[23135] in APO-L
[APO-L] definitions of hazing, etc
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Rashid Darden)
Thu Nov 7 14:51:42 2002
Date: Thu, 7 Nov 2002 14:51:34 -0500
Reply-To: Rashid Darden <rashid01@HOTMAIL.COM>
From: Rashid Darden <rashid01@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <F57C7524A2D6D411BB3B001083FD582A05C51D7C@plantation.comm.mot.com>
"Many of which the National Fraternity has clearly set out as hazing in
our policies and forbid. Stuff like road trips, scavenger hunts,
paddling, 'hell night/week', branding, etc."
With the exception of paddling, don't you think that these issues
deserve to have further explanation?
Road Trips.....shouldn't it read "forced" road trips? I know plenty of
pledges who traveled to other chapters, with Brothers. In fact, don't
the national pledging standards encourage visitation of other chapters?
Scavenger Hunts.....I know so many chapters that have scavenger hunts
still...so should we explain what it is about scavenger hunts that make
them illegal in the eyes of APO?
Hell Night/Hell Week.....I am sure that every Brother who had a hell
week had a different experience, so I can't comment on whether they are
hazing or not. The mere name of something doesn't make it hazing.
Branding....I think that branding is an ugly and reprehensible practice.
But, I would like to explain to all of my Brothers that Branding does
not occur during pledging. You get crazy drunk and get it done AFTER
you are initiated, as a symbol of achievement. (I'm sure there are
articles about this.) That's the point that Ay-Phi-Ques are trying to
get across, that it is a choice. In my opinion, yes, APO should ban
branding, not as a hazing practice, but as a practice that is not
accepted by the Brotherhood. It does not come from APO, has nothing to
do with APO, and should be left outside of APO.
Anyway....I have a feeling that for liability reasons, we might have to
move to a more standardized pledging program nationally. If you all
think the recent alleged AKA hazing deaths in California won't affect
APO....just think about it. We are an organization that requires
pledgeship before Brotherhood, just like social orgs. As long as we
have that, we have to think about the education and welfare of our
pledges, whether your concern is hazing or just the underlying knowledge
base they have.
Rambling now...must stop.
Rashid
Mu Alpha ALumnus
