EDITORIAL
Underage drinking
is going to happen
The newly adopted alcohol policy went into effect ear
lier this week for many of the fraternities and sororities
across campus. This policy was encouraged by the Stu
dent Conduct Committee in a way that could not be
overlooked by the greek system.
Last year, the Student Conduct Committee came
before the greek system and insisted that a method be
developed to curb underage drinking. The fraternity and
sorority presidents were led to believe that if a new sys
tem was not approved by the Student Conduct Commit
tee and in motion by this fall, the University would no
longer recognize the greek houses.
Without University support, a fraternity or sorority's
national support would no longer be available, resulting
in the closure of many
houses. Railroaded
through the system, this
policy was intended to
encourage a safer envi
ronment.
Underage drinking,
obviously not con
doned in any way. is
!;oing to happen. To no one's surprise it's going on at col
ege campuses across the United States. This new poli
cy. to an ancient occurrence, will not stop underage
drinking; it can’t. However, it will cause it to shift.
It will shift to off-campus parties and a potentially
dangerous environment that can never be as safe as thooo
promoted at the closed-off environment of many frater
nities. Minors will head to off-campus houses in an
effort to maintain the same atmosphere that any other
non-greek student has.
Students heading off campus bring to mind new mob
lems, such as driving under the influence and dnmftand
disorderly violations, all of which are directly reflected
back on the University by the school's students.
This new policy incorporates wristbands as a method
of identifying those who are of age — a policy for an
organization that is stricter than any city or state law
mandates. The policy seems to alleviate very little of the
original problem, a problem that for some reason has
recently surfaced with the Student Conduct Committee
after nearly a century of success in greek organizations.
Certainly, much of the liability is removed from the
University itself; however, the problem has not been
eliminated, just sidestepped.
Instituting this new policy provides little remedy and
the potential for many new problems. The greek system,
and for the most part the University, both seem to be bet
ter off sticking with the policy that has been in effect
for the years prior.
The University may be off of the hook; however, the
greek system is a combined 20 percent of the student
body, and with a little pressure, things could change.
Oregon Daily
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COMMENTARY
Mixing art, religion and University
By Bob Weigel
I recently complained about
the yin and yang design in
the sidewalk between
Willamette and Huestis halls. It
is one of the most well-known
pieces of religious symbolism on
earth, and because there wasn't
any significant context to indi
cate why it had been put there.
I was very clear about both of
these points in my complaint.
I received a letter from the per
son who initiated the placement
of this symbol. He told me that
his intent, of course, was purely
philosophies) and not religious.
Thera may need to be some clar
ification of terms here. The reli
gions that use the vin and yang
are basically fust that. They are
philosophies of life. Each person
may claim that their religion is
more than that, but a state insti
tution is not permitted to recog
nize any religion as more than a
philosophy of life.
I could justify putting a cross
on the sidewalk, using similar
reasoning to what was given to
me saying. "I just put it there to
symbolize the meeting of com
pletely diverse lifestyles" because
the cross is simply two lines, of
different length, going in com
pletely different directions and
meeting in one point in space.
We all know that this would not
make it. They have agreed and
the vin and yang will be replaced
by the "infinity" symbol. Just for
the record.
In contrast, let me note the
library makes use of what could
be interpreted as "religious state
ments." There is actually scrip
ture posted right on the front of
the building. It says."... and the
truth shall set you free." which
was. to my knowledge, original
ly spoken by |esus Christ, who
some people started a religion
about.
To print such a statement on a
library seems appropriate, fust
because a person looked at as a
"religious leader" said it does not
mean we must rub it out of every
state-funded thing. It's very like
ly that some religious leader
somewhere has Mid |u«t about
everything that ia worth Hying.
I believe the atatamant on the
library aignifies, within that con
text. a standard of excellence for
the materiala that are handled
there.
Perhaps moat people's atti
tudes have changed since that
about waa printed on the library.
Perhaps people in the library
administration really don't care
about helping people lead peo
ple into the truth, but rather think
everything that is printed should
be stocked on shelves without
Questions being asked. Perhaps
that is why there are so many
people confused today, hurting
thenuelves and others. Perhaps
it is time we remove that slogan,
lest we be hypocrites.
This will be my last letter as
a staff person here at the Univer
sity. I'm going to be doing some
traveling, playing music and
sharing the love God has shown
me. I may not have seemed very
loving to some of you at times. I
don't always say things people
want to hear, but I try to say
things that I think will help them.
I've talked to an amazingly small
number of people who really
want to help me understand why
those things weren't really help
ing anyone. 1 guess that makes
my point as well as anything.
I’m a broken-hearted man. see
ing children I love drink poison
and slash their wrists because
they can't get enough of what this
world has promised. I am com
pelled to tell them that they are
worthwhile and that this hateful
world is not the only thing to live
for.
Most people seem to make
judgments about who 1 am from
afar over sitting down and shar
ing a meal and talking about why
I am the way I am. There is fear.
Fear that if we reason, we might
clearly see the reason that the
assumptions we think we are so
sure they have more holes in
them than an atom.
1 spoke with one professor who
kept responding to my rebuttal of
reasoning that he used in a letter
to the editor with “that's no-non
sense." Wow... that's such a tidy
way of dealing with something
you don't have a logical response
for. I spoke with a student who
broke crown crying when they left
his class, because he used the
same dogmatic, unwillingness to
reason and drive his students to
frustration. He is a discredit to
the title. This unwillingness to
reason allows falsehood to poi
son entire societies, so they
become wide-open targets lor var
ious “slave masters."
I've enjoyed working with the
many people in my department.
I don't need to mention names,
they know who they are. As they
search the motives of their heart,
they find peace and continue
offering warm smiles and open
invitations of friendship to all
those they meet. Thank you.
This world is often a very cru
el place to people like myself,
who do not nave a secure job. or
anybody else who is not com
mitted to being a helper to them
in their time of pain or weakness
Don't cry for me. I know my God
will lead me and supply for me.
I know God is that friend to me.
He has allowed me to be broken
so that his love can shine through
me. 1 love you all. even those who
have spoken behind my back and
avoided confrontation with me.
I hope that someday you will
understand what |esus really did
for me and you. and that we may
reason together about things sel
dom considered at the Univer
sity.
Bob Weigel is a self -described
“free-spirit. “
COMMENTARY POLICY
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