Let's wrap up the hazing topic with these civil and learned comments from our inundated inbox. Our apologies to those who sent e-mails ejusdem generis with those we reprinted in the last issues.

We start with the follow up comment from Ric Mabolis: "Thanks for publishing our comments. I understand, these things are so broad and complicated . . . But I have no further comments to end and close this issue."

* * * * *

Here's also this solomonic piece from our avid reader Manuel D. Fuderanan of Mansasa District this city who is now based in Bakersfield, California: "I read with amusement the vitriolic but feeble responses to your July 19 column on hazing and our city's crusade against gangsterism and related crimes. When reactions are anchored on emotionalism and false pride, objectivity is dimmed and logic is thrown to the winds. As Robert Ingersoll once said, "Anger blows out the lamp of the mind."

The way these alumni fratmen responded may be a reflection on how far our country's educational system has deteriorated. One could be a lawyer, a nurse, an engineer, an educator, or a "multi-degreed" individual, but this is no guarantee that his mind is as deep as the Grand Canyon - or his grammar as impeccable as the purest virgin.

Fairness, which one of the loyal fratmen demanded from journalists or opinion writers, is a two-way street. A reader should know how to comprehend or read between the lines and be circumspect in digesting any article or opinion writing before he or she responds, non sequitur. Being in an association that has produced professionals and "successful" members of society does not necessarily mean that any other association member or members could never be gangsters or whatever. Our Lord had only a core group of 12 apostles - but one of them emerged as a "gangster," according to some gospels (not the Gospel of Judas).

Criticisms, verbal or written, should be appreciated not resented. Confucius of Medieval China glorified them when he said, "No gem can be polished without friction - nor man perfected without trial." A contemporary movie celebrity (her name escapes me) aptly put it in these, her own words, "If you need to bask in the beauty of rainbows, you need to be drenched first with the rain."

* * * * *

Finally, we have this rather lengthy e-mail from Richard Paig, past grand chancellor of Alpha Phi Omega, HNU Chapter who started his comment with a quotation from Robert Francis Kennedy that "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly…"

Apparently, Richard was not able to read our column on the July 19 issue where we tackled the issue of hazing vis a vis with the anti-hazing law as he still cited the law in his e-mail in toto.

At any rate, here's some vital parts of his e-mail: "Up to a point, a man's life is shaped by environment, heredity, and movements and changes in the world about him. Then there comes a time when it lies within his grasp to shape the clay of his life into the sort of thing he wishes to be. Only the weak blame parents, their race, their times, lack of good fortune, or the quirks of fate.

Everyone has it within his power to say, "This I am today; that I will be tomorrow." Life is either a daring adventure or nothing, to keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable. A life without adventure is likely to be unsatisfying, but a life in which adventure is allowed to take whatever form it will sure to be short. Whatever course you decide, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong.

There are always difficulties which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage for you to fight for, no matter how you stumble, no matter how you fail, no matter how you are being struck by the opposite forces. What matters most is you are still there, standing firm with your decisions which wraps up your principles you ought to have with courage and be human.

Being a fraternity member like me doesn't mean we know everything or perhaps we do not know the necessary information(s) needed to learn. In every fraternity, there are sets of standards to be followed. It maybe traditions being passed or it maybe modifications of changes to better the set of standards provided.

Apparently, non-members do not understand why a fraternity should be involved with hazing in the first-place. But it doesn't mean that if a certain organization belongs to that level-of-fraternities, hazing is always involved from the procedure before acceptance of each neophyte. We should somehow not generalize all fraternities that exist now a days, that they would do no good and useless from its purpose of establishing more peaceful world in which to live and which to make a living and a life.

Our achievements speak for themselves. What we have to keep track of are our failures, discouragements, and doubts. We must forget the past difficulties, the many false starts, and the painful groping but remember all the lessons we have learned because of them. We see our past achievements as the end result of a clean forward thrust, and our present difficulties as signs of decline and decay. The line between failure and success to implement anti-hazing law is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it, so fine that we are often on the line and do not know it. One who fears failure limits his activities, and failure is only the opportunity that we can intelligently begin again.

Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for fraternity men like us to do."

* * * * *

For comments and suggestions, just e-mail to the following e-mail addresses: obiter@boholchronicle.com