Hazing causes multiple deaths every year between teens and young adults all over, the few who don’t enjoy this act are the ones that are being put through it. Hazing causes a variety of negative effects, but there are also a variety of solutions that are available to help the victims either avoid it or get through it. Some people are afraid to say no at any time because they think it will end up worse, but sometimes it will help. If you are really worried about hazing you can avoid joining a club or some group if they seem like the group to make fun of hazing newcomers. Hazing is a big issue everywhere in the world but mainly in high schools, colleges, sports teams and clubs. Some people look off hazing as a fun and harmless activity but people are starting to figure out it’s deeper than that, especially as another loss of life is experienced. Today is the day that the world needs to realize that deaths caused by hazing are not okay. Caitlin Flanagan writes about a student that was killed at a Penn State fraternity.”Every year or so brings another such death, another healthy young college man a victim of hazing at the hands of one of the nation’s storied social fraternities”. The seniors at fraternities (the ones who are usually performing the hazing activities) need to man up and become a leader, to put an end to this source of fun and find a new one before another life is lost.
Andrea Hazard tells about a situation in which hazing ruined the kids live’s who were leading the act.”Two varsity athletes in Minnesota who pleaded guilty to assault charges for paddling a teammate with a wooden board were suspended from school, charged with misdemeanors, and forced to pay hundreds of dollars in fines, according to news reports”.Consequences come with this activity, hazing is illegal in all states but six which is the consequence that these kids were dealt with but also many kids have to deal with a deep feeling of quilt the rest of their lives. Caitlin Flanagan goes on about the death at the Penn State Frat. “And with those final rituals of the fraternity, Tim Piazza’s 28-hour membership in Beta Theta Pi will come to an end. ‘Rest in peace, Tim Piazza,’ ends the post. Rest in peace”. Another healthy young boys life lost and a loss of life that the kids causing the death have to deal with the rest of their life. Everyone that knows about hazing knows it’s an issue but the people that don’t understand it needs to know. In the article “hazing” hazing is talked about what it actually is. “Hazing is any activity that intentionally humiliates, degrades, or potentially endangers participants seeking to join an organization or team”. Any hazing is frowned upon but the safer we keep it the better it will be since hazing is nowhere close to being extinct. Though in the same article “hazing” it goes on to say. “For this reason, even practices that some people would consider mild hazing or fun can create a culture in which the activities become out of control”.
Most hazing activities are like this, they start out innocently for making it a fun occasion but then they always get ramped up when people get bored of the mild hazing, then it becomes a very dangerous activity. In Helen Oliff’s article about lifting hazing, she explains, “Hazing and bullying and intimidation (especially if there are adults present who condone it or who fail to act when they come upon hazing) are the natural enemies of respect and killers of self-respect”. You will be quick to find out who you are when hazing is going on, are you gonna stand up against it, sit back and watch or be the one doing the misdemeanor. People everywhere are needing solutions to avoid hazing or get through it and there is a variety of ways to do so. In the article “lifting the haze around hazing” Helen Oliff talks about how some groups are avoiding hazing activities. “During the first week of school, hazing is specifically discussed, along with other school rules and zero tolerance issues. The timing is crucial for Roseville since Homecoming is just around the corner (a trigger for past hazing events)”.
Schools and groups everywhere need to consider going over hazing activities at the start of their first joining. Caitlin Flanagan writes about fraternities and how they deal with the issue, “Fraternities do have a zero-tolerance policy regarding hazing”. If you are worried about hazing in fraternities, know that it is not tolerated so if the hazing gets out of control, then you can tell administrative. In the article “standing up against hazing” Andrea Hazard goes on to say. “Hazing victims may also feel that they have no right to say no”. Sometimes no is all you need to say but if the activities become too intense and you’re worried about it, that’s when you know the groups, not for you. All in all, hazing can be found as a fun activity even for the one getting hazed but if it gets out of hand it can change multiple lives forever. Administrative everywhere need to spread the word before the start of their group and make it clear that hazing is not tolerated and there will be consequences if caught doing so. The main thing is we need leaders that end hazing everywhere and it starts with the kids who are the ones leading these activities. The variety of solutions vary and different solutions may work to fix different groups. Hazing has taken a negative toll on many lives and shouldn’t be an activity that harms lives but makes them more fun.
