Editor:
"In vino veritas" Ä With wine comes truth. A couple of Greeks discovered this fact very early on in the history of the world. It was probably after consuming a couple of carafes in the name of Bacchus, but I guess that only goes to further the validity of this proverb. While I surely wouldn't advocate the Greek population here at the UA depending on wine alone to unlock the secrets of biochemistry, I wish the editors of the Wildcat would have taken a couple sips of Chateau Bordeaux before publishing the Oct. 20 story on the university's now-famous, substance-free Hopi Residence Hall.
Although this article touched on the "flaws" of the substance-free program for a brief paragraph or two, it failed to point out that substance-free is not all that it is cracked up to be. As both a resident and observer of the "substance-free" environment, I decided to write a truthful editorial one night after having a thoughtful glass of wine with my dinner.
Although Hopi resident Shannon Dietz was correct in stating that there are some residents of Hopi who don't drink, they are greatly outnumbered by the heinous "binge" drinkers. Smokers also form a relatively small, but still existent, minority here at Hopi. This can be evidenced by the full "butt barrels" at the entrances to the hall.
The mere possession of alcohol, drug, or even tobacco products by a Hopi resident is reason enough to relocate a resident from this homely hall. Yet, may Hopi residents can be observed lighting up while just a few steps outside the hall, and libation is quietly evident every Friday and Saturday night without exception. I have even heard some stories of roommate hangover horrors thought to be non-existent here in Hopi by the Wildcat, Arizona Daily Star and subsequently by most of Tucson. To date, however, only one person has left humble Hopi. That instance was not because of a substance violation, though, but because of a roommate problem. It's good to know that Hopi has not been inoculated from all problems by its "substance-free" designation!
I have to admit that I love living in Hopi. The 122 students in this hall form a very friendly and personal environment. And the overall quietness of the hall is very conducive to studying. Whether this environment can be attributed to our designation as substance-free, I don't know. I do know, however, that this hall does not deserve to be covered by the imaginary pureness of the "substance-free" designation that the media and the administration have unquestioningly given it. Either the program needs to get much more serious about enforcement in the coming years, or the misleading "substance-free" motif needs to be abandoned altogether.
Jeff Schrade
Political Science Freshman/Hopi Resident