Hazing

This is my soapbox today, and some will get very upset with me but this is my conviction. After hearing and seeing Anderson Cooper 360 report, and learning of another death and beating. I work in institution of higher learning and hazing at all levels is alive and well. I have to agree with journalist Roland Martin, hazing is about culture, and it is not a black thing. It is a cultural thing for all of Americans. We all have a proclivity, penchant, inclination, affinity to hazing; yet we declassify it as hazing because it did ‘hurt’ anyone. People please, we need to think we went from teasing to bullying, from a school yard fight to beat downs at school. Do not see the natural progressive of depravity we have create with our silence, and you are worst than mind argument; it is all wrong. Let us start there, and work our way from this place.  

We believe, it is ingrained in our psyche, you must endure something to get anything, true but intentional intimidation, brutality and shame; Really?! I went through to get to, then you must do as well. The irony is this, those who went through it, the hazing whether it was subtle, harassment, or violent, did not like going through it. Yet, we are willing to put others through it because we seem to think it is what makes him or her a ‘real’ member, or you have to pay your dues and that is part of it. I get the, you have work yourself up because of the necessity of understanding, but what I don’t get and will never get is this. This psychological bent where a group must embarrass, intimidate, or hit someone who is seeking to become a part of an organization. Citing or stating it is an activity(s) which make those who seeking to become a member closer because it is a bonding experience, or lets you know how bad you want it, or you understand the importance of what it takes to really be a member of our elite group. But forgive me, if I am confused because I thought the goal is to do better in our efforts, to make it better those coming behind us, and looking toward us for guidance. I am in the minority here, I see.

We berate, question, become anger, if someone misses a step, I had to go through; question -how many of us would really like to endure some of the things our forefather and mothers, of all races and persuasion, went through to ensure we have a leg up, easier transition, less struggle, etc? Isn’t this the reason for us to improve things for self, but also for others to enjoy…how would you like to go back to no cell phones, ipads, computer, planes, trains, interracial marriages, female minister, being put in jail because of your sexual orientation, I could go on but I think we all get the picture… Yet we create a society that endorses, encourages it, and then stands back going tsk-tsk these kids today. WTF!!?? We wrote the book, hand it off to the next generation, and told them to add their chapter. So, with a word of don’t and laws of shouldn’t, we also include a wink and a smile giving the green light to continue with business as usual. However, we never begrudge or belabor the point of clarity or point of order if we are given an opportunity to move beyond the requirements, and we bask in the awareness, Look at my good fortune! What a lucky break! God is good! What a blessing!, then we turn around endorse for others go through the path you didn’t. God forbid.

At some point we must be the change we wish to see, because laws and policies governed but they do not control, without the people endorsement and following them, they have no value. We give the laws and policies power to control, not vice-versa. Any questions, look in the history books of our country, or the bible, it is all in there. Hazing is a cultural issue we all must all own, all work to change, and

I will close with this, all who say we are Christians, we should know this better than anyone. Jesus came so that we can have life more abundantly, and endured our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. How long will we know right, understand right, but fail to do right because we fail to really grasped the end product, the influence and the impact of our behavior of those coming after us, those looking to us for guidance, or those who are contemporary for us…just because you were not in the car wreck with a sever leg, it does not mean it does impact you? It is your choice, change starts with each us… Zec. 4:10 -Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” (NIV).