Cited: New York Times
With two months to reflect on the beating death of Robert Champion, a student at Florida A&M University, questions are being asked as to why he may have been the target of such a horrific crime. Earlier this week, Robert’s parents said that their son was gay, but they didn’t believe that his sexual orientation had anything to do with the crime against him.
Robert was a drum major with the school band, and it was first believed that his beating on a school bus following a football game was probably a hazing prank, and one that obviously went very badly. Mrs. Champion says that her son being gay was not something that Robert “advertised” and therefore was not the reason he became the target of the beating and that the reason why he might have been set upon by some of his fellow band mates was his outspoken stance against hazing.
Claims of hazing rituals associated with the Florida A&M band, one of the more accomplished marching bands in the U.S., are not uncommon with the band having gained a reputation for a culture of musicians inflicting severe physical pain and suffering on its new members. Once such member left the band and the school after having to be hospitalized for broken bones, bruises, and blood clots. Three students were arrested in that particular case.
The former head of the band, Julian White has maintained that it was not a case of hazing but an isolated case of homophobia. White was fired following Robert Champion’s death. Mr. and Mrs. Champion want to be assured that both the university and the former band leader are held accountable for their actions in the death of their son. If a court decides that Champion’s death was a hate crime then the penalties could be much more severe than those that might be meted-out in a civil lawsuit.
The family also said that they will sue the bus company that owns the bus where the beating occurred. Spokesman for the bus company say that their employee, who was not on the bus when the incident occurred, followed correct procedures.
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My take:
This was a horrible crime and whether due to Robert’s sexual preference or hazing it is a tragedy. I hope the University is following through to make sure that this culture of torture associated with its otherwise esteemed band is eliminated ASAP, or the band itself should be disbanded.
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