Hazing is bad, I don’t condone it, Yet everybody doesn’t understand How things work in these bands The News Media are all over these hazing cases like White on Rice and they do want people talking but they’re willing to talk to anyone just for a story. Not for answers but for Anything that Makes good Television.
I Understand Our bands are being Watched Like ” 21 Jump street” And that There are folks are just waiting for something that may appear to be Hazing to happen so they can report it. And the News media is willing to Interview anyone and everyone who will Go in on These Hazing Situations. All They want is a story whether the facts are there or not. If It makes good Ratings. It’s all good for them.
What the Public Doesn’t Understand Is …
There are many Elements of Band That the Outside world could consider that could Physical & Mental Hazing. For the most part marching band practice is like Army Basic Training ,The Simmer camp is like Army Boot camp. members don’t just go in and play Horns, they must train like sport players to be prepared for events. Everyone In the band Takes part in The Training. but for a Freshman They come in as an Empty Vessel Only possessing the Musical Skills to play. Everything else must be taught by The Chain of command.
Just as the Directors Teaches everyone The Upperclassman & Section Leaders in the band are in place to teach the Traditions and Customs of the band to the Freshman. The Training Methods used in Camp Such as Running Laps, Pushups or being Yelled at Habitually are Big Parts of it..
A New person in the Military is called a Jarhead until they’ve been to war. In Boot camp
Drill Sergeants call the Privates what ever he feels is necessary to Break them Down and Build them up. The same thing happens in Band.
In Band. That’s What’s called “Crabbing” A first year student is a CRAB. Freshman Members are are collectively called crabs, Some are given Nick names “Crab Names for identification purposes. These names last a lifetime. A Bandsmen's First year in a band is called a CRAB YEAR. Once The Semester is complete That member than is considered an Official Member of the Marching Unit.
Crabbing Itself can be considered Hazing In the Military Once You’ve gone to War, You become a VETERAN. In band you become VETERAN after you’ve completed The year.. because by then You’ve Taken part in all the Necessary Battles such as football games/ band competitions to have Earned The right to become a Veteran.
Throughout the year, as permitted by Band Directors, each section of the band is given time to hold separate practices apart from the rest of the band, That time Time is used clean up errors within their music. The Section Leaders are responsible for what goes on in Sectionals.
Any Other Sectional meetings whether Held On or Off Campus or without the directors Knowledge Is Not The responsibility or the directors and is totally called upon by The Leaders and Upperclassmen. Those Kind of Meetings are usually to Initiate Students as Members of a section. That is where the Physical Hazing can possibly come in to play. That’s mainly because upperclassmen feel that they cant get in trouble for doing things Off campus if nobody’s going to mention it.
For the Most Part In many HBCU Bands/ Each Section of the band Treats themselves as It’s own Fraternity It’s all for Bragging Rights & Recognition among Their peers as well by those who have come before them. Similar To fraternities The sections have fancy names, Chants, Hand Signals and other things that make the section what it is.
For the Most Part In many HBCU Bands/ Each Section of the band Treats themselves as It’s own Fraternity It’s all for Bragging Rights & Recognition among Their peers as well by those who have come before them. Similar To fraternities The sections have fancy names, Chants, Hand Signals and other things that make the section what it is.
A first year member is Like a Pledgee of a fraternity but unlike a frat. there are no Financial Due to be paid. On The Contrary, These Students tend to “Cross” Their section. as a way of Upholding here sections standards An Upperclassmen or freshman Who choses not to cross their Section Is only Looked upon only as an Instrument player in the marching band.
Crabs can chose not to Cross their sections. But they will not acquire the rite to claim The name & perks that come with it. (which are minimal for the most part.). Most Fraternal sections are commonly known amongst current and former members of Their Band Section Some fraternal Sections are Universally linked with Members of Other university Bands. Overall, The Band Members Pride themselves on the names of each section within the band.
Crossing The Section Would Be to Complete the required Task or to take part in any Initiations asked or required of them . Some of these sections may take it upon themselves to consider Physical hazing as an initiation process for a member to be accepted in to the sections fraternity. Members will do anything to uphold their sections traditions or standards.
As I started earlier There’s No need cross the section Because once Outside of the band. The Letters you receive Matters to Nobody but yourself and those who are in yourr section. Beyond That. To People Outside of the band, You’re Just a Person in The Band who plays in instrument so why Bother Crossing in in the end nobody cares. … Pride.
Although Some Sections names may be Widely Known. The Universities to not acknowledge each section as a separate Organizations, They see the section as an Entity within the band. For the Most Part The sections Names are not Registered Trademarks of the School Nor Band. and Though Many of them Hold Greek Lettered Undertones They’re not Greek Organizations. There’s no need to have the school acknowledge these groups as fraternities. In fact, They don’t want to be. They’re Fine Being simply an Element of the band
Beyond Everything I Explained above There’s much more that isn’t relevant to the situations the commonly involve hazing. Most People assume that These bands are going on a a Rampage under the Directors watch and It’s Not Like that.
Other Bands Fraternize Everything, With an Initiation Process It’s why you have Situations Like Robert Champion “Crossing Bus C” ..That was something he didn’t have to do. He was at the school 5 years before he chose to do it and He passed away due to Making that choice.
In Concussion,
The Problem overall is the Hazing. It’s Like the Big Bad Wolf. He cant really be stopped he just has to stop himself or Be Killed.. Likewise any Organization willing to Partake in Hazing of any kind are Risking lifespan of their Organization. By All Means, That’s The Subculture Killing Our bands today
I Feel that you can Cross your section by Completing Semester in Band with No Physical or Mental at all from your peers. Although I Strongly Believe that Hazing will Never Be Stopped I do believe if handled the Right way, It can be Eliminated from An In Band Organization
One way is to Avoid It its to Refrain from taking part In it. Another solution is to Encourage fellow upperclassmen to not do It for their own good. A lot of times that doesn’t work though. When You abstain From Hazing It won’t Happen and you won’t have to worry about Getting Caught because at the end of the day You didn’t Take part in it to begin with.
LASTLY
What Was mentioned here A The Science Within The Culture Black Marching Bands.
The Average Person Reading this might think that everything These bands do need to be stopped, But you must understand that eliminating things such as The Ranks, Section Names and Special Positions would kill a bands Identity.
We learn these These Methods & Terminology as Children in Band and They’re understood throughout college and Life The Concept of Hazing However Is the Forbidden Element that Plagues the Culture.
It is Killing Our Culture and Must be Address and Handled Accordingly when Brought Out in the Open.
Note From The Book
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