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| Artist's Conception. |
Noted naked runner himself, KKOB, brought me this news even before it hit the national news. There must be some kind of message board for clothes-optional runners, or something!
The story is extra-important to our group as the head coach at Rider is our very own PSU Track Alumni (Golfer) Bob Hamer. Bob was coached in high school at Council Rock by my daughter's current coach, Bill Preston at Penn State Mont Alto.
I don't know how I feel about all of this. On the one hand, I find it innocent fun (sans illegal alcohol) and the first chance in life at seeing naked girls for geeks like me. On the other hand, I am a big opponent of hazing in any form. But was this hazing when no one was coerced into participating? And, again as always, I don't have all of the facts.
Next time guys and girls, wear a g-string and pasties and I think you'll be fine? What do you think Kelly?
I definitely have some insight and opinion on this topic.
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, If I am not mistaken, Bob Hamer was one of the guys (along with Artie) Harry introduced me to at the '94 NCCA XC Championships in Arkansas where they gave me the honor of leading our Rusty Boots cheer. While mentioning who I was, Harry shared among other things my antics with streaking and being one of the real originators (along with another Shunk mate (SN) with whom I recently reunited) of the later-named Mifflin Mile, and my run-ins with the campus police and student judiciary council.
On the surface, this thwarted run, does look like a fully-volunteer activity, but there is always that possibly of underlying passive coercion (as you allude to) that plays apart in other matters such as feeling obligated to pray or say the pledge of allegiance. We only know what the press has reported; I have no doubt there are more key facts that have not been revealed (p/I). So saying it is actually hazing is a crap shoot, but if one was coerced then.... In most cases and under darkness especially it seems to be a victim-less crime as far as outsiders.
Bob did the right thing, and so did Harry.
Hopefully, Bob takes the time to talk with the guys involved and look behind (n/p/I) the obvious and ask why?.
Without exposing (n/p/i) too much at this point, I can say that the act of nakedness is a special right and (absent some unusual legal need) a decision to do so should be totally vested in the doer. Of course, there can be consequences as here for doers (or maybe almost doers). Coercion aside, in the streaking frolics in my teens, it was exactly that...MY decision...MY controlling...MY nakedness...and that made it fun. There was no one to blame for the doing of those acts regardless of what may have led me to do so. The same with these guys.
Sometimes it is just pure fun. Sometimes, fun acting as a counterbalance or pendulum.
Regardless, these guys will have a story to share for the rest of their lives, and I hope it is a pleasant one to tell.
Oh! You need to go thru Onion and the Dark Web to access Streaker's Anonymous (whatta an oxymoron).
Oh Oh! As to a G-string and pasties, I'll have to tell you and show you the tale of a 1991 Carnival cruise...no, seriously!
KKOB80