‘Manly’ but inane

The recent hazing atrocity involving San Beda law students once more highlights the inanity, stupidity, childishness of a so-called “tradition” that subjects applicants for fraternity membership to physical abuse.

Our very peculiar obsession “to belong” has been taken to insane lengths. The obsession to achieve that dubious “status” of being a “brat”  member (no spelling error here!) is beyond comprehension.

In a choice between brat and country, which would these people choose? Country over fraternity? One gets the impression that in practice, it is the other way around: One’s loyalty to the country ends where servility to fraternity begins.

What is most absurd about this inane system of values is that a submission to such barbarity is looked upon as “manly”; and worse is the reasoning that “since we went through it, you should too”!

For our anti-hazing laws to have teeth, our officials should stop giving such canine loyalty to this or that fraternity simply because “eh, member ako diyan.”

—BOBBY GONZALEZ KRAUT,

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