Vermont Judge Dismisses Hazing Charges (FIJI - "Brokeback" Case)

[exlurker]

As reported in the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ver..._uvm_students/

This was the first case under Vermont's new anti-hazing law. An appeal is possible.

[BrendanMcGrail]

I hope they get kicked in the face with fines on appeal, then lose their charter. Not only is that degrading and clearly hazing, it's homophobic.

[Elephant Walk]

It's Vermont, it's not like they weren't already homosexual to begin with.

[BrendanMcGrail]

Somehow I don't think that biology is skewed by geography the way culture is. Now, if you were saying they were more likely to be out in Vermont, I'd agree. But that's neither here nor there.

If there turns out to be enough evidence to fine them, they should absolutely lose their charter - activity like tha hurts the entire greek community.

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by BrendanMcGrail

Somehow I don't think that biology is skewed by geography the way culture is. Now, if you were saying they were more likely to be out in Vermont, I'd agree. But that's neither here nor there.

If there turns out to be enough evidence to fine them, they should absolutely lose their charter - activity like tha hurts the entire greek community.

Lose their charter because they made them dress like cowboys and called them some names? Good Lord.....that is ridiculous.

[BrendanMcGrail]

How so? It paints us all as hate-mongering homophobes. Is that the image you want attached to fraternity life?

[robertearlkeen]

Originally Posted by BrendanMcGrail

I hope they get kicked in the face with fines on appeal, then lose their charter. Not only is that degrading and clearly hazing, it's homophobic.

If you think thats hazing then I suggest you never visit any of your southern chapters. From what I gathered from the article they made them dress up like cowboys and called them fags. Sounds really traumatizing. That is not hazing. Maybe you are gay and you take offense to that, I dont know. But I dont care if gays take offense to it because I dont like gay people.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by BrendanMcGrail

I hope they get kicked in the face with fines on appeal, then lose their charter. Not only is that degrading and clearly hazing, it's homophobic.

Here is a quote from the original article from the judge who dismissed the charges- and who I would assume is at least somewhat familiar with the law...

"Second, you have to prove that the activity was directed at a specific student or students and was done so with intent of causing mental or physical harm. The university didn't have a single declaration that any person was harmed."

Some of you people need to actually READ the various hazing laws before you make idiotic statements like the one I have quoted above from a previous poster.

Personally I found the incident a little stupid, but based on what we the public know (which is all I know- I have no other knowledge of this incident), there is no way to know if this was even ordered or if some guys were just fooling around to get a laugh.

I have been doing some in-depth research on modern hazing incidents and deaths and so far I am finding they are just as common up north as down south. We all have our own ways of doing things- but news reports like this should make us all aware that even in the privacy of our own homes just kidding around someone is interested in making a story out of us.

Maybe if a few more Greeks would appreciate this and band together instead of trying to feast on each other- we all might be better off.

Because your chapter may be next no matter how Angelic and perfect you think you and your brothers may be.

I have already found in my research some interesting situations where zero-hazing, substance-free house chapters have had serious risk management incidents. And there are also a great many old southern chapters out there who some might think push the line who have never been in trouble and have no deaths or serious injuries to their names.