fraternity members charged in hazing incident

Some bad news out of buffalo... Six Asian American college students -- members of Lambda Phi Epsilon -- were charged with assault after allegedly taking part in a hazing ritual: Six remain free on bail in fraternity hazing.

Kong M. Siu, 21, of Bayside; Ronald Lin, 21, of Brooklyn; Qiyvan Zhang, 22, of Groton; Brian B. Shim, 22, of Syosett; Andrew Lui, 21, of Brooklyn; and Ho Lee, 22, of Woodbury have all been charged with felony second-degree assault and misdemeanor hazing.

They are accused of paddling three victims and forcing them to drink alcohol until they lost consciousness. The victims were found unconscious in a locked bedroom, hospitalized for two days and treated for "dehydration, alcohol poisoning, blood in urine and severe pain, swelling and severe bruising to buttocks."

All six defendants have been suspended from class until thecase is resolved. Five of the defendants are from the University at Buffalo. The sixth, Shim, is a junior in D'Youville's nursing program.

I've written about hazing incidents among Asian American fraternities before. Again, I have to ask, what compels young Asian American college students to join an organization that would require you to endure such dangerous and/or humiliating rituals? What price must one pay just to "belong"?