arms, shoulder and back and within interior body tissue.1 The bands director, Dr.

Julian White swears hes never heard of the Bus C ritual and was unaware until
Jessica Petronaci, Editor-in-Chief

that night of the brutal hazing ritual as well as all the inner workings of the band's secret society of unsanctioned subgroups.2 Dr. White had been a member of the Marching 100 himself and even acted in the role of drum major. Despite Dr. Whites stand that he had no idea what was going on, Champions fellow drum major, Hollis, said that he spoke to Dr. White personally about what happened that night and that Dr. White kind of understood what happened. Dr. White went on to say Bus C is something that's oldsomething that's been going on for a long time. I remember him saying, I thought it had stoppedI thought it was overwhy are people still doing it?2 Dr. White has reported several instances of hazing in the past, even suspending two dozen leaders of both the clarinet and trombone sections for paddling students who couldnt recite band rules on command. He also suspended leaders of the bands fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, for allegations of beating in new members. Dr. White also sent out warning letters to parents about hazing which advised the repercussions for any allegations of the practice. With the Marching 100s history of hazing, how could it still be happening? As an instrumentalist and marching band member with the University of Southern Mississippi, we were not permitted back on the tour buses unsupervised. All sectional practices were held during the day to avoid any suspicion of hazing or any other forms of initiation. As an affiliate of the Marching 100 for over fifty years, Dr. White was well aware of the Florida Rattler tradition of hazing, yet he did not enforce the bands rules and regulations which are in place to keep students safe. Are the regulations on hazing so difficult to implement or understand? As many band members are taught during their years of marching band, there is a common motto: one

Crossing Bus C
Robert Champion, a 26 year old drum major with the Marching 100 band at Florida A & M University was determined to gain one important thing during his marching band career, and that was the respect of his fellow band members. Champion spent years mastering the clarinet and put a lifetime of effort into developing the leadership skills necessary to be a drum major. Despite his best efforts, Champion still felt like he had not earned the respect of a section in his band known as The Drum Line. To earn the respect of this section, Champion knew that he would have to endure a form of underground hazing known among the Marching 100 as Crossing Bus C. Unfortunately for Champion, this hazing ritual would take his life. On the night of November 19, 2011, after an exciting football game against Bethune-Cookman College, Robert Champion stepped onto a bus full of band mates ready to initiate him. Once on the bus, Champion was made to walk backwards from one end of the bus to the other while his fellow band mates rained punches and slaps across his chest, face, head and back. This beating was known as thunder and lightning. By the time Champion had made his way to the end of the bus, his breathing became labored. He complained of thirst a few moments later and vomited. He then went into shock and died. The drum major, Robert Champion, died of hemorrhagic shock due to a soft tissue hemorrhage, caused by blunt force trauma, the Orange County Medical Examiner concluded. The associate medical examiner who conducted the autopsy, Sara Irrgang, found extensive contusions, or bruising, to the chest,

APR 2012

band,

one

sound.

Unfortunately

for

Robert

What is this pressure for perfection doing to our youth who are trying so desperately to chase their dreams? How many Robert Champions will have to die before teammates, friends, family, co-workers, teachers and leaders begin breaking the need for anonymity. When will we stop showing a lack of cooperation or fear to press charges and start speaking up to help stop this violent tradition?

Champion, members of the Florida A & Ms Marching 100 did not respect him under this blanket motto. They also did not respect themselves or show any true musicality or unity. No one should be submitted to beatings in order to earn a groups respect. Our culture frowns upon hazing yet knowingly allows it to go on; there was little that could have been done to stop this young man from being beaten to death after marching that night with the band he had spent most of his life idolizing. Robert Champion knew he was going to be beaten when he stepped onto that bus but in his mind, it was worth it to him to earn the respect of his peers. Crossing Bus C however, ended Champions dreams forever.

1.

Schwartz, John. Drum Majors Death Ruled Hazing Homicide. The New York Times. 17 December 2012. 18 April 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/17/us/drum-major-robert-champions-death-ruled-hazing-homicide.html

2.

Big Rattler. ESPN: White Says he never heard of Crossing Bus C ritual before

Nov.19. http://rattlernation.blogspot.com/2012/03/espn-white-says-he-had-never-heard-of.html Big Rattler. Big Rattler. Rattler News. 20 March 2012. Web Blog. 18 April 2012

APR 2012