Even in the age of Men of Principle, Balanced Men, Gentlemen Scholars, and other assorted remakes of member development ideally designed to eliminate the stereotype of the "pledge," hazing continues to be a perinneal problem. What starts out philosophically as a "harmless prank" unfortunately given to its own devices can turn ugly, hurtful, demeaning, and .... deadly. Greek systems have been under the microscope this past academic year, possibly the worst in decades, for senseless human damage and death. Chico State has possibly achieved the dubious honor of being in the newspaper more than any other institution this year because we all know that "if it bleeds, it reads."
The recent San Francisco Chronicle article referenced here is a brief account of the events from a survivor of the "Hell Week" that took the life of Matthew Carrington.
Did all this make the survivors better members or better men or better leaders? Or will it just turn an abused person into a greater abuser down the road?
And while there should certainly be no need for great sympathy for the seven men on trial for this; that is another bunch of damaged individuals who will bear the scars of this incident for a long time to come. I am sure a few years in prison will show these pretty frat boys a new perspective on hazing.
Surviving pledge tells of ordeal / 7 to go on trial in fatal Chico hazing
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