Is Any Hazing Legal?

[shadokat]

So MSSTCY1, as long as the sisters wash the dishes with the pledges, that's ok? If someone told me to wash their dishes, I'd laugh!!

[PhiDeltUCI]

This has been a divisive argument in chapters for a long time. Phi Delt's policy is no hazing much like fiji's. The problem that i see is that sometimes what is and isnt hazing becomes cloudy. if you do the activity with your pledges is that OK? its all so subjective, i know our chapter has somewhat of a soft reputation on our campus because we ask our pledges to do almost nothing. i dont think that making pledges do pushups if they cant learn is bad but our nationals says its hazing so we cant do it. I also dont think mandatory exercise is bad but what does our risk management chair say? Hazing! so what are chapters left to do?

[UDZETA]

ZTA condones NO HAZING at all. Really bad things can happen if caught or found out about any hazing going on in a chapter. Being a greek is more then hazing, I don't know why people get this feeling they need to haze people. Hazing is also illegal in Ohio.

[fijijr]

One of the things that comes up from time to time when I discuss this issue with other chapters is the question I pose to them about what is the purpose of your new member program. I don't see hazing as accomplishing anything that a chapter may try to instill in their new members. A friend of mine that is a Phi Mu talked about it today and said she doesn't see the argument that comes up "XZY chapter uses it to break them down so we can build them back up into a true XZY" The thing I say to end many a conversation on the subject is this: "were your founders hazed to recieve the knowledge that is now your organization..." I can say that the founders came together with similar ideals and aspirations and started the organization....why then now must someone with similar ideals and aspirations be made to jump through hoops to become part of an organization. Some have disagreed with me but in my mind this is not "soft" at all actually on the contrary it takes a stronger person to validate their involvement in an organization because of what the organization is and how that is what they seek than it is to say becaused my class did "hazing activities" without getting caught.

[UDZETA]

I believe that every member of XYZ, should know about their org becauses if they don't how can they truely understand what it means to be a member of XYZ. I think new members can be made aware of the history about XYZ without making then clean or be paddled, etc. A good new member program will be able to do this for them.

[SirHornyToad]

At my school, EVERY house hazes by the definitions given here. Its fact, but by our definition it isnt really, Our definition is Hazing is anything that we would not do our selves either before or with them at the time. Easy , plus all the things that my house does that could even POSSIBLY be considered hazing have ideas and points behind them that really are inspirational =)

[hoosier]

As I read your definition, I wonder if push-ups in unison, as seen on MTV fraternity Life, is hazing.

Excessive push-ups surely are, but is doing 20 push-ups hazing?

Is standing in a line while the bros ask questions hazing, or simply an oral quiz?

[SirHornyToad]

standing in line and being asked questions is in my opinion a very strong pledging technique and if nothing else convinces the pledges of the importance of learing thier shit, as for pushups, 20 isnt excessive, now excessive means it has no point, but if your doing it to let them see, this isnt a game, not a joke, so dont treat it that way, and you dont do it excessively AND actives do it WITH THEM like on FL then it isnt hazing imo

[RUgreek]

Is any Hazing legal? Hmm, well technically yes, but that depends on how the state and school definite it.

If your school has a loose hazing policy, and another school has a tight and strict one, then activities that would be classified as Hazing in one school would be legal in another.

Are there general hazing activities that are legal to everyone regardless of their anti-hazing policies? Well no, the very word hazing classifies it as hazing and therefore it is illegal.

A better question is are there any activities out there that you would think of as hazing but really isn't? That one I can't answer, everytime I think of things like a treasure hunt, exercising, learning the greek alphabet, they all come up as hazing somewhere.


Heh, I love it though when all the anti-hazing supporters get all pissy on this subject. I just start thinking "if this was ever face to face, and push came to shove, I think all the pro-hazers would kick the shit out of them." Lol, oh come on, you thought it was a funny notion too...


- RUgreek

[Tom Earp]

Hazing is illegal no matter what you want to call it!!! Why, be cause of Risk Management and the cost of Insurance that has become a burden upon All Greek National Orgs!

Is it funny to get your ass whupped by an active or a Brother! DA!

Horneytoady I know not from where you come so if you are a local with a Greek Name, you and yours are those that throw a bad light on the rest if/when you get caught for actions as such!

Can criminal charges be filed, hell yes they can!

I would suggest unless you have an unusually long nose, try to look beyond it and see the bigger picture!

[SirHornyToad]

We're local, not a greek name, been around for about 70 years, we dont beat our pledges or anything like that, but we DO do alot of things that would be considered hazing in many places, but all of them have reasons behind why we do them and all teach lessons, we dont beat them up or even really make them do hard exercise (i think they have a brotherhood run one night...) and there isnt anything we do that is dangerous to them, we take MANY precautions to assure our program runs smoothly from year to year. We dont screw with them just for the sake of screwing with them, the things we do all have points and teach lessons. which in my opinion is constructive and not really hazing.