Hazing

by Robert McNamara

The word seems so harmless. We often use the root of the word to describe a scene that is somewhat obscured by mist or fog. It is often used to define an unsure frame of mind," I am in a haze. I cannot focus." I am not here to discuss the origins of the word, I am here to tell you about the consequences that hazing has had on my life and the lives of my family. Jacquelyn, Jon’s mother, Christopher, Jon’s beloved half brother, Dylan, his twin brother, myself, Colette, Jon’s step mother, all the step brothers and sisters and the grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and associates, the list could go on.

Jonathan Sneddon McNamara was born on Nov.23, 1974 in Burlington VT. He was a twin. His brother, Dylan, was born 6 minutes later.

They were outgoing, fun loving, normal boys growing up in the beauty of the Champlain Valley.

I remember their first day of school. They were up at 4a.m. They were ready. The bus came, and off they went, full blast. They were young for first grade but the were Ready!

They were involved in little league, sports in high school, student council, Boys State, National Honor Society, Class officers. They had the world ahead of them.

1989- Chris graduates and in ten months joins the Marines. By Christmas, he is in Saudi Arabia, getting prepared for Operation Desert Storm.

Jacquelyn and I part our ways but keep the love of our sons above our differences.

The boys share their lives with both of us for the next few years.

1992

When it came time to choose a college, the twins picked different schools. They loved one another but also wanted to expand their horizons and then share their adventures with one another.

Dylan picked Syracuse, Jon choose UVM. Dyan was into psychology, Jon into medicine.

At that time in my life, I had been teaching at Vergennes Union H.S. for 20 years. I was taking a sabbatical to finish up my Master’s degree. I was to begin in January of 1993.

I was to leave on my journey in August with my wife Colette, and circumnavigate the perimeter of the United States. We were going to photograph and visit the National Parks that I so often refereed to in my lessons but never visited. The last time I saw Jon was in our driveway, on August 24th. The day we left. He had hidden a little note. I found it two days later. He said that we were both going on a journey and he loved us very much.

I made it a point to call one of the boys each week. I would tell them about the grander of the Redwoods, they would relate the excitement and challenges of college life. Chris was somewhere on a mission in the Mediterranean Sea. He would never make it back to see his brother alive. It still bothers him today.

We were visiting some old acquaintances in San Francisco on Nov. 20, 1992. My father called me from his home in Michigan to tell me that there had been an accident, Jon had fallen, and that he was dead. Our lives were changed forever.

What exactly had happened? He wrote to tell me that he was pledging a fraternity. I wasn’t that enthusiastic about the idea. I at one time, belonged to a fraternity. I had been hazed but that was back in 1966. They don’t do the same things that they did to us? Do they?

How did he fall? Why? These questions burned in my head as I flew back to Vt. to find the reason and face the upcoming scene of the funeral service of your son.

Those people who were in charge and the pledges know what happened that cold November evening on Rock Point.

I received a letter from Jon after he died. He apparently wrote me on the day he died and never sent it. When they cleaned out his room at UVM , they found it and someone gave it to me during the memorial service on Nov. 24 ,the day after his 18th birthday. It was haunting and strange. He said that he was excited that he got an A on a big Biology exam. School was great and that he was busy between his job, schoolwork and the fraternity. He said that he has to go somewhere tonight with the pledges. He didn’t know where but they had said to bring coats because it was going to be cold. He also mentioned that he didn’t know when he would see me again. He also didn’t know some of the other facts.

A member of the fraternity had purchased a large quantity of distilled spirits to bring to the pledging event. All of the pledges were driven to Rock Point, which was private property. It was cold, dark and icy on that Nov. evening. It was a little crowded up on that ledge over looking Lake Champlain with all of those seventeen pledges and fraternity members milling about and drinking.

As the story goes, they were putting out the bonfire. Jon slipped and fell off the cliff onto the rocks 80 feet below. It took over an hour for medical attention to reach him do to the remoteness of the spot. He was later pronounced dead at the Medical Center; the same hospital that brought him into the world wrote his final epitaph on his death certificate. Death caused by extreme trauma to the head and thorax region.

The next day the Free Press reported that the Fraternity said that hazing was not a factor in my son’s death.

Vermont does not have a hazing law on record. Today, 40 other states have anti-hazing laws in place.

Was this hazing? According to bill #76 before this committee today, it was indeed hazing.

Section B of the bill states...any activity that subjects the student of an unreasonable risk or harm...(Taking pledges out to Rock Point on a cold dark evening?).

Section C...Any activity involving consumption of a food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance which subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or which adversely effects the mental or physical health and safety of the student...

Jon’s Blood Alcohol Content was .125 and according to the autopsy, was rising at the time of death.

A recent editorial in the Free Press claims that we have laws to protect us now.

Three of the fraternity members were charged. Providing alcohol to a minor.

They paid a small fine, and had to perform some hours of community service. The Fraternity was put on social probation for a few months--No parties for a while.

If the laws protect us, then why do we need this bill? I can assure you that if I, as an adult, took 17 kids on a field trip, provided them with the availability of alcohol that I had purchased and one of the kids fell to their death, I would not be here before you today. I would still be in prison.

We need to pass this bill. It is clear and concise. It forces organizations to have an anti-hazing plan in place. It takes the "Haze" out of hazing. It educates. It lets groups, organizations, clubs and fraternities know that there are certain things that you cannot do to people. It eradicates the notion that hazing is OK and a part of student life.

This bill before us today will save lives. It will make people think twice before they engage in any reckless and demeaning behavior associated with hazing. It will be clearly against the Law to engage in any hazing activity as described in this bill.

I often wonder if Vermont had an anti hazing bill in 1992, would my son be alive today. Would the fraternity members have thought twice about taking pledges to an unsafe location and then provided alcohol?

We need to pass this bill.

It may someday save the life of your son or daughter.

Thank you for letting me speak before you today.