organizations can be a controversial topic, particularly when critics suggest that hazing can be detrimental to students' health and college careers. For those who do not know much about Greek Life, or the process that one goes through to become affiliated with this system, there is first a week called “rush week,” where fraternities and sororities host parties in attempt to cajole students into joining their organizations. If members

I am researching the issue of hazing on college campuses in Greek fraternities. My position is advocating for stronger hazing legislation on campuses to prevent others from commiting crimes of hazing against their “brothers”. In fraternities, many experience hazing or witness it and do nothing about it or enjoy the amusement. If people keep ignoring the signs, more lives will be lost as the count is only growing of high profile cases across college campuses. Hazing effects can turn people’s lives upside down as I learned last year from the death of my close friend at LSU. From personal experience, hazing takes lives away from people way too quickly and ends all hopes of a peaceful future.

Hazing can be defined as the humiliation and dangerous activities that teenagers encounter when joining a fraternity or sorority in college. Over the years, these rituals can be extremely threatening for college students; for instance being tied up for twenty-four hours or even playing intense drinking games. When being in a frat house, teens get to experience living college to the fullest and having the opportunity to pledge for whichever fraternity one would please on doing. All over the world, from different colleges, these teens have to go through this just to be a part of Greek Life. Is it worth it? Well according to “The Fraternity Advisor” it states, “There are over 9 million Greek members nationally.” Many people take fraternity and Greek Life very serious today.Society has viewed hazing very unpredictable

Furthermore, fraternities are infamous for their requirement to pledge in order to join the brotherhood. Although the specific acts inflicted on pledges is known only by members of fraternity, it is commonly known that hazing is part of the initiation. The pledges have to complete a series of humiliating and sometime dangerous rituals in order to join. They could be forced to consume excessive amount of alcohols and drugs, or be physically beaten or be publicly humiliated. Little known fact, white fraternities generally use alcohol for hazing while black fraternities result to physical violence. In a survey conducted by Dr. Susan Lipkins “31% of Fraternity and sorority members agree that a significant element in an initiation rite is humiliation.” “Also, many of the Greek Leaders agree that