The topic of hazing and its effects on Greek organizations in the future is a topic well worth being discussed. In today’s society it seems that every so often you can turn on the news and hear of some tragic, embarrassing, or just plain outrageous story involving Greek hazing. This idea of Greek hazing is not a new phenomenon but instead it is something that has been happening for decades now, but it wasn't until 1990 that this idea of hazing was made illegal. I myself am a member of a greek lettered organization, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity Inc, and according to the rules and regulations that surround my fraternity are that we are a non hazing organization, and anyone found in objection to this will face consequences and or if found in violation will be asked to leave.

The idea of hazing is something that can become extremely costly in the aspect of someone being permanently disfigured for the rest of their life, a very expensive law suit, and in some cases death.

The real question that arouses when discussing hazing is, "is it really that bad." many major films have been made in regards to college pledging, one in particular, "School Daze," this movie gave a strong depiction of how life was for young African Americans pledging to gain membership into a fraternity and all of the struggles they faced. But the real answer to this question is yes, "School Daze" was nothing more than a movie not real life. The real life situation is that many students are dying just for letters.

Now of course there is nothing wrong with working hard for your, but when does working hard for yours go to far. Over the years there have been numerous cases of young people dying and or being killed trying to pledge. Some in particular are in 1994, Michael Davis died pledging the Southeast Missouri State University chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. His autopsy revealed that he had suffered broken ribs as well as a lacerated kidney and liver. In 2001, Joseph Green died pledging Omega Psi Phi at Tennessee State University. Then in 2002, Kristin High and Kenitha Saafir drowned during a hazing incident at the California State Los Angeles chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. And just a few years ago, in 2009, Donnie Wade II died pledging Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at Prairie View A&M University. This is the exact reason why there are so many new rules and regulations surrounding new membership into Greek lettered organizations. All of this makes me feel for those that have yet to make it into Greek world, and if all of these problems are ruining it for those future aspirants.

 

Furthermore, if we are just being honest is it wrong for Greek lettered organization to still want to be “made” and is that a term that should be deemed inappropriate? In my own personal opinion pledging is not the problem it’s the people doing it, trying to go above and beyond for no reason and therefore ruining it for everyone that comes after them. If we really look at it yes there have been cases to prove that hazing is becoming a problem but what about the millions of people that have made it without any problems? My stance is that the future of Greek lettered organizations is that it will no longer be left in the hands of college students but instead it will be taken over by out of school members that are out of touch with what is really going on at that specific college campus. So my proposal would be to work with these organizations not penalize first then see what really happen, but instead allow older members to come back and work with the undergraduates and teach them something rather than just throwing the book at them.