More insightful brotherly advice

In some previous blogs, the issue of true brotherhood was focused upon. And yet, of course, with each blog devoted to Greek life, there is always going to be a relevant topic which needs to be mentioned in more detail. This particular topic is a big deal to me as it should be to so many countless others in the Greek system.

It's hazing.

Hazing doesn't have any rightful place in the Greek system - period. Not only is it detrimental to each chapter's prospective members but also to the actives as well - yes, even actives are not immune to being hazed by their upstarts or fellow actives. Steve Bull, a 2004 Windsor graduate, (& also a Sigma Chi) said it best when he wrote in the winter 2003-2004 edition of The Magazine of Sigma Chi: "...Mistakes that slipped through the cracks and happen to wear letters haze...The act of a handful of idiots calls into question the integrity of thousands upon thousands of brothers."

Hazing doesn't help prospective members bond adequately into a unified pledge class of this or that number of dudes. Hence the issue which is apparent in any fraternity today: that is to say, formations of cliques & brothers who happen to know little or nothing about one another.

It isn't conducive to the prospective members' abilities to perform/excel to their fullest potential academically. Reflecting on Bull's comments once more, hazing does more harm than good: it damages any existing integrity or positive influences fraternities have on & off campus.

Cleaning up the actives' messes isn't the way for prospective members to gain a fuller insight on the core values which their fraternities stand for. Likewise, it doesn't take belittling them or screaming at them every chance you get if they should happen to louse up; this won't convince them on how to become better brothers & it sure won't help them become better brothers once they get initiated either. By creating needless, pointless obligations which aren't relevant to helping new members understand the true values our respective chapters were founded upon, we're only creating a group of Greeks whose knowledge of their own fraternities is fuzzy or just plain inadequate.

Hazing isn't needed to help our brothers-to-be emulate the very values & aims which our chapters are striving to live up to day in, day out. In fact, it's an embarrassment to everyone in the Greek community & also tarnishes the Greek system's reputation in the process. Anyone who happens to don Greek letters & feels that this is an effective way to promote true brotherhood isn't a man of good character, a true gentleman, etc., etc., & sure isn't fit to be a brother in the first place.