I started as an MSU freshman in the fall of 1999, right after the fabled Duke Final Four riots. I remember the insane police presence on campus. We had National Guard tanks in Cedar Village during the Michigan game. I got tear gassed trying to cross the street near my apartment my junior year (I was sober, for the record). Along with most students, I found the police efforts to curb drinking insulting and barbaric. It’s good to see that not much has changed since I graduated in 2003.

I’ll be the first to admit to drinking underage while at MSU. I think you’d be hard pressed to find many students who didn’t drink underage at college. I think it would be equally tough to find anyone underage drinking at an East Lansing bar. The door staff at those establishments are legendary in their ability to spot fake IDs, as is the staff at most East Lansing liquor stores. Most people I knew got their booze by driving into Lansing or having an older friend purchase it for them, and these new efforts certainly aren’t going to stop that. The problem isn’t underage drinking, it’s stupidity and irresponsibility.