8 Asians

Asian American Fraternity Hazing Profiled in the Media

By Ernie | Tuesday, March 24, 2009 | 6 Comments


It’s a rough week to be the PR spokesman of Lambda Phi Epsilon, the nation’s most visible Asian American fraternity this week. The Daily Beast recently did a story about the unspoken physical hazing in Asian American fraternities, and was followed up by a panel on National Public Radio of two members of the Pi Alpha Phi fraternity as well as the sister of Jack Phoummarath, a University of Texas student who died while pledging Lambda Phi Epsilon. (A lawsuit was filed against the fraternity by the family later and settled out of court.)

For most Asian Americans that have attended a college with Asian Greek organizations, it’s kind of unspoken but everyone knows; similar to Black or Latino Greeks, Asian social fraternities are known to haze their pledges, and more than just the typical “oh hey, let’s make you drink until you puke” stuff. But it’s news to mainstream media, a place where there isn’t any pre-conceived notions about Asian fraternities and sees Asian college students as hard working, intelligent kids majoring in Pre-Med or Engineering. (And they are; some of them just happen to kick the shit out of their pledges.)  For non-Greeks, white or Asian, it’s tough to grasp why anyone would be involved in something like this the first place, but fellow blogger Jeff brings the point home:

I was never in a fraternity, which were never big at my undergrad school, but my guess is that the appeal is similar to that of gangs. They want to belong to something, have people watch their back, be part of something like family, often in a way that their parents never provided for them, and thus they are willing to go through hell to be part of them. In fact [in 2003], two Asian-American fraternities at San Jose state went at each other in a 100 person gang fight at a park near my house [which left one person dead].

As a former college undergrad, I understand the draw with rushing an Asian Greek — wanting to be a part of something greater than the whole, wanting to do social stuff with a nod to your heritage. But I’m 32 now, and the adult in me is wondering why the risk management programs so common in fraternal organizations hasn’t kicked into action yet, because left unchecked, stories like this will get more and more media attention without any official response.

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6 Comments to “Asian American Fraternity Hazing Profiled in the Media”

  • Cuong wrote:

    To quote Mister Jeff, “my guess is that the appeal is similar to that of gangs.” That is not true for everyone who joins an Asian American cultural based fraternity. I am part of a large fraternity that includes thousands of brothers myself (Not Lambda Phi Epsilon or Pi Alpha Phi) and the reasons that I and a lot of men like me, joined this fraternity includes promoting cultural awareness amongst my campus and community and the development of leadership for Asian American male youths. Even though I am not part of Lambda Phi Epsilon I know for a fact that they have done more for the community than any Asian based sub organization.

    Our founding fathers (the guys who founded the fraternity) are in their 30’s and we still have close contact with them. So the appeal of brotherhood goes beyond the need for strength, but more for the continual growth, development, and bond of the individual.

    To say that the appeal of joining a fraternity is based upon gang mentalities would be belittling to tens of thousands of Asian American men who have worked hard to spread awareness in a form beyond typing away online blogs behind the safe screen of the internet.

    It is true in your statement that, “it’s tough to grasp why anyone would be involved in something like this the first place.” It is not a simple answer, its like having someone explain what it means to be a certain race or ethnicity. I’m sure you can find someone in a fraternity that could answer some of these questions better instead of basing assumptions on unfounded guesses.

    Posted on 25-Mar-09 at 5:59 am | Permalink

  • 8Asians.com » Mixed Company of Yale’s “Single Asians” Isn’t Very Funny wrote:

    [...] Yale University live in another Universe. While most students at other school are clearly content with beating their own pledges (or killing the pledges at other fraternities), undergrads at Yale join weird fucking societies [...]

    Posted on 29-Mar-09 at 11:03 am | Permalink

  • Andrew wrote:

    I never noticed any cultural awareness from asian fraternities or sorotities, if anything, it all seemed half assed attempt in name and most of the time I just see a bunch of pictures on facebook on drunk parties.

    Posted on 02-Apr-09 at 3:52 pm | Permalink

  • Cuong wrote:

    To Andrew:

    Of course you wouldn’t see the work that a lot of them do for the community when you’re not there. To use your reasoning would be saying that the President of the United States isn’t doing anything because you don’t see him in meetings or signing paperwork. Another reason why you might not see any cultural awareness events may be because it is not a cultural fraternity, it might be a social fraternity. There are several types of fraternities, social, cultural, community, religious, etc. To lump up all Asian fraternity and sororities would be like saying all Asian people are geeks because you see them read a book. If you name one nationally recognized Asian fraternity or sorority, I can name you their philanthropy.

    Posted on 02-Apr-09 at 7:20 pm | Permalink

  • lambda's opinion wrote:

    i pledged for this wack ass fraternity and i can say for sure that the fraternity hazes. i did pushups during the night sometimes until dawn, suffered verbal and mental abuse, was forced to eat/drink nasty foods and beverages including alcohol, and was encouraged to steal during hell week (they made me do a scavenger hunt without using any money…basically encouraging stealing).

    dont be a lambda, they abuse you, take ur money, destroy ur academic career. they destroy lives in the pursuit of trivial things like being popular, getting high/drunk, dateraping girls, etc.

    dont be a sucka, dont be a lambda. you will regret it, u may even die at the hands of these “bros”

    i am/was a lambda and im not making this shit up. being a lambda sucked. why i spent so much time with assholes who didnt give a shit about me, i dont know. i was blind but now i see it for what it actually is, a total waste of time.

    Posted on 29-May-09 at 9:02 pm | Permalink

  • utme wrote:

    ————–”it’s kind of unspoken but everyone knows; similar to Black or Latino Greeks, Asian social fraternities are known to haze their pledges,”————-

    The statement above is pretty ignorant,as well as some of the comments below. i dont claim to know it all but i offer a different perspective, by the way i attend the University of Texas at Austin and im also a part of the greek community.
    first is this article claiming that only black,latino, and asian greek organizations haze? because white Greeks haze as well…
    and to clarify just because i know that some greeks haze it is not right to blame all greeks for the faults of the ignorant.. founders who thought it meaningful to make up processes where humiliating, heavy liquor consumption, and in some cases fighting, or beating up with pattles could possibly be meaningful lessons.!!!

    to Cuong i say.. just because these brothers do a lot for the community doesn't necessary excuse the stupidity of their process, and the harm they did to Jack, and the potential harm they could still be for upcoming pledges. I don't know much of their process and traditions of the UT chapter, but only hope that they were not national traditions. I mean how could any person with self respect allow itself to be humiliated and abused in such manner.
    Regardless of the impact this organization has had in the community the organization should begin by being a better example of true brotherhood, and instill self-respect values, i mean really its childish!!!

    to Andrew i say:
    your probably right, thats all you see but i have witnesses the philanthropic events and services hosted by asian organizations as well as all other greeks.

    but to be truthful on my own perspective about greek orgs . i shall say this

    asian orgs east asian:
    are known to drink alot!! during pledging processes
    and girls are known to be hazed according to their body…so yes they are judged
    according to their body mass one org- got in trouble at UT for it ..its sad, but it makes sense why they all look alike when it comes to their bodies

    and well you know this are the rumors and sadly based on the ones who get talked about the most for getting caught

    black greeks—- based on slavery therefore the call their lines ships and have to work hard to not let it sink and there are plenty of rummorsof many of them getting beat up by pattles, and Cannes
    and if you attend their probates they show you a lil glimpse of how they are treated during their process and the types of workouts they must endure.

    Latino greeks: very similar to black Greeks while other hold on closer to their Latino heritage, and while some just like other Greeks learn and memorize greek history and own history they also learn cultural history.
    when it comes to controversy the most Ive heard is heavy workout sessions,

    white greeks- i have heard a little of everything

    heavy drinkin!!g, guys pissing on each other, elephant walk, girls crawling naked in front of greek guys, girls getting raped at parties by frat boys, guys having contest on who can ejaculate faster.

    and for Lambda's Opinion
    it is obvious you are not a brother of Lambda Phi Epsilon dude you basically repeated word by word the following documentary.

    http://www.stophazing.org/nuwer/july08column.htm

    to make false accusations to discredit another org is just wrong .. grow up!

    Posted on 19-Oct-09 at 10:55 pm | Permalink

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