Overblown hazing story
Click on this link to read about a hazing story from the University of Memphis Women's Cross-country team. Apparently they made their freshman dress like idiots and do some stupid things. Nobody got hurt and everyone appeared to have a good time. The school newspaper is actually getting ripped mercilessly for poor journalism and trying to create something out of nothing by posting the pictures and writing an article. The University itself investigated and found exactly ZERO hazing violations, specifically noting tradition and that everyone was having a good time.
Look closely though! In the second picture you'll see a beer chugging contest with, you guessed it, my fraternity! Good stuff gentlemen. I hope you won.
posted by Cap @ 1:40 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Hazing:
tr.v. hazed, haz·ing, haz·es
To persecute or harass with meaningless, difficult, or humiliating tasks.
To initiate, as into a college fraternity, by exacting humiliating performances from or playing rough practical jokes upon.
Source: www.dictionary.com
Now, with that being said, I looked at those pictures and couldn't believe what I saw. And you for one know that as a sorority woman, I know what this is all about. But after attending the Phi Mu Leadership Conference this weekend, I now have a whole new understanding of hazing. If a Greek organization did something like that, especially mine, they would come in and close that chapter so fast they wouldn't know what hit them. Phi Mu has closed chapters and dismissed members for less than what they are doing in those pictures. It's a big deal now especially with the Milennial generation and the helicopter parents.
Please tell me the meaning of that activity? It doesn't matter if most of them thought it was no big deal, but if one person was embarrassed by it, then it was hazing.
Say what you want, but as an adviser to my beloved chapter, I'll be damned if I'd let them do anything like that. Just my 2 cents.
I can tell you this much, whether it's fair or not, greeks are held to an entirely different standard when it comes to this type of behavior.
However, as you said, if one person is embarrassed by it, then it is hazing. In this instance, the three frosh on the X-country team were obviously not embarrassed by it and willingly participated in the team's tradition. In fact, the pictures that the newspaper published were orginally found on a WebShots page, posted by one of the girls.
As for the meaning of the activity, that's simple. They just wanted to have some fun and draw attention to themselves among the other athletes as well as some of the fraternities. Possibly even get the freshman drunk and laid. While I agree that hazing can and does get out of control at times, it appears that in this instance nobody went over the line and everyone was safe. Things like this happen all the time, it's called being young, dumb, and in college. I've seen much worse on Halloween involving so called "adults."
Just my 2 cents :)
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