November 27, 2011
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It's been a while...
I don't get much response from political blogs. I wonder why?
Here in Florida we have a college football scandal brewing with fall-out probably exceeding that of Penn State.
This however concerns FAMU's famous Marching 100 band. A high-stepping, highly coordinated, fast tempo band that has been famous for a long time. Unfortunately, as with some other elite groups, a not-so-nice hazing tradition has developed over a long period of time. All the members seem to have been involved, as apparently is the 40-year-veteran band director - himself a band alumnus. Even though he had suspended thirty members a few months ago - apparently for excessive hazing, when one of the up-and-coming drum majors suddenly collapsed and died,apparently as a result of hazing; the college president suspended the band activities and fired the director -who has sued to get his job back.
This incident apparently exceeds the usual fraternity hazing.I was a college fraternity member back in the 50's but any hazing I got was fairly light. How about you?
Have you ever been subject to hazing/bullying? what was the outcome?
Do you thing hazing of "new members"of an elite group is a good idea?
Comments (2)
I can not really comment on the politics of other countries. I think we do not see the political situations clearly when we look from our perspective. I am part of an initiation based fraternity but it is never humiliating...always uplifting experiences. I had been part of a hazing when I went to varsity but it was well controlled and within acceptable limits. Hazing in terms of an elite group can play a crucial role in building loyalty and commitment. It forms the basis for group cohesion. However hazing should not be derogatory or humiliating...but rather fill the participant with a sense of awe and wonder.
Apparently the hazing is particularly brutal - beatings - with paddles of other implements.
A few weeks ago another band member - a girl - was so severely beaten that one of her legs was fractured by the paddling.
@Zeal4living -
Jurgens, I think you are referring to initiation ceremonies - such as those of the Masons and other "secret societies". The hazing here referred to is more like that of a US Marine bootcamp - but without supervision - just supposed to show how tough you have to be to get in the group. It is apparently long standing with the FAMU band. The college administrators have tried to suppress it several times but apparently haven't tried hard enough. Probably disbanding the band - which is a considerable money-maker for the college - will have to be the solution. The whole process is complicated by Florida state politics as FAMU is a predominately black school.