Thankfully, student deaths due to hazing are extremely rare; and instances of serious hazing are — and should be — treated seriously by schools, student organizations, parents and law enforcement. Unfortunately, tragedy struck late last year when a student at Florida A&M University died as a result of hazing.
The death of A&M drum major Robert Champion, apparently at the hands of fellow students who tormented him with excessive hazing, has moved a number of federal and state legislators to press for tougher anti-hazing laws than are already on the books in the vast majority of states, including Florida and my home state of Georgia. Such moves appear to be more a political reaction than a well-considered and necessary legislative response.
After announcing her intention to file federal anti-hazing legislation, for example, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) said, “It’s time that we put an end to this horrible and humiliating ritual once and for all, so that no more students suffer the way that Robert and others have.” Well-intentioned as this idea might be, and even though Wilson has not yet offered details as to what her proposal will include, the threshold question ought to be why she and others believe it is the responsibility of Washington to step in and federalize such behavior. The fact is, tragic incidents such as the one that occurred at Florida A&M are state issues, ones that existing homicide, manslaughter and anti-hazing laws properly address.
In Georgia, State Rep. Joe Wilkinson, a Republican from metro Atlanta, has renewed his push for legislation that would prohibit anyone convicted of hazing from attending any state-funded or private school at any level (beyond mandatory school attendance up to age 16). In response to questions about the necessity or relevance of such a measure, Wilkinson opined that the proposed law was proper simply because it would “bring more attention to the problem” — an approach to government that leads inevitably to redundant and unnecessary law-making.
Unfortunately, the “we-need-more-laws” bandwagon onto which Wilson and Wilkinson have jumped is more the norm than the exception in modern government.
Bob Barr represented Georgia’s Seventh District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. He provides regular commentary to Daily Caller readers.