WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Editorials: Hazing

Editorials: Hazing

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  • Editorials

  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident. The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments:

  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"

  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five

  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

Last year I editorialized passionately about the need to address and stop bullying focusing primarily on children and adolescents.  Unfortunately, bullying doesn't stop when you graduate from High School.  It continues to take place under a different name and in most cases is a "traditionally accepted" practice.  What I'm referring to is hazing.

Today we know that hazing extends far beyond college fraternities and is experienced by boys/men and girls/women in school groups, university organizations, athletic teams, the military, and other social and professional organizations.

Hazing by definition is any activity expected of someone joining a group (or to maintain status in a group) that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the persons willingness to participate.

Am I missing something here?  Why would any school, university, organization or government entity who knows this is taking place let the practice continue?  People are losing their lives.

So here's our recommendation.  Make it known today - University President, coach, band leader, military officer, fraternity and sorority leader that there will be zero tolerance for any act that demeans, degrades or humiliates another human being.  If future occurrences take place then immediate action will be taken.  It's time to close the chapter on this practice whose time has long come and gone. This should be an easy one – do something today.

We appreciate and encourage your feedback.

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