Every so often (way too often, actually) we hear about atrocities committed by college students in the hame of playfully “hazing” a fellow student. Various people then come out in favor of laws which would make such hazing illegal.
My question: Isn’t such hazing already illegal? Any act which would become illegal under the new law, would already constitute assault and/or battery, wouldn’t it?
Well to start to answer your question, www.stophazing.org is a good site to look at. Not all states have anti-hazing laws, according to the front page. Arizona, Hawaii, Michigan, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, New Mexico and Vermont all lack such laws.
The page also lists the text the other states’ anti-hazing laws.
Gypsy: Tom, I don’t get you.
Tom Servo: Nobody does. I’m the wind, baby.
Consent is usually an element of crimes like assault. If you consent to being paddled, for example, there’s no crime.
The hazing laws provide for a crime (and, in Virginia, a civil action as well) even if the ‘victim’ consents.
I’ve never been hazed.
I’ve been initiated into the Realm of Neptunis Rex.
I’ve been initiated as an NCO.
I’ve been initiated as a proud Chief Petty Officer.
Initiation involves a learning of something to become a member of a group greater than yourself.
Hazing is a cruel welcome to a new clique.
Voted Best Sport
And narrowly averted the despised moniker Smiley Master
Forward deployed until 18AUG00
A haze is “any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule.”
No one has accused you of being hazed or accused those groups of hazing you, Chief. But I’m sure most frats that haze consider what they do to be an “initiation”.
Gypsy: Tom, I don’t get you.
Tom Servo: Nobody does. I’m the wind, baby.
Really? My frat brothers call it hazing, of course, they’re not paddling us or humiliating us, though they do enjoy yelling (they yell all the more when we laugh at their yelling…)
I don’t know if it’s illegal, but my college has a policy against hazing, as in they will kick out any frat that does.
I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail.
In NY, hazing in the first degree is a class A misdemeanor.
Ooops, missed a part of your post, Surgo. I doubt they’d be prosecuted for simply yelling atcha.
I like the way you put that Chief. I left the navy before taking the E-6 test but went through two of your three.
I entered King Neptune’s realm on the '81 Connie cruise where the slimy pollywogs outnumbered the shellbacks by a wide margin. Even the XO had never crossed the equator so he was initiated as well. There wasn’t sufficient manpower to give us the initiation we might have had on a smaller vessel but we got it good. By the time I was before the royal court, kissing the royal baby <shudder>, was the best thing that happened to me. When it was all done I was so incredibly filthy I went to the edge of the flight deck, stripped and threw all my clothes into the sea. Ah the memories that brought back…you bastard. 
As far as “hazing” the closest thing I can think of is giving a G.I. shower. Some might rightfully consider it assault and battery but it provides a marvelous attitude adjustment for someone with hygiene issues.