Prompt 9

I am currently experiencing a social issue within my fraternity here at LSU. Recently, my chapter has been accused and chastised for hazing our prospective candidates. Hazing is an issue that I personally do not condone or agree with. However, I have recently discovered that many of my fraternity brothers do not feel the same way. I believe this is an important issue for several reasons. For one, it gives our fraternity and each individual member (myself included) a reputation that should not be deemed "cool" or desired by anyone. Secondly, it endangers all those who have pledged our fraternity as well as the active members who are allowing the behavior to continue. In this particular instance I believe it would be severally difficult to convince many people that this behavior is not an acceptable way to treat another human being. The masses in this instance tend to be blinded by their status among peers and how their appearance might change if they disagree with this outdated practice of initiation. I believe that because of this mob mentality throughout the fraternity, the best way to get across the message that hazing is detrimental to everyone involved is through the use of practices found in invisible theatre. I would set up a scenario where one pledge was being tormented by two active members. In this scenario, a third active member would step forward. and attempted to put an end to this behavior. In an attempt to adhere to the real, I would suggest to my actors that no matter how logical the righteous man's explanation is, the two bullies, for lack of a better term, should completely dismiss these arguments with the utmost apathy and ignorance. Only when the righteous man puts himself in the place of the pledge and allows his brothers to torment him should a change occur. I believe the best way to accomplish this goal is to stage the event at the fraternity house where all active members could effect the outcome of the situation, and I would use my own fraternity brothers as the active members. I do not believe that having the media present would be helpful. In my mind word of this getting out to everyone would be serious harmful to all that might have been accomplished. I believe this mostly because it is not ideal for the entire Greek body to hear about the event, make judgments of their own, and put themselves in a position where they could revert the minds of those who have changed back to the old habits where hazing was acceptable. The protest will end when those who truly understand why the issue must not persist step forward and prevent others from the same torment.