2nd thoughts about the my comments two posts ago

I almost wish I hadn’t put this post in the blog. I didn’t really know what I thought about it at posting time. I just knew that Vanderbilt parties were a heckuvalot bigger and more numerous than UMD’s Labor Day bashes. I still don’t know quite what to say but these thoughts have crossed my mind, in no particular order.

1. If I was a Vanderbilt student I would have thought nothing about attending one.

2. They were big but orderly. (as of the filming)

3. There was no attempt to make it easy to contain cans, bottles and cups. Sure they would have picked up later but it was such a slothful sight.

4. This Fraternity row has no doubt existed for half a century or more and the residential neighbors no doubt knew that before moving in.

5. The people filming were being self righteous and accusatory. Very Old Testament. I’m not big on the old testament!

6. From what I saw (and I quit half way through) the partiers were reasonable to their harassers. No doubt most considered them harmless and amusing.

7. I don’t personally object to alcohol being served to young people if I can be sure of their self restraint. That would be harder to find in America with its Blue Laws but not that unusual in Europe where wine and beer are regular beverages at family dinners.

8. I think that open activities are more easily monitored and theoretically safer for participants than those hidden away.

9. That was just once slice of time on one campus on one day. I have no idea what its like over the course of a full school year at all hours of the day.

10. I’d be interested to know at what point local police drop by to pay a call on these parties.

11. I’m glad I don’t live next to one of these fraternities and I belonged to one myself. Our parties were more likely in the basement, the backyard or the first floor not out front on the street. See point 8 above.

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