"Branding" is not hazing?

[hoosier]

Saw this on Hermes; it included a few pix.


Fraternities brand despite health, hazing questions

By Robyn Smith


As the metal is pressed against his skin he doesn't cry out in pain. The only sound is a "pssst" as the white-hot branding iron sears his flesh, leaving a 3rd-degree burn. What takes three seconds to inflict lasts a lifetime.

For Alpha Phi Alpha's Jonathan Beverley, an Old Dominion University graduate, the brand shows how much he believes in his fraternity. The large letters on his upper arm dwarf his other body modifications, two tattoos above the brand. Beverley's brand, however, carries other meanings besides the aesthetic.

"Everyone talks about the 'process' of initiation into their organization. For many people, it's different," he said. "However, when someone is branded, a sense of commonality forms like none other. It's almost like a fraternity within a fraternity."

Branding is a popular practice in many historically black and Latino fraternities and some sororities. While some use it as an initiation rite, most brothers and sisters are branded after they become members of their organization and tell their brothers or sisters they want to be branded. It's a decision made by the individual.

"You say you want it, contact the 'hitman' and your brothers, meet somewhere and do it," Beverley said. The "hitman" is the person who performs the branding. There is no ceremony or ritual.

But part of the brotherhood is being branded by another branded brother.

Some celebrities are branded with their fraternity symbols, including football player Emmitt Smith, branded with a sigma and the Rev. Jesse Jackson who sports an omega.

Certain issues arise with the increase in branding practices. Possibility of infection is extremely high. In the late 1990s, two teenage boys decided to brand themselves with scolding hot paperclips. They were brought to the emergency room when their arms swelled up, which doctors believed to be reaction to the burning. It was later discovered the boys were allergic to the chromium plating of the paperclips. Other infections can occur from improper cleaning of the branding iron.

Another problem associated with branding deals with anti-hazing regulations. Most states, including Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, specifically mention branding in its definitions of fraternity and sorority hazing. New York has an extremely broad definition of hazing, which prohibits "any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers mental or physical health."

Dr. Walter Kimbrough, vice president of student affairs at Albany State University in Georgia and an expert on black greek letter organizations, stressed that branding is not involved in "hazing" practices.

Branding is not sanctioned by the governing bodies of any greek letter
council, Kimbrough said.

It is a serious offense, as seen in 1967 when the DKE chapter at Yale University received fines from its campus Interfraternity Council when it discovered the chapter branded 40 new members with the letter delta.

Former chapter president and current U.S. President George W. Bush later told the New York Times that the result was a "cigarette burn" and "there's no scarring mark physically or mentally."

Expert opinions, however, differ greatly from that of the country's commander in chief. Dr. Rebat Halder, professor and chairman of the Howard University Department of Dermatology, said many changes can occur to the brand during the healing process. Such changes include pain, hyper- or hypo-pigmentation, where the skin actually changes color, and itchy or hypersensitive keloids and raised scar tissue that spreads beyond the actual boundaries of the original injury. Surgical options are available to remove the scar, but are costly and painful.

Halder, who joined Howard in 1982, said he's treated about 300 people with brands, mostly men who were fraternally branded in college, but also at least 50 to 75 women, some former gang members.

Many young people who deal with body modification have started experimenting with more extreme modifications, beyond the traditional piercings and tattoos. But finding a tattoo or piercing establishment to perform these body alterations is difficult.

In Syracuse, Scarab Body Art Studio in Armory Square is one of the few shops in Central New York that brand.

According to owner John Joyce, people come in from a fraternity or sorority when the branding doesn't come out right and needs to be fixed.

"I've seen some brands that look like shit," Joyce said. "If it's not deep enough, you don't get the scar you want. We can touch it up, make it better. If it's too deep, there's nothing we can really do for you."

Joyce, however, said he understands why brothers and sisters opt not to get the brand done professionally.

"The mentality behind it is good, the experience is good," he said, "but the finished product may not be how they thought it would be."

[MysticCat]

While some use it as an initiation rite, most brothers and sisters are branded after they become members of their organization and tell their brothers or sisters they want to be branded. It's a decision made by the individual.

If (and it's a really BIG IF), it's really the case that there is no pressure (direct or subtle), then it's not hazing. An act is hazing if joining an org or continued membership in the org (or being a "cool member" of the org) depends on your going along with the act. Even if it's tradition, even if lots of other members have done it, if it really is a personal decision made without pressure, then it's not hazing. It's dangerous, but it's not hazing.

[madmax]

It's not hazing unless it is forced. If a new member wants a brand, tattoo, or pierced body part then they are free to get one. Why would it be hazing if someone goes down to a local tattoo/brand shop and gets a brand?

[Eirene_DGP]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
If (and it's a really BIG IF), it's really the case that there is no pressure (direct or subtle), then it's not hazing. An act is hazing if joining an org or continued membership in the org (or being a "cool member") of the org depends on your going along with the act. Even if it's tradition, even if lots of other members have done it, if it really is a personal decision made without pressure, then it's not hazing. It's dangerous, but it's not hazing. [/B]

Would it still be hazing if the person is pressured after he/she is already a member? I mean it is not like you can't say no. Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't see someone getting a brand from whatever org until they were granted full membership.

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by Eirene_DGP
Would it still be hazing if the person is pressured after he/she is already a member? I mean it is not like you can't say no. Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't see someone getting a brand from whatever org until they were granted full membership.

Yes, it would. That's why I said "An act is hazing if joining an org or continued membership in the org depends on your going along with the act." It's also why I said "if it really is a personal decision made without pressure, then it's not hazing." And in an instance such as this, pressure could be quite subtle.

[MSSTCY1]

I know a lot of guys that have been branded. However, none of them were forced to do it. For one of them most of the brothers get branded soon after initiation, because they consider it a tradition. For another friend of mine, he's one of the only people in his fraternity that have been branded. He did it b/c he considered it a higher commitment than getting a tattoo or something like that with letters on it. The way that the guys I know show off their brands makes it seem like they were not forced or pressured to have them, its more like they have pride and honor in being branded.

I don't think that its considered hazing to be branded if you really want it. However, if a brand is forced, or if someone is coerced into getting it, then it's hazing. I love my organization to death, but I would never want to burn my letters into my arm, or anywhere else.

[Tom Earp]

Gawd, how I really want to get into this one!

But even if it is given, (SO CALLED FREELY) and has been done for ever, it is not right!!!


I know who you are talking about, do you want me to put it up on site or would you?

I do not want to get into a contest on this but the First Bro who wanted to Stick a hot poker on me , there is a big goddamn problem!!! This is not showing what a big man you are, it is stupidity.

In fact, i will ask Preston, a friend of mine to show me his brand! If he does not have one, he is as smart as I think he is!!!

I will not go where I just wanted to go unless it is pressed!

[Optimist Prime]

I thought brands were tattoos for black people, cuz the ink wouldn't show up. That is the only explination I ever got.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
I thought brands were tattoos for black people, cuz the ink wouldn't show up. That is the only explination I ever got.

So how would you explain Dennis Rodman's tattoos? He has more tattooed skin than not.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
I thought brands were tattoos for black people, cuz the ink wouldn't show up. That is the only explination I ever got.

And you believed this?

[White_Chocolate]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
I thought brands were tattoos for black people, cuz the ink wouldn't show up. That is the only explination I ever got.

you're almost one of the most 'socially non-retarded' people that i know of. i don't know if you made that comment because you're really sheltered or if you're trying to start a flame thread. but unless you know what you're talking about, please refrain from commenting. . .it makes you look kind of 'blonde'.

[toocute]

Originally posted by CutiePie2000
So how would you explain Dennis Rodman's tattoos? He has more tattooed skin than not.

Don't forget Nelly, Allen Iverson, the list goes on and on. You really thought that was true?

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by White_Chocolate
you're almost one of the most 'socially non-retarded' people that i know of. i don't know if you made that comment because you're really sheltered or if you're trying to start a flame thread. but unless you know what you're talking about, please refrain from commenting. . .it makes you look kind of 'blonde'.

Hey, what's wrong with 'blonde'?! And why use the term retarded in such an off hand manner?


I knew someone who was branded with his fraternity letters. He was a grad student and did it long before I ever met him. He was not forced to do it. He was branded to symbolize his pride in and his commitment to his fraternity. He did it after initiation. It looked cool, but I would never do it. I think that it is a personal choice. As with piercing and tattoos, branding should be done by someone with experience who knows what he or she is doing. You definitely don't want to experience any of the negative side effects.

[DeltaSigStan]

ONE of the reasons we were restructured in 1998 (went from 60 to FOUR!!!!!!) was because they were branding pledges.

Ugh, what guys will make their NIBs do. PLedging should be fun, something they'll remember and can recall during their recollections of being an undergrad in the house. I'm sure branding doesn't qualify.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by DeltaSigStan
ONE of the reasons we were restructured in 1998 (went from 60 to FOUR!!!!!!) was because they were branding pledges.

Ugh, what guys will make their NIBs do. PLedging should be fun, something they'll remember and can recall during their recollections of being an undergrad in the house. I'm sure branding doesn't qualify.

They were branding pledges. That's not good.