Does your chapter haze?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by jazing

(Why is making a paddle hazing?Usually everyone makes paddles and it is considered a tradition)

Making the paddle isn't hazing, but the shape of the paddle itself has connotations of hazing. Most groups whose HQs prohibit that make plaques or a decorated wood cutout in the shape of their mascot or crest. (In other words, something you could just as easily beat the shit out of someone with, if you were so inclined.)

[jazing]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Making the paddle isn't hazing, but the shape of the paddle itself has connotations of hazing. Most groups whose HQs prohibit that make plaques or a decorated wood cutout in the shape of their mascot or crest. (In other words, something you could just as easily beat the shit out of someone with, if you were so inclined.)

If you go to a Greek Life store, I am assuming the paddle you can buy there would be more tradition and like a plaque. Of course, I have seen insane paddles made out of rowing ores, gift baskets, etc. and that is just wild. They really do love their big.

[PeaceLoveSAEPi]

I am really glad my sorority doesn't haze. However...sometimes the rules to prevent hazing are extreme to the point that it doesn't allow things that aren't harmful, but be considered fun.

That said, I am against hazing. I know that most organizations haze on my campus, but usually it's only minor things (usually involving drinking, etc.). One of our new members was a pledge for another sorority in the past though, and some of the stories she's told me are insane. Hazing isn't always just physical, it's emotional too. Hazing sometimes "brainwashes" the pledges...it really harmed my sister. I'm lucky she was able to find the courage to drop the first sorority she pledged to join us

[jazing]

Hazing is only what others define it as. What you might consider perfectly fine team building (such as navigating through a dark room in a group) can be seen as hazing by the outside. Sure there are activities that can be seen as hazing regardless of its benefits, if any (like goldfish eating) and these are the type of activities that edge on getting you in trouble.

I think the former is perfectly fine as it helps the pledges bond together, while the latter is obviously not. In the past I have heard people simply said they didn't want to (do latter) and were not punished in the slightest. But that was a long ago program.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by jazing

Hazing is only what others define it as. What you might consider perfectly fine team building (such as navigating through a dark room in a group) can be seen as hazing by the outside. Sure there are activities that can be seen as hazing regardless of its benefits, if any (like goldfish eating) and these are the type of activities that edge on getting you in trouble.

When I first read this, I thought, "What's wrong with that?..."

.. but I was thinking Pepperidge Farm..

[PeaceLoveSAEPi]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

When I first read this, I thought, "What's wrong with that?..."

.. but I was thinking Pepperidge Farm..

I was totally thinking the same thing, no lie.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by jazing

Hazing is only what others define it as. What you might consider perfectly fine team building (such as navigating through a dark room in a group) can be seen as hazing by the outside.

That all depends on who "you" are, who "others" are and who "the outside" is.

For all practical purposes, hazing is whatever one's GLO defines as hazing, one's school defines as hazing and one's state criminal laws define as hazing. These are the definitions a chapter needs to follow.

[jazing]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

When I first read this, I thought, "What's wrong with that?..."

.. but I was thinking Pepperidge Farm..

Like what Stev-O did. You know, the long time fraternity hazing myth haha.

[Kirain]

At least in my university, fraternities whom do not haze are looked down upon by those who do. However, I know plenty of sorority women from my university who have told me that they do not haze at all.

Personally I went through a bonding experience which had a lot of varying emotions.

[Ruspa]

I'm very interested in understanding what is your point in physically endangering your own pledgers. I mean, I come from another country where mental hazing is one of the fundamentals of our essence (expect to go naked almost for sure at your initiation, and we do not have sex separation): but violence is not tolerated since centuries. There is not even the need of telling anyone because violence is "illegal anyway" no matter whether or not you're a frat. When we process our newcomers (said pledgers?) we try to know how this person behaves under pressure, how it reacts just over his break point. If he's a stupid thumb sucker, probably he (or she) just cries away, but people in 98% of the cases understand that we're not masochists, and keeps on playing. We cannot be interested in literally beating him (I've seen on the net pictures of american frats punched, injured in blood, or died wtf) since we're not hundreds like you look to be, we're dozens per society.
I'm really surprised to read that some frat societies likes to make violence as part of the initiation. If I were studying over there, and I entered a society, I'm pretty sure nobody touched me no matter the letters. But I'm 2 meters tall x 100kg

I think that newcomers have to learn something from old fellows: for the good 'ol violence you do not need to go to university. Just go to a bad bar and head-dive to a fat truck driver.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Ruspa

But I'm 2 meters tall x 100kg

This forum does not utilize the metric system.

[Ruspa]

Originally Posted by Kevin

This forum does not utilize the metric system.

Lol! true, hmm should be 6.5 feet x 220 pounds, but it was the least important thing of my post. It was that I wouldn't be able (or willing) to beat a 19 years old cute girl because she's pledging into my order. Embarassing them as long as they react back somehow, and pretending that every reaction is wrong by some random reason is both fun both useful to know who you got in front of you.
Perhaps there is a point also in kicking some asses, I'm curious to every interpretation, but it's hard to me to understand why if I have a teenager in front of me I have to haze him. And I'm not talking of tiny slaps or cute friendly kicks in the butt... they cannot be hazing. I was referring to pictures of real torture I've seen around. I've read that someone *died* ...

btw, I'm not here to criticize, frankly I'm here to understand a bit how it works over there I was in London UCL with my hat and robes one day and I've been told that there are no brotherhoods or anything similar in the UK. Sadness :P, I know (and invited in Trieste) the Tunos from Spain, someone from Belgium .. but never ever met an american bro

[Kevin]

As you've probably read, the vast majority of American collegiate fraternal orders do not involve physical OR mental violence with the membership intake process. For one thing, it's illegal. For another, it exposes the organization to potential multi million dollar (that's like 30 Euros) liability awards. Also, aside from a few local organizations, I feel relatively comfortable stating that every national fraternal organization absolutely forbids hazing.

The fact is though, many of our chapters have been around for more than a century and old traditions die hard. Our national organizations do combat those sorts of traditions quite actively though as you can see in this particular forum. Most groups won't hesitate to shut down a chapter which has become a liability to the national organization.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Ruspa

Perhaps there is a point also in kicking some asses, I'm curious to every interpretation, but it's hard to me to understand why if I have a teenager in front of me I have to haze him. And I'm not talking of tiny slaps or cute friendly kicks in the butt... they cannot be hazing. I was referring to pictures of real torture I've seen around. I've read that someone *died* ...

You can understand mentally hazing and slaps or cute friendly () kicks in the butt. Yet, you cannot understand physically hazing someone to the point of bruises all of their body and death. It is all hazing.

[alphatausc]

I DID NOT get hazed. I DID NOT get hazed. (Chants over and over)