There have recently been a disturbing number of tragic incidents at college campuses across the nation. These range from injury and death due to binge drinking, hazing for initiation into fraternities and pep bands, and outright cases of sexual violence and rape. Many of these cases involve alcohol and drug abuse.
The majority of college undergraduates are between the ages of 18 and 22, the period of increasing freedoms coupled with the onset of responsibilities of adulthood. Decisions made during this critical period in life set the course for future life. As this is a stage of transition, it is inevitable that some mistakes and bad decisions will be made. Everyone makes mistakes and, especially, people of that age have always made mistakes and bad decisions. During this critical period, the best one can hope for is that any mistakes and bad decisions are not so serious as to close off options for a productive future - and that the good decisions outweigh the bad.
There are no guarantees in life. But during this always-difficult age, a key factor in protecting one from decisions and acts that can make future life difficult is ethical and moral behavior. I'm not suggesting that people need be pure as the driven snow, but there is such a thing as basically decent behavior that affords some protection against life's possible blunders.
The incidents of bad, and even criminal, behavior of some of our college students is disturbing. Particularly alarming is the increased incidence of sexual violence and rape cases on college campuses. Much attention has been focused on the understandably difficult time that young women have in coming forth with such reports, and the tendency of authorities to blame the victim.
What seems to be missing in this whole discussion is the question of what has happened to the ethical and moral standards of boys involved in these cases of sexual misconduct, and worse. These boys at our prestigious universities are not dead-end kids from the ghettos - they are largely from middle class, upper middle class, and wealthy families. They are students who supposedly are being prepared, and see themselves, as future leaders in business, politics, and other walks of life. Where were the parents of these boys when it comes to teaching ethical and honorable behavior?
There is always the question of access to alcohol, long a part of the college scene. With this and other increased freedoms, come the increased possibilities of getting into trouble. It is this merging of increased freedom with increased responsibility where many students - and many adults for that matter - have trouble.
Fortunately, most students handle this transition responsibly. But an alarming number do not, and this is where these tragic incidents come in. When away from home for the first time, and with access to alcohol, it is inevitable that some students are going to make some bad decisions. If a young girl drinks too much and gets herself into a vulnerable situation, that is the result of bad judgment. But that does not excuse boys from taking advantage of the situation. Even worse is purposely enticing a woman, through alcohol for example, into a compromising situation. Unwanted sexual advancement is dead wrong. Rape under any circumstance is a criminal act.
Some of these incidents involve athletes, even at the high school, as well as at college and professional levels. Top athletes have always enjoyed exalted status in most societies, and especially ours. Since boyhood, they have enjoyed privileges and have had doors opened for them not available to others. Whether they like it or not, they have an implicit contract with society to act as role models.
Athletes sometimes contend that they have never asked to be role models and didn't agree to that role. To revitalize a phrase from a half-century ago, "Tough knobs, boys." It goes with the territory. Whether you like it or not, young boys will emulate behavior of top athletes. You owe it to society to set a good example. Those of us average saps who never made it in athletics would be more than happy to accept the responsibilities that go along with the many privileges that go with that exalted status.
This is not a perfect world. We don't expect students never to take a drink or never to drink a bit too much on occasion. And we don't expect athletes to be the mythical "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy." But there is such a thing as basically ethical, moral, and decent conduct. That is not too much to ask.
Our college students are a privileged lot. College is an increasingly expensive privilege, but still a privilege. With these privileges comes responsibility. Somewhere along the line, the connection between freedom, privilege, status, and responsibility was lost among too many of our college students. I have to believe it goes right back to the parents. And these are for the most part middle and upper class families that cannot use poverty and disadvantage as an excuse.
All citizens have basic responsibilities of citizenship. I contend that those who enjoy privileged status have additional responsibilities. But it seems that, instead of accepting responsibility, all too many who have privileged status believe themselves to be exempt from rules and responsibilities of others.
This outcome is the opposite of what it should be.
Next week: The disconnect between freedom and responsibility - it spreads to the broader society.
- John Waelti's column appears every Friday in the Times. He can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
The majority of college undergraduates are between the ages of 18 and 22, the period of increasing freedoms coupled with the onset of responsibilities of adulthood. Decisions made during this critical period in life set the course for future life. As this is a stage of transition, it is inevitable that some mistakes and bad decisions will be made. Everyone makes mistakes and, especially, people of that age have always made mistakes and bad decisions. During this critical period, the best one can hope for is that any mistakes and bad decisions are not so serious as to close off options for a productive future - and that the good decisions outweigh the bad.
There are no guarantees in life. But during this always-difficult age, a key factor in protecting one from decisions and acts that can make future life difficult is ethical and moral behavior. I'm not suggesting that people need be pure as the driven snow, but there is such a thing as basically decent behavior that affords some protection against life's possible blunders.
The incidents of bad, and even criminal, behavior of some of our college students is disturbing. Particularly alarming is the increased incidence of sexual violence and rape cases on college campuses. Much attention has been focused on the understandably difficult time that young women have in coming forth with such reports, and the tendency of authorities to blame the victim.
What seems to be missing in this whole discussion is the question of what has happened to the ethical and moral standards of boys involved in these cases of sexual misconduct, and worse. These boys at our prestigious universities are not dead-end kids from the ghettos - they are largely from middle class, upper middle class, and wealthy families. They are students who supposedly are being prepared, and see themselves, as future leaders in business, politics, and other walks of life. Where were the parents of these boys when it comes to teaching ethical and honorable behavior?
There is always the question of access to alcohol, long a part of the college scene. With this and other increased freedoms, come the increased possibilities of getting into trouble. It is this merging of increased freedom with increased responsibility where many students - and many adults for that matter - have trouble.
Fortunately, most students handle this transition responsibly. But an alarming number do not, and this is where these tragic incidents come in. When away from home for the first time, and with access to alcohol, it is inevitable that some students are going to make some bad decisions. If a young girl drinks too much and gets herself into a vulnerable situation, that is the result of bad judgment. But that does not excuse boys from taking advantage of the situation. Even worse is purposely enticing a woman, through alcohol for example, into a compromising situation. Unwanted sexual advancement is dead wrong. Rape under any circumstance is a criminal act.
Some of these incidents involve athletes, even at the high school, as well as at college and professional levels. Top athletes have always enjoyed exalted status in most societies, and especially ours. Since boyhood, they have enjoyed privileges and have had doors opened for them not available to others. Whether they like it or not, they have an implicit contract with society to act as role models.
Athletes sometimes contend that they have never asked to be role models and didn't agree to that role. To revitalize a phrase from a half-century ago, "Tough knobs, boys." It goes with the territory. Whether you like it or not, young boys will emulate behavior of top athletes. You owe it to society to set a good example. Those of us average saps who never made it in athletics would be more than happy to accept the responsibilities that go along with the many privileges that go with that exalted status.
This is not a perfect world. We don't expect students never to take a drink or never to drink a bit too much on occasion. And we don't expect athletes to be the mythical "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy." But there is such a thing as basically ethical, moral, and decent conduct. That is not too much to ask.
Our college students are a privileged lot. College is an increasingly expensive privilege, but still a privilege. With these privileges comes responsibility. Somewhere along the line, the connection between freedom, privilege, status, and responsibility was lost among too many of our college students. I have to believe it goes right back to the parents. And these are for the most part middle and upper class families that cannot use poverty and disadvantage as an excuse.
All citizens have basic responsibilities of citizenship. I contend that those who enjoy privileged status have additional responsibilities. But it seems that, instead of accepting responsibility, all too many who have privileged status believe themselves to be exempt from rules and responsibilities of others.
This outcome is the opposite of what it should be.
Next week: The disconnect between freedom and responsibility - it spreads to the broader society.
- John Waelti's column appears every Friday in the Times. He can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
