Recently, I have seen a lot of articles and a few letters regarding the proposed open-drinking ban on campus. My biggest question is, why? If they are still going to allow alcohol on football Saturdays, why ban it during other times?

It seems to be almost everybody's opinion that tailgating is the root of all evil, yet they will still allow it because they do not want to upset alumni donors. MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said there have been instances of students drinking alcohol on campus in the past, on non-game days. Well of course there were, and those students were doing nothing illegal. I have not seen any instances where people's drinking in front of a residence hall has gotten out of hand, or caused a problem.

What is so wrong with college students drinking outside? The problem is that it is visible.

The tailgate restrictions didn't really solve any problems; they just moved them off campus. This ordinance will not solve anything.

Instead, alumni and parents won't have to see college behavior while on campus. It's all about image. You wouldn't want people to know that some college students drink, would you?

The MSU Board of Trustees is using the momentum it gained from the tailgate restrictions, and the ever-present threat of riots, to try to push through an unnecessary ban.

Ben Thelen
environmental soil science senior