South Hall drug protesters need to wake up to reality of world

Fuck me.
Fuck me for doing my job.
Fuck me for just trying to make everyone's life a little more livable in a 200 person tenement.

The rally dedicated to the demise of the President's and Dean's so-called "War on Drugs" several weeks ago is a sad statement of what this campus appears to care about. For those who attended the rally as I did, what was heard was not a protest by people gathered for the protection of civil liberties; it was a denouncement of Res. Life because, in effect, not everybody is allowed to do whatever they want, whenever they feel like it.

Welcome to the real world.

For those who need a bit of refreshing, the case presented at the rally and written on the walls and stalls was this:

On March 9, Res Life, the Dean of Student Life and Security attempted to evict a resident of South Hall for unsubstantiated reports of pot smoking. They did so in violation of his right to due process within the Oberlin community. They threatened the enrollment status of those who came to his defense. They ordered the Review to cease and desist their attempts to report the events. Does anyone want to hear the whole truth? Propaganda has a poignant way of only showing one side of the story...

On March 9, Res. Life, the Dean of Student Life and Security attempted to evict a resident of South, namely Matt Holford. Matt had previously lived in another dorm, but moved out. He had been confronted for disturbing the community numerous times, because of all too frequent marijuana use. He was even confronted in South. The reports were hardly unsubstantiated. Security had to respond to calls of alleged marijuana use; even three times in one day. It's on record. Matt affected his community adversely. In about three weeks, his neighbor felt compelled to move away; the smoking was too much.

Due process was not violated. He had been confronted numerous times in both halls. He had been asked to stop. He was definitely bothering those around him. After several confrontations, he was summoned to Judicial Board. When he moved and continued to leave College policy up in smoke, he was given an eviction notice.

Res. Life provides you with a place to sleep, a place to shower, a place where the toilets are cleaned for you. They ask you to comply to a few rules as outlined in your housing contract. Remember the housing contract? It's that white piece of paper you have to sign to get your room. It says, "behavior which... substantially interferes with the rights of others may result in eviction or room transfer." As far as Drug and Alcohol policy is considered, the contract refers you to the Regs Book, which says, quite clearly on page 39, "Oberlin College prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol or drugs." Matt was given several warnings, then called to Judicial Board; his continued, flagrant violation of college policy led to the eviction.

A Res. Life staff member did ask the Review to leave. Why? So that it wouldn't be covered? Come on, there's no way to prevent that. Res. Life was just protecting the resident from any incriminating evidence that might leak out. Had Matt not felt a rally in his cause was necessary, but rather wanted privacy, the Review publishing the facts about his eviction would have violated his right to privacy.

Oberlin College is under pressure by the U.S. government to enforce the drug policy, lest we lose federal funding for financial aid. Spelled out, that means if the dean doesn't at least try something, you won't be able to buy bud anyway; you'll have to be saving your money to pay for school. Or you could go to Frat state and have an even tougher time trying to smoke. Or better yet, as a student senator said, Oberlin could become a "school of rich, white pot-smokers." That will do wonders for Admissions!

If anything was unsubstantiated in this whole fiasco, it was the attack on Res. Life. I found the number of times I was urged to fuck myself rather amusing. The attack on Res. Life as being racist and classist is absolutely tasteless and childish. A flyer screamed at me during dinner: "The War on Drugs is racist and classist and is used as justification for the suppression of blacks and minorities. Do you want Oberlin to join it in full force? It will unless you do something about it." It made reference to three quotes which, when strung together, make as much sense as this popular syllogism: if God is love, and love is blind, and Ray Charles is blind, is Ray Charles God?!? If you actually think that the department of Residential Life is going to start attacking minorities through the drug policy, you have to be kidding An interesting point to ponder late at night: none of the people who stood up at the rally were African-American.

Another thing: Why are people like Matt trying to use the rules for their defense, when it is pretty clear that they have broken the rules? I think it might be misconstrued as being, say, hypocritical.

I am including my name here, to see if those who disagree with me are mature enough to talk to me, not harass me or take things off my door. I'll let you know what happens.

Let me wrap this up by inquiring, what are our priorities on this campus? An excellent liberal arts education, the broadening of our minds, a greater respect for multiculturalism, obtaining a greater sense of responsibility, or being able to smoke pot in your room whenever you feel like it? Let's try to lend our activism to greater issues; not just the ones which deal with having exactly what you want when you want it. Welcome to the real world.