When you look up “hazing” in the dictionary, you’ll find variations on an “initiation” (as in a college fraternity) theme that references the exacting of
“humiliation” or the playing of “rough practical jokes.” We get it. Rites of passage underbelly.
But as short hand for assault? As code for thuggery? As euphemism, in the case of the FAMU marching band, for pummeling to death?
Imagine, your kid’s a clarinet player–not a contact-sport jock or a gang-banger–and is beaten to death while representing his school? How incomprehensibly sick is that?