Matt Harrison 1998

	The old clich‚ is true.  The more things change, the more they remain
the same.  In the past four months the university and the city have made their
first attempts at communication with the student body.  Several new groups and
programs have formed with the intent of patching up relations between the
students and MSU/East Lansing.  But has anything really changed?  East Lansing
has continued to pass anti-student legislation over the summer.  Alcohol
regulation and No-Tolerance programs are still the primary policies of both
the city and university.
	If either of the two really cared about listening to the voices of the
students, this "Alcohol Action Team" would not exist.  Instead of discussing
real problems, they have done nothing but come up with a list of ways to try
to get rid of alcohol.  The primary cause of last May's riot was the
continuous regulation of alcohol by both city and the university.  So why then
is MSU continuing this same policy if they are truly interested in the
opinions of the students?  Who really knows, Hypocrisy and BS are gods in this
town.  They might just be misguided or blinded to the truth by their own
close-mindedness.  In any circumstance, the action team gives the appearance
that the university and city are making an effort to listen to student
concerns.  That way, the next time there is a riot, they can tell the press
that they did what we wanted and proceed to blame it all on a bunch of drunk
students.
	Several student resume chasers in ASMSU and scum politicians down at
city hall were saying that this riot hinders our cause.  My response to them
is, how?  We are stuck in a Catch-22 situation here.  Riot or not, we are
going to screwed either way.  We do not have any political power here.  To
even challenge an unjust law in the courts can cost a lot of time, money and
luck.  A typical college student is in short supply of at least two of the
above.  The riots are a result of the frustration we feel over getting
repeatedly screwed over by policies we have no say in.
        I remember hearing some so-called student leader tell the press, "That
was a minority of a minority out there."  Anyone who looks at the number of
people voting in student elections can see who represents a minority of a
minority.  Why bother voting in them anyway, the positions are useless except
for padding resumes.  If the MSU administration truly feels that this is the
case, it is going to cause far more problems.  3000 people was a low-ball
estimate at best and I don't believe it included the riots in the Cedar
Village area.  This was not a planned riot, it just happened.  It should be
an indication to you that something is wrong when at least 3000 students are
spontaneously deciding to riot.  Not too mention that many students live in
dorms, houses or apartments that were nowhere near the rioting.  I talked to
several students the day after who didn't even know what had happened.
        What is going on here in East Lansing is tyranny.  What is happening
to us might not be as bad as what is going on throughout most of the third
world, but it is tyranny nonetheless.  The reason we enjoy more freedoms than
the rest of the world, is because we stand up to injustice and tyranny, no
matter how minor.
	When I was a freshman, there were far more parties than there are now.
But back then, we weren't setting fires in the middle of the street and
throwing beer bottles at police.  These problems started when you started
pushing us.  Small riot happens on Gunson, you use it as an excuse to push
No-Tolerance faster.  This eventually erupts into a larger riot, and now you
are prepared to do the same.  It has been said many times that those who
forget the mistakes of the past, are doomed to repeat them.  It seems strange
how everyone has heard this, yet very few seem to heed it's advice.  Will you
fools only understand when East Lansing is in flames?
        The thing I can't get is that we are not asking for all that much.  We
just want MSU and East Lansing to stay out of our social lives and stop this
noble experiment of theirs.  I don't see anything wrong with going out to a
party at the end of the week and having a good time.  I'm not driving or doing
anything else to endanger others.  It's strange how driving home drunk seems
to be the easiest way to avoid getting an MIP in this town.  I would like for
an MSU or city official to give me a real reason why they have a problem with
me drinking.  Those hypocrites were drinking and partying back when they were
going to school, so why is it such a big deal to them?
        I went out during welcome week to find a group of police on every
corner.  Very few people dared have parties, as the police would send in two
entire swat teams to break it up.  I woke up the next morning to find a big
clump of horseshit laying out in front of my apartment building.  Ever notice
how much this town smells like Mackinaw Island?  Is this how the rest of
college is going to be.  These are supposed to be the best years of your life.
I would like to be able to look back upon them as such and not spend the rest of
my life worrying that I missed out on something.
        City and University officials, as well as many of our so-called
student leadership are going to accuse me of being all sorts of things.  The
fact of the matter is that I am not going to be the one starting or causing
any future riots, you are.