UN, why not just look at other groups which are unequivocal in their anti-hazing stance? You're not a legacy; hopefully, this isn't the only game in town, so why not explore your options?
Here's a pretty textbook definition of hazing which I found on a blog on the NIC website (which is a national association of mainstream fraternities): "Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce or that causes mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule.”
Applying that definition, what your brother experienced most certainly was hazing.
Then again, take the Oklahoma statutory definition:
Quote:
1. "Hazing" means an activity which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental health or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization operating subject to the sanction of the public or private school or of any institution of higher education in this state;
2. "Endanger the physical health" shall include but not be limited to any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements, forced consumption of any food, alcoholic beverage as defined in Section 506 of Title 37 of the Oklahoma Statutes, low-point beer as defined in Section 163.2 of Title 37 of the Oklahoma Statutes, drug, controlled dangerous substance, or other substance, or any other forced physical activity which could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the individual; and
3. "Endanger the mental health" shall include any activity, except those activities authorized by law, which would subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as prolonged sleep deprivation, forced prolonged exclusion from social contact, forced conduct which could result in extreme embarrassment, or any other forced activity which could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual.
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. . . and then it's a little more of a gray area (although I'd still consider what you described to be hazing within the definition of the Oklahoma statute).
The point is this--it doesn't/shouldn't matter whether or not what happened violates any internal policy, school rule or state statute when you're deciding what house is for you. What is and is not hazing is sometimes tough to decide, and you being a college freshman aren't going to have to make that call. Ask whether that sort of conduct violates your moral code. If it does, look at other groups. It should be that simple.