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The Rice Thresher
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'Thresher' should not belittle SA resolutions To the editor: Most Rice students would expect the Thresher to be a champion of student-related issues. The editorial, "A resolution without conflict," in the Sept. 22 edition contradicts such a claim. The Thresher editorial board has come out against a Student Association resolution that supports turning current Wiess College grounds into a park or athletic fields and emphasizes the importance and upkeep of the green space we now have. Why is this? Granted, a few members of the administration are in favor of preserving green space and IM fields on campus. However, please don't mistake "members of the administration" with "the administrative process at Rice." While Vice President for Finance and Administration Dean Currie and Vice President for Student Affairs Zenaido Camacho support green space issues, they are not the final decision makers on building and grounds issues. We all know there is precedent for major decisions to be made over the summer while we're gone: for example, controversial decisions over construction of the serveries, the Wiess-Hanszen House switch and the relocation of the commuter parking lot. This SA resolution gives our potential allies in the administration the ability to better represent student interests at meetings in which we may not be present. It gives them backing and credibility when the long-term plans are discussed for the land that Wiess sits on. Furthermore, the resolution calls for correcting damage to our IM fields, which have been causing preventable injuries to students. If the Thresher had listened at the SA meetings or spoken to a person involved with the resolution, the editorial department would have learned the purposes of this unopposed resolution. As one who has fought a few losing battles, I can tell you that having allies rather than enemies in the administration is an asset and "conflict" is not a measure of the worth of a resolution. I can understand if the Thresher disagrees with the intent or execution of the green space resolution, but your stance on "a resolution without conflict" is simply uninformed about the process this resolution is designed to establish.
Josh Katz Wiess College president
Drug-use punishment should fit the crime To the editor: What happened on Sept. 10? Two similar incidents were spotlighted in the Thresher. First, an overly intoxicated football player caused a disturbance ("Drunk student creates disturbance," Sept. 15). He was loud and violent. It took four officers to get him under control and take him to the police station. Meanwhile, four students were out of sight and quietly smoking marijuana on a balcony ("Six students face marijuana possession accusations," Sept. 15). When they were discovered they complied with the officers' requests. Unfortunately, the fate of these students was not the same. The football player was released to the masters and head football coach Ken Hatfield handled any necessary disciplinary action. All of the students involved in the marijuana incident, regardless of whether they were smoking or were in possession of marijuana, received a punishment. The obvious reason for the difference in disciplinary action is that marijuana is an illicit substance and alcohol is not. The Campus Police are getting kudos from many students for handling the marijuana incident the way they did. I mean, hey, they could've arrested and prosecuted them, right? But it's a shame that they had to do anything at all. It's a shame that two roommates who were sleeping at the time are now on probation because they admitted to smoking with their roommates in the past. The reason that it's a shame is because it was a victimless crime. No overly high student became loud. No one was threatened. A smell was all that was wrong. A smell that by law compelled the Campus Police to act. The actual dangers of marijuana use have been exaggerated. No one overdoses on marijuana. Psychological addiction is rare and physical addiction is almost unheard of. Why, then, are marijuana laws so harsh? Because many laws have been written out of fear and in ignorance of the actual effects of the drug. The fear that marijuana is a "gateway" drug is unfounded. If drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and caffeine are legal to consume, marijuana should be as well. Students are not going to stop smoking marijuana. Every single day someone lights up on Rice's campus. It's not an issue of rebellion; students smoke marijuana because it's enjoyable. As a supportive community we need to face these facts and decide how to best deal with this drug. If you know someone who smokes marijuana, ask them why they do it and what it's like. Sift through the myths (e.g., marijuana lowers sperm count) and find out what the actual health risks are from smoking. Decide for yourself if the drug is creating the problem or if the laws are creating the problem. But most importantly, if you encounter a Rice student smoking and it bothers you, ask them to stop or tell them to leave. Treat them like you would any one who's had a few beers. Call a resident associate or college justice, but don't make the situation bigger than it needs to be. The punishment should fit the crime. Support the equalization of drug laws.
Jennifer Hitt Hanszen senior
Halftime show did not demean women To the editor: Last week, you printed a letter from a Rice faculty member who was upset at the Marching Owl Band for telling "the most lame, sexist joke" she has heard in a while ("MOB attacks wrong target at Tulsa game," Sept. 22). This accusation seems unwarranted. The inherently light-hearted nature of the MOB ought to imply that no one should take personally anything that we say. But this particular joke is noteworthy in that it was not even directed against the female gender. The specific script segment in question read verbatim as follows: "What would the world be like if luck really was a lady? We need only show you a nun, a stripper and a blonde to remind you that there is good luck, bad luck and dumb luck." I believe that the women of Rice University are secure enough not to be offended by that sentence. It is the primary purpose of the MOB to entertain its audiences, so it's unfortunate that any Rice fan should be offended, but as it has been observed many times, we can't please everyone every time. I hope and believe that most of the Rice community will agree that the MOB did not overstep good taste in our half-time show at the Tulsa game.
Jonathan Ichikawa Will Rice sophomore
Campus construction becoming ridiculous To the editor: I just can't take it anymore. Today they were doing "construction on construction." How can we afford so many orange cones, rolls of yellow "caution" tape and big screaming machines? I don't claim to keep up with construction issues. I'm not a Student Association officer, and I don't even live on campus (gracias a Wiess). I am, however, a student who thought the Rice campus had an aesthetically pleasing environment that would foster my academic growth to its maximum potential. Isn't that what the video talked about when I was a starry-eyed senior in high school? "Trees, trees, we love our trees, nice buildings, hip Student Center." Now when I walk to my classes - oh wait, when I take the detour to my classes - do I hear the sounds of happy children? No. I hear something metal and heavy hitting the ground over and over and over. Being female, I also have to constantly be on my guard against some wave of lip-smacking Bon Jovi look-alikes in hard hats. We should open up a pub for these guys. We're Rice, so we should make them feel welcome. I guess we could start a useless petition, but I have a better idea. Let's all get some hammers or bulldozers, tear the whole place down and start from square one. I'm talking about a New Rice, started from scratch, with underground parking for all. I'm talking about Groundbreaking 2000 with ceremonies 24 hours a day (and CK lemon bars). We will be the architects of our own destiny. Somehow, future students will enjoy a bunch of projects, but I say the future is now. Project Deconstruction.
Teresa Kubos Wiess sophomore
Student turnout low at memorial ceremony To the editor: I attended the wreath laying ceremony at the tomb of William Marsh Rice last Saturday. There were many Rice administrators and staff in attendance, along with visitors. The event had been well publicized here on campus and in the Houston area OPINION. However, there were not more than one or two Rice students in attendance. While it was nice to remember Mr. Rice, it was sad to see so few there for whom he left his legacy. If it were not for Mr. Rice, none of us would have this great institution.
Joseph Janczak Houston
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