Whatever you do, don't make mistakes at Notre Dame

[Piotr Rasputin]

How great is it, by the way, to be able to have a lively debate without you-know-who showing up to tell everybody what a bunch of bird brains we all are?

That "you-know-who" spot gets filled pretty quickly on the political threads . . . .

as for this one: Marijuana is illegal if you're 18, it's illegal if you're 45. There is never a circumstance when recreational marijuana use is legal or okay in this country. It thus has a stigma attached to it, as smoking it recreationally (word inserted to make the "but medicinal marijuana..!!!!!" people relax) ALWAYS means you are breaking the law.

Alcohol becomes legal to you when you turn 21. An older person who hears of a college student drinking underage says "That's what college kids do." ALL colleges look the other way at underage drinking as much as they can, since society accepts alcohol and there will be a point in these students' lives when it will become a legal vice for them. They cannot look the other way at marijuana.

Now, I would have preferred the kid get a semester suspension. But the rule is the rule, and a private university has every right to make whatever rules it wishes. Within the boundaries of law and acceptable behavior, of course.

Kid shouldn't have done it.

 

[BYH]

About the BC Sean Williams/Akita McLain thing, anyone out there hearing the "g" word being tossed around?

Gluttonous? ???

Another gambling scandal?

 

[Twoback]

Honestly, I don't know what their policy is towards kids who are arrested for underage drinking, but I will say this as far as football Saturdays go: It's a lot more difficult to go around the parking lots carding every person you see and arresting those who are drinking underage than it is to kick a kid who was arrested with marijuana out of school.

Just logistically speaking, controlling underage drinking at football games is much more difficult than disciplining someone who is arrest for marijuana possession.

What they do with kids who are arrested for underage drinking, I have no idea, and I suspect, JR, that you aren't sure either.

(And I think the arrest part of this is an important distinction to make.)

Of course they could control drinking at games but they choose not to. because beer and football--as someone else pointed out--is a big part of the frat-boy culture which apprently is still alive and well in 1950's Notre Dame.

The whole thing is just a reflection of the absolutely asinine attitudes that still exist around a recreational drug like marijuana..

Would it not be equally asinine to suggest that maybe one should be mature enough and creative enough not to spend one's recreational time on any drug, marijuana or otherwise?
Just asking.

 

[buckweaver]

Prohibition was tried once, for a different recreational drug that people were determined to consume regardless of the law.

It didn't work then. It's not working now.

Legalize. Regulate. Educate.

 

[McNuggetsMan]

2) ND, given that they are a bit of an institution, could force the local Barney Fifes to arrest kids at football games for underage drinking, but then that would fly in the face of what appears to be a pretty strong frat-boy culture.

Actually, Notre Dame does do this at football tailgates. They stay out of the rich alumni areas but the nail people with pay on gameday parking for underage drinking. They have undercover excise cops making pointless and idiotic arrests every game day. Usually 100-200 people. It's an idiotic policy, but Notre Dame does enforce in stupid ways.

 

[Johnny Rockets]

Sportsline's Gary Parrish on this fiasco:

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9950117

 

[Starman]

I drive 75-80 MPH on the freeway sometimes. It's stupid that the speed limit is so low. I got a ticket once and had to pay a fine of $150 or something like that. Tough shirt for me.

 

[wonkintraining]

I'm just throwing this out there ...

If MacAlarney was a black kid from the school of hard knocks, not an Irish kid from New York right out of Notre Dame central casting, would people be more inclined to have sympathy for him?

I know race can be a volatile topic. But it just seems like there's a lot of, "The dope smokin' spoiled brat frat boy got what he deserved!"

 

[Pringle]

Good column by Parrish.

 

[The Big Ragu]

I'm just throwing this out there ...

If MacAlarney was a black kid from the school of hard knocks, not an Irish kid from New York right out of Notre Dame central casting, would people be more inclined to have sympathy for him?

I know race can be a volatile topic. But it just seems like there's a lot of, "The dope smokin' spoiled brat frat boy got what he deserved!"

Because historically people have been prejudiced against the white kid out of Notre Dame central casting?

 

[wonkintraining]

I'm just throwing this out there ...

If MacAlarney was a black kid from the school of hard knocks, not an Irish kid from New York right out of Notre Dame central casting, would people be more inclined to have sympathy for him?

I know race can be a volatile topic. But it just seems like there's a lot of, "The dope smokin' spoiled brat frat boy got what he deserved!"

Because historically people have been prejudiced against the white kid out of Notre Dame central casting?

I'm just thinking out loud ... just seems like it's tougher to muster sympathy for this kid than, say, someone who didn't have as much, presumably, to go back home to. Or someone who was a fish out of water at Notre Dame in the first place, like a lot of the football and basketball players must be, I assume, who for the first time in his life has these kinds of rules and they are strict like this.

Again, just thinking out loud. I could be completely going down the wrong tracks.

 

[Layman]

First, let me make it clear that I have "no dog in this fight." As a college administrator, I understand a LOT of ND's action / thinking in this fiasco......but as a South Bend area local, I've also experienced (and felt the pain) of their ham fisted / draconian way of doing business. Tough situation, lots of layers. Couple of points:

1. Whether folks agree with the policy, they WERE at least consistent. A drug offense, of any kind, will get you run. For at least a semester. Period. Yep....even if you're (as someone asked earlier) Brady Quinn. May be harsh, but it's also no secret to the student body& this decision is right in line with Student Affairs Committee (SAC) norms. KM wasn't the only student to come before them that day....and wasn't the only one to get sent packing on Monday afternoon.

2. This took a PAINFULLY long time to play out. However, ND was (again), consistent and stuck to it's due process. They say they treat their athletes like all other students, and in this case, they did.

The arrest took place over Christmas Break. No students (except for the locals, of course) were in town, no way for the SAC to meet. Classes reconvened on Tuesday 1/16, KM was on the docket (with a number of other students / issues) on 1/22. No "special session" for a jocko......that's not the ND way.

3. If you're a ND fanboy, you can really consider this "bad luck." If he'd have been pulled over by the South Bend PD.....or St. Joe County Sherriff.....or even NDSPD......none of us would have ever heard about it. Just the way it works, here in "Hooterville." But this young man had the "misfortune" of weaving while turning off a state highway...with out-of-state plates....in front of an Indiana State Trooper. THAT'S not gonna get buried....

4. Which brings up the only part of this that makes me a bit less than sympathetic to the young man. Son, if you're gonna burn one, that's fine. Do it outside your dorm. Go to a friends apartment. But keep it the H*LL OFF THE ROAD I DRIVE TO WORK EVERY DAY!!