[19455] in APO-L
Conviction to Revocation
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Richard Edward Vehlow)
Fri Oct 23 00:36:05 1998
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 00:35:58 -0400
Reply-To: Richard Edward Vehlow <vehlor@RPI.EDU>
From: Richard Edward Vehlow <vehlor@RPI.EDU>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
I have read the responses. My main motive for propsing this set of 3 was a
direct result of the whole "Let's Get Clinton" debate on APO-L at the
beginning of September. I am not sure if anyone sent a membership revocation
proposal for him or not, but until there is a conviction of some sort, I
still see this whole thing as political, and any motions to come out of it at
this stage to be politically based. We are not a political fraternity.
I for one believe in due process in this country, and I am proposing this to
ensure that the APO procedure to revoke membership falls in line with due
process. You never know- one day, someone may fall out of favor with you and
propose you be thrown out. At least if you are convicted, that is proof in
the eyes of the voting delegates.
Why a felony? Well, if someone gets busted for excessive speed during a
fellowship event, let's say, now that's not severe enough for a revokation in
my book. But a felony involves assault, major theft, etc. and usually
involves jail time. Felonies are a clearer indication of a person deserving
to be debrothered in my opinion.
There are well over 250,000 brothers of this fraternity, Probably 100,000 of
which are under 35 years old. There are 100,000,000 18-35 year olds in this
country by my guess. 1 out of 300 are in jail. 1 out of 1000 are in APO.
There are probably 100's of APO brothers who have run afoul of the law in a
serious maner, sad to say. Yet I've known of one or two membership
revocations in the last decade. If every convicted brother were brought
before the convention, I am sad to venture that a few would come up each
time. But most escape having their membership pulled.
Again, to back up the felony requirement, I'll just say that a brother who
was active on email in the past few years was jailed for a weekendfor a DWI
charge. Would you haul someone before the convention for a non-accident DWI
charge? Probably not. Would you haul someone in for a felony
assault/rape/etc.? Probably. There's your difference.
Question on Hazing Felony vs MD's hazing misdemeanor. In Maryland, if you
beat the crap out of someone while you're in a fraternity activity, wouldn't
you get hit with a felony charge of assault? That would stand out in my book.
If someone accused you of misdemeanor hazing for, say, keeping a pledge awake
all night, that could be a minor crime, but I don'tr think it would warrant a
revocation. Perhaps I need to understand hazing statutes and Maryland law a
little better.
As for slow investigations, I can see where this amendment might be a
pitfall, but I no of no better wording that would protect the right of the
accused until they are proven guilty.
In LFS, REV
