Here’s the assignment — put a “fair and reasonable” price on life.

Sounds tough, doesn’t it?

That’s what William Sellers, the father of 1997 Veishea murder victim Harold “Uri” Sellers, is asking the Story County District Court to do.

Sellers is suing the Adelante (where his son was stabbed) and Theta Chi fraternity houses for what he says is failure to provide a safe party and to follow Iowa State’s Interfraternity Council regulations.

But before everyone jumps on the “let’s-sue-the-partying-greeks” bandwagon, stop and think for a moment.

The brothers at the Adelante house didn’t hold the knife, and neither did their guests from Theta Chi, who just happened to be staying there because their own house had burned down.

The person who murdered Sellers is in jail for life. Michael Runyan will spend the rest of his life behind bars, no questions asked.

The members of the Adelante and Theta Chi fraternities are undoubtedly sorry about the incident. But they are not to blame for it.

The fraternities did not coerce Sellers or Runyan to come to Iowa State, they did not force either party to drink, and they did not incite the fight that ensued.

The partiers on the Adelante lawn were trying to keep Runyan out, which is why he got angry in the first place and decided he needed to stab someone.

And Runyan, who drank about 20 beers that night, was admittedly drunk even before he got to Ames.

So William Sellers wants to prove that the fraternities are at fault?

How about suing the entire university? The administration must be part of the problem as a sponsor of Veishea.

Or how about the store where the Runyan’s under-age contingent from Fort Dodge bought their alcohol? They obviously weren’t paying close enough attention.

Or maybe the Ames Police Department, for not arresting Runyan earlier for public intoxication?

Sound a little frivolous?

It should, and so does Sellers’ lawsuit.

But the lawsuit isn’t only frivolous, it’s sad. Sellers cannot bring his son back with this lawsuit. The only thing that could possibly be accomplished is a lot of finger pointing for a tragedy that already has a clear-cut guilty party.