Don’t accuse fraternity of wrongdoing

As I read The Red & Black [Friday] morning, I was slightly disappointed to see the one-sidedness in this accusation of alleged hazing. I am well aware of the seriousness of hazing and its consequences.

It should, in no way, shape or form, be tolerated and I know UGA, IFC, and Panhellinic, all have strict policies on the issue which I’m quite thankful for.

It seems, however, that when someone cries “hazing,” no one tries to defend the fraturnity {sic}; no one tries to look deeper into the situation; everyone immediately jumps on the hazing bandwagon and points the finger of shame at the fraturnity {sic}.

Does anyone stop to realize how easily Ry Thomas Mercado could have “Cried Wolf” in hopes of getting in less trouble? Let’s put things into perspective. First off, this boy refused to pay the cab driver for vommiting {sic}, that is the one and only reason he even got arrested. Had he just paid like he was asked to, Mercado would never have been in this situation. And according to the report, no one in the fraturnity {sic} told him not to pay the cab driver, he did that of his own accord.

Secondly, who’s really to say the fraturnity {sic} pressured him into drinking that night. In the face of his parents, whom I certainly would assume were not too happy about the situation, how easily would it be for him to defer the blame from himself and onto the fraturnity {sic}, knowing that if he mentioned hazing, it would get immediate attention?

How often do children and adults alike choose to blame others for their mistakes instead of owning up to them, especially if they are motivated by the idea of getting into less trouble. I sincerely hope the IFC, police and whoever else this situation concerns, do a thorough investigation of this accusation before handing out any punishments to Pi Kappa Alpha. I would hate to see any fraturnity {sic} get wrongly accused of something as serious as hazing because a boy drank too much one night and didn’t want to take responsibility for his actions.

Rebecca McGee
Sophomore, Dacula
Communications