BY SHAY CULLEN
IN MY previous article Death By Hazing Is Murder Most Evil last March 2023, I shared the story of one student victim who gave this moving and powerful testimony.
“As a freshman in the university, I wanted to “belong” and I thought joining a fraternity is the way to go. Fraternity members are aggressive in recruiting members as it is the life line of the fraternity. They convince possible recruits by mentioning the names of “illustrious” members- like this senator and that congressman, for example. These senators and congressmen, and many others in the high echelon of society, are in fact members of fraternities so for them “hazing” is an open secret. They also make membership to a fraternity very attractive. They inculcate the belief that “brotherhood” merits priority at all times. You can have access to review materials when taking the bar exam or any other board exam. Once you’ve graduated from the university, they offer possibilities of connecting you to influential people.
When I joined the fraternity, I knew that there would be some sort of initiation rites. The process takes several days, even weeks, culminating in one night when the actual “hazing” is done in a “frat house-” a house owned by one of the ranking/most active/most committed members of the fraternity. Prior to the hazing itself, we were already made to do some physical and mental challenges.
We were made to run around the UP academic oval as many times as we can until we’re heavily panting for breath. We were made to do humiliating acts and memorize the Preamble and Constitution and memorize the names of the charter members as if they are some kind of deity.
Although I was expecting some kind of initiation, I did not expect it would be like what I experienced that night. Simply said, what I experienced was torture. Beaten several times with a paddle at the back of the thigh, until it’s as purple as an eggplant already. Knees kicked such that the side of your knee caps painfully hit each other, numerous blows to both arms, melted candle wax allowed to drip on your palm. The mental torture was already unbearable.
At that moment, I thought I would die. I accepted that fate already and surrendered myself to them. They could have killed me that night and dumped me in the septic tank of that house and no one would know. My parents didn’t know, they wouldn’t know, because I did not tell them I’m joining a fraternity.
But at that point, there’s already no turning back. I passed out and woke up the following day already a “fratman,” no longer a “barbarian.” Fraternities are named after Greek letters. Those who do not belong to a fraternity are referred to as “barbarians,” as in the barbarians referred to in Greek society. But nothing is as barbaric as the hazing I experienced.
By the way, the “brothers” that did this to me, seem to be genuinely good people. They are smart people, excelling in academics and their fields of discipline. They were good sons of their parents and now most of them are successful in their chosen careers and are responsible and loving fathers to their own children. It’s difficult to understand how they can hurt a fellow human being the way they hurt me and I can’t forget how delighted they were doing it.”
There it is, the testimony of a victim that survived the torture of the brutal beaters and killers of youth who can appear to be good people. We don’t know them lurking in the fraternities, approving the brutality of initiation and violation of human rights and dignity, posing as leaders of society but corrupt at heart. Who the torturers are, some are murderers, people living apparently outwardly good lives, never brought to justice or accountability but have done unspeakable crimes.
The Philippine Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said, “The culture of secrecy in the guise of fraternal ‘brotherhood’ is abhorrent, and each and every single person involved — from those who planned, those who participated, even those who were just present but did nothing to stop the hazing — should be thrown in jail as well. Under our law, they are all responsible.” (preda.org)/PN
