Unbeknownst to Voters, Illinois Senate Actually a Frat House

By Alicia Dorr in News on Mar 28, 2006 5:35PM

Ah, hazing season: bras in the freezer, round after round of truth or dare, gallons of water and constant heckling.

Yep, you guessed it: Those crazy cats in the Illinois Senate are showing the newbies the ropes with some good old-fashioned hazing.

It was Senator Rickey Hendon of Chicago who needled the new fish this time—because, this is a "thousand-year tradition." The victim of the joke was Senator Cheryl Axley of Mt. Prospect, but she says she's not a victim and that it was "all in fun."

Still, it had to be a little embarrassing to be opening up your first bill for debate and have a veteran senator ask you if you are a "true blonde." And then ask if you'd like to go for a drive later. Or say they could "trick you" into something because you look like you're 16 or 17.

But Hendon still says it was just a joke ... an awkward, uncomfortable joke. Like that one uncle that everyone has or has met who relentlessly gives out wet willies and remarks on how much all the girl cousins have "grown," Hendon went on even when the presiding officer tried to "rein him in" by saying his jokes were "inappropriate." Some senators agreed, and some didn't. Axley didn't falter in her debate, and Hendon wasn't the only one giving her a hard time. Then again, he was the only one bringing her gender, age and hair color to the table. He apologized today, so he must've realized something was up. Then again, politicians will be politicians.

Ahh ... only in Springfield—like a thousand monkeys typing on a thousand typewriters. They're bound to come up with something brilliant.