This has been the year of tragedies. Never before in my four years at Brockport has there been a local death or accident nearly every week. For some reason, there has been heartbreak after heartbreak this academic year.
A multitude of misfortune has hit home at Brockport with the accident of Bryan Parslow to the heinous shooting of alumnus Anthony DiPonzio to the unexpected crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence. There were incidents at other schools, like the death of Geneseo student Arman Partamian when he was pledging for the Pigs, an unrecognized off-campus fraternity.
This incident was tragic, as it cost a life. At 19, a person is filled with youthful confidence, and to die the way he did was a sad waste of life and unfulfilled promise.
As I was going through newspapers that covered the tragedy, a number of sources tended to blame the fraternity for Partamian's death. Though they were somewhat responsible for what happened to him, it is not wholly the unrecognized fraternity's fault.
I rarely ever see blame on the victim of an alcohol-related incident, especially in this case.
People need to know the difference between right and wrong. The Pigs had a negative reputation, so why did the victim choose to participate in their activities? I do not think the victim was so na've that he did not know what pledging involved.
Each person is responsible for his or her own actions. Any person can choose to drink or not drink. It can be hard to say no, but it is more than possible to overcome peer pressure.
One thing that caught my attention was the statement released by the president of SUNY Geneseo. His statement blames the Pigs, 100 percent, laying no blame on the victim.
"The Pigs recruited a good student like Arman Partamian and seemed to put him through hazing, which involved binge drinking," the president said.
The statement reads as if the Pigs coerced and forced the victim to partake in the rituals. Perhaps they kidnapped him off the street and forced alcohol down his throat. They may have forced alcohol down his throat, but I highly doubt they threatened the victim to go to the party that night.
In high school, students are educated about the dangers of alcohol abuse. At orientation at Brockport, students are again reinforced about the rights and wrongs of alcohol consumption. No student is in the dark going into college not knowing about the ins and outs of alcohol.
I think the victim was aware of the dangers of alcohol, but when you are with a great number of people at a party with lots of alcohol, matters have the potential to escalate quickly.
It is important for students, especially freshmen, to know their limits. There is a zero-tolerance policy for students under the age of 21. Let's face it - it's college, and students, especially freshmen, are bound to experiment with alcohol away from the watchful eyes of mom and dad. I'm not saying every freshman goes to parties and drinks, but a significant number of students do experiment their first year of college.
These students who experiment must be aware of their surroundings. It is of the utmost importance to know what you can handle if you choose to drink. You are the one who puts alcohol in your mouth; you are your own babysitter. Not your mom, not your friend, not your roommate. Only you can make the decision whether to drink or not.
It would be foolish to say every freshman follows the zero-tolerance policy. Instead of educating about sobriety, colleges should focus alcohol education regarding making good, safe choices. Times are changing, and so should the education these students receive.
If you go out and drink, be careful. Know your limits. If you don't, you may be the next victim of an alcohol-related incident. Don't put your family and friends through the pain and suffering because you did not have the strength to say no.
College should be about having fun and getting an education, not mourning the loss of a friend or classmate.
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