How long has fraternity hazing been going on? I remember reading about it for years. Every time a young man dies, because it is usually a young man, the news media reports the death and the surrounding circumstances. Everyone is shocked and saddened that a young and promising life is lost to the over consumption of alcohol during a hazing ritual. And yet, it is still going on.
Today I came across an article about a young man who died in such a related event. He was 19 years old and attending an Ivy League school, Cornell. His name was George Desdunes. He was a good looking, intelligent young man who was there for a quality education. He wanted to join Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity which was founded in Alabama in the 1850’s and has 241 chapters around the country. They currently report that 11,000 undergraduates are members. Now they are missing one member, George Desdunes. What happened to George?
George grew up in Brooklyn and was an active member of his church and earned scholarships. He attended Cornell hoping to become a doctor one day. He was described by friends as being very giving and loving, an unusual teenage boy.
George’s life was cut short when, back in February, he was involved in a hazing ritual that began with a mock kidnapping. Fraternity members bound his wrists and ankles with duct tape and made him drink alcohol until he was unconscious. Then he was dumped on a couch at the frat house and left to die. The autopsy showed his blood alcohol was 5 times the legal limit in New York. The three frat brothers involved in the incident were charged with misdemeanors and pleaded “not guilty.”
I don’t know anyone who can read this and not get angry over the senseless tragedy that occurred here and many other times before. So many lives lost for no reason at all. George joined the fraternity as a way of making possible contacts for future employment. He was 19. The law in New York State makes it illegal for anyone under 21 to drink, but these other members forced him to consume a lethal amount of alcohol and are just facing misdemeanor hazing charges?
What the hell is wrong with this picture? They are responsible for a young man’s death and yet are facing minor charges. They are still in school; right now they are on summer vacation. But, George’s body lies in a grave and his mother cries. Where are the consequences and why aren’t they made to take responsibility? Why should students change their hazing practices? Why should they not binge on alcohol and force others to do so, when the consequences are so minor? We all know how kids think. Whatever the danger or scenario, it cannot happen to them, they are invincible. That is why adults have to impose their judgment on kids and young adults. They lack the ability to fully understand the repercussions of their actions and behaviors.
Universities across this country need to all take a look at “hazing” and figure out how to prevent these kinds of tragic events from ever taking place again. I don’t care how they have to do it. Maybe, they should have to pay millions in wrongful death suits if any student attending their school dies in a hazing incident. Maybe that will make them sit up and pay attention. It’s not enough to have rules in place. Rules need to be enforced and punishments need to be swift, severe and serve as an example to others.
Rest in peace George Desdunes.
All set to party again!
Yes that’s right, she was released from house arrest and immediately went back to “celebrating.” She was seen joining a group of her friends at the Lexington Social House at 11 PM. Reports claim she was drinking nonalcoholic beverages during the affair, before leaving at 2 AM. I, for one, would love to believe that, I really would. Why she would place herself in a position where she would surely be tempted is beyond me.
Lindsay Lohan still has to complete her community service portion of her punishment, which involves working at a homeless shelter and a morgue. Let’s hope something sinks in this time around so I can devote my time and energy to other needy causes. But, be prepared anyway, she turns 25 tomorrow!
In other news, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, star of The Tudors (which I loved) was rushed to the hospital when it was suspected he attempted suicide. Meyers has had a long battle with alcohol addiction and may have also taken pills. It’s a shame that so many celebrities have problems with addiction and, although they have the financial means to get help, they are so often in denial and even when they get help, they relapse the moment they are released. Meyers is a talented and gifted actor in his early 30’s and probably needs to resolve some issues in therapy along with rehabilitation for his addiction.
And how can I leave out Charlie Sheen? The man who provided the world with an ongoing spectacle of what being on drugs can do to a person. Videos of Sheen should be shown in high schools throughout the country as a campaign against drug use. In any event, and not much of a shocker, Charlie has recently admitted to using illegal drugs…oh, but wait, they aren’t they drugs you are expecting to read about. He admits to using steroids for six to eight weeks during the filming of his 1989 movie, Major League. I don’t even remember that being a movie, but if Charlie says so I guess it’s true. I guess he figures if major league players can get away with steroid use why not him? But, I’m pretty sure the steroids worse off by now so what else has he been taking to make him act so bizarre? I don’t think he is ready to admit that. Unfortunately the man is seriously ill and possibly psychotic and it amazes me that nothing can be done to help him.
Of course, I think it has long been an issue that as long as celebrities use and glamorize drugs, it makes the campaign against drugs in this country that much harder. Add to that the fact that they simply get a slap on the wrist and can go back to partying, without skipping a heartbeat, trivializes the seriousness of the issue. I don’t think we should come down harder on celebrities for their drug use, but for pete’s sake, at least treat them like everyone else who abuses substances and drives under the influence. It’s not just their lives they are putting in jeopardy at that point. And how many times must your ass be hauled off to court before a judge decides you need to do some real time like everyone else? They make a mockery of the judicial system, which apparently has a double standard for celebrities and the rest of us.
I just wish they would all get help and stay out of the news for a while so can I focus on other things. They are just impossible to ignore
