(On the Yet Another Hazing Incident in the Philippines)
I already discussed this issue years ago; even wrote an article about it; but because of the current news about it in the Philippines, I want to tackle it again.
In the News
“Guillo Cesar Servando, an 18-year-old student at De La Salle University-College of Saint Benilde, collapsed and died on June 29 apparently as a result of severe paddling as part of hazing rituals for joining a fraternity.”
On the Philippine TV program ‘Bandila,’ host Ces Drilon asked the father of the student who died of hazing if he thought the school should be held accountable for the incident; the father said no because, according to him, the hazing rites occurred outside the school. I have an opposite view on this. To me, the school should have a degree of responsibility, if not accountability, on what happened. As soon as the culprits have been proven guilty accordingly, the school should bar them from pursuing their education at the said school or from ever enrolling there again in the future.
The Evil of Fraternities
To me, any fraternity (or sorority, for that matter), when it involves hazing of whatever form and however degree, is bullshit, stupid, and evil. People who instigate the initiation rites are simply power-hungry, insecure, and arrogant bullies. On the other hand, people who join fraternities despite the knowledge that they would undergo such kind of initiation are individuals who themselves have insecurities and problems with their sense of belonging and social standing, the reason they needed to join a seeming brotherhood to achieve their perceived social status—a brotherhood based on power; authority; malice; subservience; and intent to hurt and humiliate. Such irony! This is an obvious distortion of the very concept of brotherhood.
Sa Madaling Salita
Walang magandang maitutulong ang pagsali sa anumang samahan na may kasamang pananakit, pamamahiya, at katarantaduhan. Ang tunay na pakikipagkapatiran ay nararapat na nakabatay sa pagmamahal, pagtitiwala, pakikipagkaibiganan, at pag-aalala sa kabutihan ng bawat isa.
Or, in Simple Words
Nothing is noble or admirable in joining a fraternity or any group that involves hazing. Real brotherhood should be based on love, trust, friendship, camaraderie, and concern for the well-being of each other.
Hazing is the practice of rituals and other activities involving harassment, abuse, or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group. It is observed in many different types of social groups, including gangs, sports teams, schools, military units, and fraternities and sororities. The instigators actualize their lust for power and authority, while the neophytes try to fill an inner void caused by insecurity and a distorted sense of belonging.
