Suspicious denial

Fraternity could be behind a pledge’s decision to retract hazing charges

They hazed me.

They hazed me not.

They hazed me.

They hazed me not.

Which is it, Ry Mercado?

Mercado’s concession to The Red & Black that Pi Kappa Alpha did not haze him is a complete contradiction to the story he told police when he was arrested for underage drinking Thursday.

If he didn’t drink the frat would kick him out, Mercado told police Thursday.

Now it would seem that Pi Kappa Alpha has given Mercado another instruction – which, if carried out, could bear a similar reward.

In a letter to the editor published today, Mercado denies he was hazed. In that letter he has publicly incriminated himself to clear the air for Pi Kappa Alpha – the very organization he claimed would kick him out if he didn’t drink. Mercado may now face charges of making a false statement and obstruction of justice, according to UGA Police Chief Jimmy Williamson.

Could it be that there is some puppeteering going on? The Red & Black editorial board thinks so.

In fact, Mercado admittedly retracted his letter after submitting it on Sunday because he had not yet cleared the language with the fraternity. Monday afternoon, Mercado finally conceded and resubmitted the letter for publication.

Unfortunately for Mercado, that letter could impact his record forever. And the reward will be hardly worth it. He will likely be a leper in the frat until he graduates. Sorry Mercado, but the guys just aren’t going to get over the fact that you called them out on hazing – whether or not the allegations have merit.

If, in fact, there are marionette strings streaming from those at the top of the Greek heap to those at the bottom, they must be mighty strong for a young man to so readily tarnish himself in the name of his frat.

Of course, hazing in the Greek System is no new phenomenon.

But we worry about the dozens – maybe hundreds – of young men and women like Mercado who may feel pressured to protect their Greek affiliations before taking care of themselves.

And we know that no outside organization can effectively monitor hazing and the suppression thereof. Pi Kappa Alpha and the Interfraternity Council have been so tight-lipped about Mercado’s arrest that they almost kept The Red & Black from running today’s front page story.

No, when this student body is ready to eliminate abuse from the ceremonial induction into our Greek system, the movement must come from the ground up.

We, the Red & Black editorial board, challenge students to stand up against the culture and traditions here that admit hazing.

-Hayley Peterson for the editorial board

No credit for you

New credit card legislation prohibits those under-21 to have their own card

At the age of 18, American men and women can join the armed forces and risk life and limb in defense of the U.S.A.

But beginning in Feb. 2010, those same 18-year-old men and women won’t be able to have their own credit card, under the Credit Card Act of 2009.

Seriously?

We, The Red & Black’s editorial board, understand that the relative ease of obtaining credit cards – and subsequent abuse of them – has become a disturbing trend over the past few years.

Credit card companies have been far too generous in the past by nearly giving cards away to kids who didn’t understand the ramifications of their new-found plastic “friend.”

We understand the government is trying to protect young adults from themselves, but how else will we learn about money management?

And more importantly, fewer young adults will have good and/or established credit histories when the time comes to buy a car or a house.

And who does that help?

The creditors.

- Michael Fitzpatrick for the editorial board