It’s really embarrassing to tell your parents that you’ve failed a class you should have passed. It’s even more embarrassing to tell your parents you were questioned by the police for the hospitalization of a fellow student.
On Nov. 11, Markus Parker, a member of the marching band, was hospitalized because his fellow trumpet players thought in order for him to be a man he had to be beaten. Maybe they didn’t intend for him to have a near death experience but it happened. Should he have died, they would have to live with that while rotting in a jail cell.
Many students desire to be a member of the 100 because they want to play their instrument in a world-renowned marching band. Not because they want to be a Clone or Hollywood Hood or a member of another sectional fraternity. They certainly don’t do it to get the mess beat out of them.
However, that is exactly what happens to so many students. They just want to march and be part of a prestigious organization but there is so much pressure to “cross.”
Regardless of the pressure, there is still a choice “To cross or not to cross.” And regardless of ancient, barbaric traditions, upperclassmen have a choice “To beat or not to beat.” Hopefully tradition is worth charges of aggravated battery.
When these sectional fraternities were started, surely they were centered around improving the quality of the section. Now it seems like that original purpose is lost. It is a far second to brutality.
The reasoning for this brutality varies from seeing if they could take it to rites of passage.
Isn’t life itself enough of a rites of passage? Before you die, you may experience your lights getting cut off, eviction notices, getting fired or even a death in the family. These things are parts of a rites of passage called life. Sorry, but seeing not how much wood you can take is not included.
If the existence of sectional fraternities is necessary, then people need to use methods other than violence to discipline. Violence, much like cursing, depicts a lack of creativity and education.
Nothing will change until there is a strong desire for a change to be made. Judging by what happened to Parker, there is little if any desire.
The endless cycle of “It was done to me, so I’m going to do it someone else” brainwashes us into justifying this backwards behavior.
The power trip and rush you get when you pick up that piece of wood, is devalued when you’re on the front page of newspapers depicted as a brute.