Running of the Goats canceled
As reported by The Northwestern, the "Running of the Goats" (the pub crawl) has been canceled.
While I disagree with the event, and its organizers stating it is equivalent to others supported by the community (like Waterfest, Country USA, etc.), I commend them for reaching this decision. While it may have been difficult, it was the right thing to do.
-Bryan
While I disagree with the event, and its organizers stating it is equivalent to others supported by the community (like Waterfest, Country USA, etc.), I commend them for reaching this decision. While it may have been difficult, it was the right thing to do.
-Bryan
posted by Bryan L. Bain at
11/07/2007 08:27:00 PM
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2 Comments:
Considering one of the most common offenses thus far from previous crawls was J-walking (i.e. not property damage, DUI, or violence), I don't understand how you can disagree with this event.
All students are above 18, thereby making them an adult. As long as they're above 21, then they should be able to do anything they please on Main St in Oshkosh as long as it doesn't break laws or endanger public safety. This is the only country where this reaction would occur.
By
Anonymous, at November 08, 2007 12:15 AM
I'm disappointed to hear that the Running of the Goats Pub Crawl has been cancelled. The Goat Pack claims they were going to be on the wrong end of "disciplinary actions" by UW-Oshkosh if they went ahead with plans to visit a dozen downtown Oshkosh bars.
A lot of people will be missing out because this event has been squashed. The downtown bars will miss out on extra money in the till. Apparently supporting downtown businesses is important only if they don't sell alcohol. Some charities will miss out on extra revenue--as proceeds from the crawl were to go to the university--before they made a big deal in the media about how they didn't want that beer-soaked cash. Organizers then planned to help the families of sick kids to pay medical bills--but that is now scratched.
The students lose out as well. They are learning about the hypocrisy of the educational elite who tell kids all the time about how they need to do more to help others--just do what we believe to be socially acceptable to do it. Counseling young mothers to not have abortions--or lecturing kids on abstinence--probably rank just as low as drinking beer to raise money for your school.
My biggest problem is with the university's threat to discipline those who take part in the pub crawl. How can a school punish students for taking part in legal activities off-campus? I'm going on the assumption that all of the Pub Crawlers will be over 21--and none of the bars are on UWO property--so what legal grounds do administrators have to take action against participants? Just another strong-armed tactic from those who always claim to be supporters of freedom of choice and self-determination.
I would encourage those planning to take part in the pub crawl to still hit the taverns this Saturday "un-officially". Tell stories with your friends and create those special college memories that everyone older than you look back upon with such melancholy happiness--knowing our lives will never be that simple again. Just don't drive if you've had too much college spirit.
Jonathan Krause
By
Anonymous, at November 08, 2007 12:24 PM
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