Page 98 - ThePhoenix1996-97

Thursday, February 20,1997 - Page 2 COMMENTARY Staff THE SOAPBOX Editor-In-Chief Carolyn D. Barnes '99 -------'1 Adam Dean 1-1----- Managing Editor Sarah Snell '97 Welcome back 10 the Soapbox! I hope all use this information to compile a list of Matthews quotes Florine V. Robinson, presi- Advertising Manager Lubomir Ondercin '00 of you had an enjoyable January. names and log them into a computerized dent of the Pimlico Good Neighbors Asso- I was eating lunch the other day with some tracking system. The police will search out ciation as saying, "If they passed out the News Editor friends when one of them said something I Grant A. Rice '99 those persons most mentioned by the anony- envelopes and I could mail it in that would thought was a very clever. We always fill out mous snitches. The Mayor of Baltimore, Kurt be best...That way I couldn't be linked." No Features Editor evaluation forms for the professors and L. Schmoke is quoted by Matthews as say- Ms. Robinson, that would not be best. If one Jennifer Vick '98 classes we take at the end of the semester. It ing, "We will give that person special atten- can not be held responsible for his or her Assistant Features Editor is obvious that student input is desired in tion ... If we see him on the street, one false information, that information i~ a danger to Nicki Kassolis '99 regards to the faculty. Why not pass out evalu- move and we pounce." Does this strike any- us all. arion forms for the other departments at West- one as being wrong? These kind of Gestapo Mayor Schmoke is quoted saying "Don't Editorials Editors Adam Dean '98 ern Maryland? There are elements of the tactics do not belong in any freedom loving tell me about violating anybody's rights ... " Erin Howard '00 maintenance, janitorial, registrars, bursars, country. A system like this is wide open to Why not, Mr. Mayor? Are you in denial? residence life and other departments which abuse. You and I both know that these anony- Yes, you are correct to say that nobody has Sports Editor Julie Edwards '00 are not particularly user friendly and could mous tips will be used by some to settle per- a right to carry a concealed weapon. But use some feedback from we the users. Many sonal scores and attack those they do not like. everybody has a right not to be subject to a Assistant Sports Editor students have done all but sell their souls to Tom Gill '97 Somebody stole your girlfriend? Well, hey, modern day witch bunt. I don't want the attend this college. It is not unreasonable to he might be packing a piece. Do the people police compiling a database of those "sus- Art Editor expect a little responsiveness on the college's next door have too many loud parties? They pected" of carrying a weapon. It is even Mike Puskar '99 part. It's an interesting idea, and a good one. both might be carrying gats. worse that the information used to create that Subscriptions Manager Now let us change the subject. On Febru- The dangers of this concept are very ap- list comes from very questionable sources. Shannon Tinney '99 ary 7, 1997 an interesting article appeared in parent. These measures do much more than "The danger is someone is going to mis- the Baltimore edition of The Baltimore Sun. just threaten someone's right to privacy. And use this program to take care of private dis- Public Relations Manager Abbi Rudman '00 In the article entitled "Anti-gun initiative is what does the Mayor mean when he says putes," said Dwight Sullivan, staff attorney in the mail" by Robert Guy Matthews we "once false move and we pounce"? How for the American Civil Liberties Union of Distribution Manager learn that the Baltimore City police are plan- would you like to be pulled over and arrested Maryland, according to Matthews. "It will Rich Suchoski '00 ning on handing out envelopes at nine com- or even worse just because your name be very interesting to see what the police do munity meetings beginning this March. The matched one of those on a list pulled together with this information. We will be very in- Genera1StaIT Nikki Bellanger '98 envelopes will contain forms which allow the from the information given by anonymous terested in monitoring what happens to Morrison Benjamin '00 anonymous snitch to finger anyone he or she snitches? There are no repercussions for giv- people whose names are turned in." I sug- Nathan Birdsall '99 suspects is carrying a gun. The police will ing false or misleading information. gest that we all do likewise. Dan Callahan '00 Dan Gadd '00 John Greene '98 THE LAST WORD Jim Gross '99 Shea Henyon '98 Faye Ingram '99 Ro:ruumeIng:nt.m."99 Laurie Jones '99 Maggie Kimura '99 Jeremy Lopus '00 Campus Safety? r Courtney Risch '99 alcoholic beverage containers. The only out on the tennis courts. So this was a bad Francesca Saylor '00 other two people that were in the hallway at event, something done in ignorance, but Juba Sigueirera '00 It's a typical Saturday night on Western the time were my friends, one of whom was something which also can be kind of ex- Emily Stamathis '99 Maryland College's sinfully titillating cam- playing darts with me, and the other who just pected considering where the school is lo- Cameron Speir '97 pus. The time, around 12:30 a.m. You're on so happened to be the owner of the empties. cated. Really, though, this event wasn't too Heather Woods '99 your respective floor, in your respective He's 22 years old. So I kinda know wbat violent, and the only event that I can think room, doing a little drinking, and not really campus safety is all about. of which was violent (last years brawl with bothering anybody at all. In fact, the major- Basically, I believe campus safety is no Adviser ity of your friends, who oddly enough share the townies out in front of Blanche) was Terry Duhon more that the means which the administra- handled, very well I might add, by the stu- your current location, are engaging in much tion hopes to use in order to realize their ide- dents. Campus safety did nothing to stop the same activity. All in all it is a festive at- alized goal. What is this goal? A/dry cam- the townies from coming up into the build- mosphere, where all involved are having a pus. Think about it. Of course the adminis- The Phoenix is published biweekly. ing (in fact they cam about the same time is complaining. The opinions expressed do not necessar- good time, and nobody playing, you're with So tration is trying to make this a dry campus. the Calvary from Westminster's finest ar- it, the music's picture ily represent those of The Phoenix staff, your friends having a good time, when all of They come swooping down out of nowhere rived,) so the students took care of business. tbe faculty. or the administrators of a sudden (pardon the cliche) the men in green for every function which has anything to do End of story. So, how safe does campus WMC. step onto the floor, immediately the shit hits with alcohol, or fun (not that I think you need safety keep us? Well, I don't really think The paper welcomes free-lance sub- alcohol to have fun, but it does make things, we, as a student body, are in much danger missions on Macintosh disks in most the fan. They walk from room to room, dis- well, more interesting.) So who, of course from any serious malignant criminal element. rupting the fun, writing up numerous alcohol word processor formats. The editor re- violations (most of which are the bogus "you does the administration target as the scape- So I think campus safety is a farce, a smoke serves the right to edit for clarity, length, goats? The Greek organizations. They are screen if you will. An institution set up by and libel and to publish as space permits. got caught in room with open beer contain- at every fraternity and sorority event, always the administration in order to enforce and All submissions (excluding self-ad- ers" type), and basically acting like a bunch with an attitude. Basically, the hub of social implicate policy, set up to make this campus of tough guys (and girls). Tum out the lights, functions on this campus centers around the a dry one. dressed diskettes) become the property the party's over. Greek organizations. It only makes sense Another good question to ask: Is it re- of The Phoenix and cannot be returned. So now it's 12:45, you've been "written for the administration to target them and, ally necessary to make this campus a dry Please include a name and phone up," and you're generally cheer mood has unfairly, I believe, harass them all to hell. one? I think this question is a good one, one will be Names for verification. ~ number I withheld only by the discretion of the been destroyed. This is an all too typical The majority of tbe Greek population (espe- which cuts to the heart of the matter. I also Editor-in-Chief. Saturday night occurrence for many of the cially the guys from Gamma Beta) are ex- think the answer has to be no, there is no students on this campus. I, myself-have had tremely cool guys and gals. They don't want real need for a campus safety who's only real The Phoenix does not discriminate ! based on age, race, religion, gender, a run in with the men in green. A few week- to cause much trouble, well at least most of task, besides driving around their in their il- ends into Jan term they cam into one of-the them don't, the way and I think it's appalling sexual orientation, national origin, con- affinity suites where i had been hanging out they are marked by the administration. legally tinted station wagon (and what self- dition of handicap, or marital status. respecting criminal is going to run scared with some of my friends, and throwing a few Besides, is there any reason for campus from a Celebrity") and writing tickets for darts. I heard a key in the door, saw the door- safety to be here? It's not as though we have student who do not have parking permits, is Mail to: The Phoenix knob starting to tum, and proceeded to open some huge, inner-city crime rate which to keep the student body from drinking. WMC, 2 College Hill the door. Big mistake. Behind door number would necessitate a campus safety organi- While some may argue, however, that we Westminster, MD 21157 one were two campus safety men all ready to zation. The worst thing that has happened, come here to learn, not to party, I offer this. bust heads and immediately give everybody since I've been here, occurred just last year. We pay somewhere around $21,000 a year a hard time. My information was taken down Someone sprayed a racist word (nigger, if to come here and learn. One can only learn (410) 751-8600 (name, school J.D. #, and room #) for being (410) 876-2055, ext 8600 you didn't know about it, or couldn't figure in the same hallway with two open, yet empty, it out for yourself,) with a fire extinguisher, Continued on page 4 L FAX: (41Q) 857,2729 . ~ -~--.~"---- - _.._ ..