Notre Dame students got what they deserve
John Litle
Frankly Obnoxious
Notre Dame students don't deserve alcohol in their dorms or alcohol period for that matter. Let's look at this how it ought to be seen. About six years ago, with the administration's blessing, bars around town started getting busted. Notre Dame students did nothing, just moved on to the next bar. This was understandable at the time. Later, the administration banned the football ticket distribution campout. Notre Dame students did nothing. They just rolled over like the sheep they are and accepted the plate they were given. The next year, the Graffiti Dance was cancelled. Notre Dame students had nothing to say because it didn't affect them, only upcoming freshmen. And last year, out of the blue, a tailgating task force of power-tripping rent-a-cops started busting everyone they could see at tailgates under a new ResLife edict. You, Notre Dame students, whined in the Viewpoint.
Now, the administration is banning hard liquor in the dorms. Let me tell you what Notre Dame students are going to do — nothing. You're just going to take it. Why? Because upper-classmen are going to say, "I'm moving off campus anyway," or, "I'm only here for next year." Without a critical mass of students, anything anyone else does won't matter. And you know what's best — you deserve it. I'm not going to sit here and say this policy change is bad. It's not. It's just a continuation of a consistent policy move over the last six years that Notre Dame students have ratified with their apathy.
Oh sure, student government is making a grand hullabaloo about getting back the SYR. This is because it specifically serves their and the administration's goals. When the administration "gives" us back the SYR, student government will get to claim a victory, students will think they have a voice (so they shut up) and the administration will have carried out its carefully crafted plan to herd its sheep. You think you've won so you don't protest, your stupidity earns you your liquor ban.
What's next after hard liquor? Beer and underage drinking are next. And the sooner the better. If students aren't willing to stand up for what they want now, then they deserve what they get in the future as far as I am concerned.
Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe there will be some sort of student push to stop this legislation. Maybe 15 students will go have a sit-in while the rest of the campus mocks them because they themselves are too frightened to stand up for what they believe. Maybe someone will take a dump on the porch of the Main Building. I'm sure someone is going to send an "Oooh, oh so nasty" letter to the editor. You go get 'em pal. I'm sure they'll care what you have to say if you think it out real hard and write it to The Observer. (Note hypocrisy here.)
And here's the problem with the impromptu student government sponsored "protest": a herd of sheep, no matter how large, is not frightening. Standing up on a podium and complaining to a bunch of passive students is no protest. Try perhaps holding a no-class day, a sit-in in the ResLife office or painting horns, a tail and a bifurcated tongue on touchdown Jesus — that's protest. I am in no way advocating this sort of activity.
Is there going to be any sort of civil disobedience to protest the administration's decision? No. Is there going to be any organized effort to stop what is happening? No. Will there even be a campus petition opposing the proposed changes to du Lac? Nope. Why? Because ND students are one of five things: a.) Convinced they don't matter and their opinion won't be heard by the administration (probably true); b.) Convinced that any sort of opposition to University policy undermines the University's ability to function as a private institution (just plain stupid); c.) Mindless little sheep that have yet to question any authority known to them; d.) So morally self-righteous that they condemn anyone for caring about their own living situation when there are poor people in some other country; or e.) So sick and tired of trying to get people to care that they have decided maybe this is a just punishment for student apathy.
So go ahead, write your mean-spirited letters to the editor, sit in your room and drink beer while complaining to your friends about the big bad administration, but by no means take any steps that might show you are displeased with the situation being shoved at you. Remember not to care at all about the future of the school you attend, and above all, hold true to that most sacred of Notre Dame traditions: Conformity.
John Litle is a Junior MIS major who would love to receive your mail at jlitle@nd.edu. His column runs every other Tuesday.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Tuesday, March 26, 2002
