More Hazing

[Wolfman]

The problem here is too much defensiveness. The truth is that for historically white and historically black GLOs there are differing cultures of hazing, which go beyond talk of individual responsibility and transcend national Greek affiliation. Yes, alcohol abuse is a very serious (and ocaasionally deadly!) problem with the former and physical hazing represents the same for the latter. We have to look at these things head on.

I see the "white groups" instituting all kinds of educational programs, including "dry houses" (which many actives and chapters disregard or rebel against said programs) and you still see the stories of deaths due to alcohol poisonings; and physical hazing continues to be single biggest threat to the survivial of BGLOs,even though pledging was done away with. In truth, now,it's simply become a sub rosa ("underground") activity.

It's not so much about the sensationalized stories of hazing by whatever BGLO gets the headlines for an egregious hazing incident, where the Nupes and the Apes have garnered the most headlines recently, it's about the fact that this is the tip of the iceberg, extreme examples of common place behaviour. The same goes for "white" groups and alcohol abuse. On the whole, though, I do think the "white" groups have addressed the alcohol abuse problem in their groups in a more integral way than BGLOs have physical hazing, as a part of the "culture" of the organizations. (Just as we are not fully comfortable in dealing with the issue of homophobia in the context of the AIDS crisis in the African American community at large---from the street corner to the church.) This is what Prof. Ricky Jones, Ph.D. (a Nupe) is trying to do with his book, "Black Haze"; he has received chilly if not hostile responses from some Black Greeks for his radical means of addressing physical hazing:dismantling the organizations if they don't deal with this issue forthright.

We're past the point of defensiveness. Ultimately, Greek Life as we know it is at stake--for all groups. This is the real issue.