"fraternity hazing no longer acceptable," decrees editor

We have just received word of a brave and novel statement coming out of Arizona, a shocking and unprecedented announcement that could rock the greek world to its very core. This is the dawn of a grand new era, and what is more, not a soul saw it coming; this is the lone stand of a single vox clamantis in deserto, to which we must finally now pay heed:

The editorial board of the Arizona Daily Sun have announced that fraternity hazing is no longer acceptable. That's their headline, in fact: "Fraternity hazing no longer acceptable."

Evidently recent events at local Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff have brought the Sun's editors to herald this new dawn for American education. The local Pi Kappa Alpha, in behavior that simply shocks the conscience, did something to its pledges. The op-ed piece isn't clear as to exactly what. Branding of the buttocks may have been involved, but it could be they just saw that in a movie. They do note (for all the reading producers) that such branding "might make for a good comedy movie." Also, pledges may have had fruit thrown at them and fed milk and jalapeños. The piece seems more clear about this. Anyway, NAU has reprimanded the reprobate fraternity with a five year ban.

And the Sun thinks that's the right way to go. Have to send a message that hazing is not acceptable. The old Latin chestnut in loco parentis is trotted out, as if the only reason eighteen year olds shouldn't be beaten or harassed is that their parents "entrust their children to an institution." Forced vomiting and fruit-peltings would be perfectly acceptable, perhaps, if conducted among post-docs? (Thought the piece does allow that the pledges were provided dustbins for the vomiting and goggles for the pelting.) And the editors seem to think the fraternity must forbear from hazing because they occupy "scarce dormitory space," rather than because they owe an ethical obligation to society and its members.

The objectionable quality of these editors' epiphany is not even that it comes two odd decades after most of civilized society decided hazing was "no longer acceptable," but rather that it is too timid by far, grounding its criticisms of hazing in pragmatic rather than moral considerations. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and prove it.

Arizona Daily Sun