Hazing?

[sugar and spice]

Originally posted by NatalieCD

I just don't understand why a lot of simple things are considered hazing, when at the sme time hardcore paddling and throwing up from too much beer can be in the same category.

Because we, as Greeks, have such a terrible reputation in the general public already -- all the organizations are trying to remove the hazing stigma, and that will require complete elimination of all things associated with hazing. For example, in a lot of organizations, it's "hazing" to make paddles as a big/lil present, even though they're not being used to smack people with. Why? Because if somebody who's not in a Greek organization sees a Greek with a paddle, they're probably going to assume that somebody's getting paddled with it.

If we want the Greek system to survive, we are going to have to get rid of almost everything that has connotations with hazing. Even essentially harmless things like making big/lil paddles, scavenger hunts, wearing pledge pins for all your waking hours, and signing pledge books -- they can be misinterpreted by non-Greeks and hurt our image the same way that harmful hazing does, because they hint at darker things going on beneath the surface.

Yes, I do think that certain measures that are being taken are a little extreme, but in the long run they're probably also going to be necessary.