Letter from the Editor: Drink Sensibly, Students
By Aidan Doherty

The much anticipated Harwood Halloween has come and gone, not without incident. A great party was thrown, many came, many had a good time. Many also roundly criticized the people of Claremont for shutting down the band, Ozomatli, well ahead of schedule. While the problems extant between the town of Claremont and the students of Pomona College should be addressed, and some amicable settlement reached, I feel that the disappointment of students in having their fun a little dampened pales in comparison to other problems related to the party. While some critics had to endure the unbearable sorrow of going home at 11 or 12 (or to any of a number of post-parties), five other students spent the night in the emergency room of Pomona Valley Hospital to be treated for alcohol poisoning. Lives were at stake. Additionally, at least one incident of serious violence led to arrest, an attack by a male student on a female RA. While I have heard many students express their disappointment over missing out on the rest of Ozomatli’s set, not getting laid, or having to deal with fire alarms going off in Walker, I have so far heard no one express their disappointment over the unpleasant behavior of their fellow students. I, for one, feel the need to do so. Drink, Pomona, and drink well, but if the amount you drink has led you to hurt yourself or others, please drink less. Getting drunk with your friends is a great part of college—being a belligerent asshole and waking up in a cellblock is not. It is hypocritical as a college for us to criticize Claremont for its ‘lameness’ while some of our men make a Saturday night out of attacking women, and our men and women allow their friends to drink themselves nearly to death. Don’t cast stones from a glass house.