Action Team another Anti-student example

When I first read about the formation of the "action team" last spring, it
sounded like transparent bs. I thought it would just be a way for the
university and city to continue to screw us, while generating the appearance
that we support them. If I didn't know this city better, it would have sounded
like a good idea, so I decided to hold off judgment and give it the benefit of
the doubt.

I have been reading The State News often over the summer break, and I now
see that I was right. When I look at the concepts they have come up with, it
is obvious to me that students had little say in it. They expect us to be
content with an off-campus code of conduct and further alcohol regulation in
exchange for longer hours at the IM buildings? Come on. Meanwhile, the city of
East Lansing passes more anti-student legislation, as they usually do when
everyone is gone. I am not going to go into detail about rental houses, block
parties, search warrants or any other examples.

What I want, is for MSU and East Lansing to stay the hell out of my social
life. I think I speak for the majority when I say that. I am sick of this
whole no-tolerance issue. Whether I drink or not is none of your business. The
drinking age itself is a violation of the Constitution (age discrimination:
14th amendment) so those who disobey it are not breaking the law. The
university should focus on more important things such as improving the quality
of our education instead of this no-tolerance moral crusade. I am sure money
would be better spent on making class sizes smaller than my graduating class
and making sure all profs can speak English. I don't understand why the city
wants to get rid of students so badly. This MIP racket of theirs is raking in
the money. It's ironic how we have a police state forming here in a place of
higher learning.

Look at last year as a lesson. A small riot happened at Gunson. You cracked
down hard on parties and the social scene, and it resulted in a real riot.
Any fool can see that if you continue down that path, it will happen again.
This is the truth. Sorry if you don't want to hear it. Why damage MSU's
reputation further for the sake of prohibition when it has already proven to
be a failure? We might have had a rep as a party school, but it's better than
being on CNN. I'm not talking about no revolution, don't want no riots, no
demonstrations. I just want to go out on the weekends and have some fun
without a cop shoving a Breathalyzer down my throat every 10 minutes. I don't
think this is asking too much.

              Matt Harrison
              electrical engineering junior