This just in...

[M-I-Coug]

We had some good news today, and now this...

Tonight's lead-in story (first segment) on 60 Minutes....

How hazing led to the death of fraternity pledge Sam Martinez

Sam Martinez was a Washington State University freshman pledging a fraternity when a night of hazing led to his death. Anderson Cooper reports on the events of the night and how the fraternity responded.

www.cbsnews.com

After watching this, I was in complete shock as it profiles just ATO and WSU. I knew about the story back in 2019, but this on 60 Minutes....I went into a major reaction and concern. Thanks to my brother, after he watched it, gave me therapy, I'm over it.

On a side note: I do hope there is some sort of reform, or better transparency, and wish Sam's parents all the best. Such a tragic loss.

Your thoughts, please?

 

[kougkurt]

The National head of ATO did not show well.

 

[billyjoecamaro]

Made me sick to my stomach. Still don’t know why they banned kegs in fraternities (I may have that wrong?) in the 90s. Seems to have pushed them to hard A which is way more dangerous. I loved my time in the fraternity and to this day they are still my best friends. I’m amazed in this woke/pc world of the last 18 months they have not been targeted for “white privilege” cancellation. I know fraternities and sororities have a disproportionate amount of people in positions of power (government and big business) so maybe there is more influence than we know. God bless that family. I can’t even imagine.

 

[CougPatrol]

My nephew was a member of that Frat when Sam Martinez passed away. I feel bad for the victim and his family, of course, but I'm also frustrated with the finger pointing and how surprised people act when things like this occur. The fraternity didn't do anything different than what occurs every weekend on just about every major college and university in America.

Peer pressure and binge drinking is a societal reality, right or wrong. It's not exclusive to college campuses either. It occurs in the business/professional world as well. The only way to address it, and even this isn't a fool proof solution, is by relating with our children at an early age and discussing scenarios like these.

I've got 16 year old twin boys who I'm very close with. We discuss everything, unfiltered, and social group pressures are a common talking point. They've been to countless Lot #1 tailgates and have seen their Dad throw back more than a few on several occasions, although admittedly, I'm not a big drinker. I think I've done a good job of preparing them for stuff like this, but with that said, I have no doubt that they're going to partake in booze parties in college. Could this happen to them? I don't think it will, but it wouldn't completely shock me either. That's one of the terrifying realizations as a parent. You can't prevent and protect them from everything. All you can do is talk with them, prepare them for as many scenarios as possible, and hope they make the right choices.

 

[CougInSpain]

Oh wow.. a quart of hard A in a matter of a couple hours? Well no one has ever accused a fraternity of making good decisions. ATO's own bylaws was supposed to prevent all that. I wonder what has happened to frat leadership at the time this happened?

 

[CougPatrol]

Oh wow.. a quart of hard A in a matter of a couple hours? Well no one has ever accused a fraternity of making good decisions. ATO's own bylaws was supposed to prevent all that. I wonder what has happened to frat leadership at the time this happened?

But seriously, how much can you fault fraternity leadership for things like this? I'm saying they're above accountability, if I was a parent and this happened to my kid, I couldn't in clear conscience blame the "system." I lived off campus in an apartment, and believe me, our parties were every bit as crazy as anything the Greek system threw.

 

[M-I-Coug]

My nephew was a member of that Frat when Sam Martinez passed away. I feel bad for the victim and his family, of course, but I'm also frustrated with the finger pointing and how surprised people act when things like this occur. The fraternity didn't do anything different than what occurs every weekend on just about every major college and university in America.

Peer pressure and binge drinking is a societal reality, right or wrong. It's not exclusive to college campuses either. It occurs in the business/professional world as well. The only way to address it, and even this isn't a fool proof solution, is by relating with our children at an early age and discussing scenarios like these.

I've got 16 year old twin boys who I'm very close with. We discuss everything, unfiltered, and social group pressures are a common talking point. They've been to countless Lot #1 tailgates and have seen their Dad throw back more than a few on several occasions, although admittedly, I'm not a big drinker. I think I've done a good job of preparing them for stuff like this, but with that said, I have no doubt that they're going to partake in booze parties in college. Could this happen to them? I don't think it will, but it wouldn't completely shock me either. That's one of the terrifying realizations as a parent. You can't prevent and protect them from everything. All you can do is talk with them, prepare them for as many scenarios as possible, and hope they make the right choices.

CP: "Surprised people act when things like this occur". Of course this happens at every major public university with a greek system. You would have to be living under a rock not to know that.

What I'm surprised about is this has profiled ONLY Washington State University on 60 Minutes, the granddaddy of newsmagazines. 60 Minutes is huge, and has more influence than any other medium in the world, as far as the government, or whoever when reacting to "change" something.

Could this effect future recruits, and their kids decision, when parents are involved? That was my reaction.

 

[CougInSpain]

But seriously, how much can you fault fraternity leadership for things like this? I'm saying they're above accountability, if I was a parent and this happened to my kid, I couldn't in clear conscience blame the "system." I lived off campus in an apartment, and believe me, our parties were every bit as crazy as anything the Greek system threw.

In the article, the dialogue states that ATO had rules in place that prohibited hazing and hazing with alcohol at the time this occurred. So I think the leadership should actually be held accountable knowing that they weren't even supposed to be doing it. Criminally, I agree that they weren't obviously trying to hurt the guy. Possibly some form of negligence?

 

[roses04]

CP: "Surprised people act when things like this occur". Of course this happens at every major public university with a greek system. You would have to be living under a rock not to know that.

What I'm surprised about is this has profiled ONLY Washington State University on 60 Minutes, the granddaddy of newsmagazines. 60 Minutes is huge, and has more influence than any other medium in the world, as far as the government, or whoever when reacting to "change" something.

Could this effect future recruits, and their kids decision, when parents are involved? That was my reaction.

The recruits were watching Sunday night football. I didn't watch the 60 minutes show, so I can't make a comment on that. I have watched enough 60 minutes to know this: they tell you they are sharing everything, while slanting the story to tell the story they want told. This whole story is sad and I feel for the parents on both sides, especially the Martinez family in losing their son, I can only imagine the pain. I know a parent of one of the boys in the house, their son was not there at the time. Many of the kids went to high school with Sam as well, heard a lot of good things about Sam. Unfortunately this is not the first time something like this has happened, and won't be the last, you can blame the frat, but it has happened in dorm rooms as well, ignorance of the impacts of drinking that much hard A is the root of the problem. I think as a High School graduation requirement, every student should take a class on drugs alcohol and drugs and their effect on the human body, make it a science class, learn your personal limits. Some people get sick from drinking too much, some pass out, and unfortunately some die. If teenagers understood this better it might not only help them but those around them seeing what is going on. Drinking and driving are an issue, so we tell them not to drink and drive, so drinking in a room and not going anywhere is presumed to be safe. However it is also an issue that doesn't get discussed enough. In summary, Kids are going to drink in college, acknowledge that and do a better job of educating them on the effects, and get them to know their limits.

 

[CougEd]

We had some good news today, and now this...

Tonight's lead-in story (first segment) on 60 Minutes....

How hazing led to the death of fraternity pledge Sam Martinez

Sam Martinez was a Washington State University freshman pledging a fraternity when a night of hazing led to his death. Anderson Cooper reports on the events of the night and how the fraternity responded.

www.cbsnews.com

After watching this, I was in complete shock as it profiles just ATO and WSU. I knew about the story back in 2019, but this on 60 Minutes....I went into a major reaction and concern. Thanks to my brother, after he watched it, gave me therapy, I'm over it.

On a side note: I do hope there is some sort of reform, or better transparency, and wish Sam's parents all the best. Such a tragic loss.

Your thoughts, please?

Was he the kid from Meadowdale High?

 

[FnuLnu]

Was he the kid from Meadowdale High?

Newport HS Bellevue

 

[kougkurt]

Newport HS Bellevue

Go Knights